Managing Director, Credit & Underwriting

CREA, LLC•Indianapolis, IN

9h•Hybrid

About The Position

CREA, LLC is a full-service low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) syndicator forming long-term relationships with investors and developers that cultivate success and improve lives. With 25 years in affordable housing, CREA has raised $13.5 billion - resulting in the formation of 97,500+ homes within 1,059 communities across the country. Thanks to the contribution of over 135 employees, CREA continues to look for talented and passionate individuals who are excited about opportunities to grow with us into the future. The Managing Director, Credit & Underwriting (the “Managing Director”) leads CREA’s Credit & Underwriting function and develops their staff to achieve both personal and corporate success. This role is responsible for ensuring that each investment complies with program requirements, real estate fundamentals, and industry best practices while providing strategic leadership across underwriting, investment risk evaluation, committee participation, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration. The successful candidate will identify and mitigate investment risks, serve as a technical resource in investment review processes, help guide corporate Investment Guidelines and departmental Policies and Procedures, and collaborate with senior leaders and stakeholders to support disciplined growth and efficient execution.

Requirements

A master’s degree in real estate, finance, accounting, or a related discipline is required.
A minimum of ten years of hands-on LIHTC credit / risk experience and strong knowledge of real estate investment principles & financial analysis are required.
Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to mentor, inspire, and develop a growing team is essential.
The ideal candidate is highly motivated, self-directed, organized, and comfortable taking on new responsibilities in a dynamic environment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Co-Pilot is required.
Travel, including occasional overnight stays, may be required.

Responsibilities

Lead the Credit & Underwriting department, managing workflow, resources, and staff development to meet company production goals.
Utilize LIHTC and real estate expertise to identify significant risks to proposed investments and develop strategies to mitigate development team, investment structure, market, operational, tax, compliance, and construction risks.
Review investment proposal submissions, provide technical guidance to committees and staff, and communicate underwriting findings and conclusions to leadership and appropriate stakeholders throughout the investment process.
Develop and lead strategic departmental initiatives that support corporate needs, improve efficiency, and align with industry best practices.
Regularly review and recommend updates to Investment Guidelines, legal and documentation requirements, and departmental Policies and Procedures based on market observations and industry feedback.
Collaborate with key members of the organization to provide seamless service to CREA stakeholders and help resolve conflicts arising from risk mitigation, structuring, or execution issues.
Monitor portfolio, partner, and vendor performance to proactively identify concerns, support decision-making, and manage expected outcomes, deliverables, and costs.
Manage and enhance the Credit & Underwriting team through leadership, hiring, career development, training, and day-to-day guidance.
Delegate workload, risk exposure, and partner relationships across the team in alignment with experience, capacity, and business priorities.
Collaborate with Human Resources to maintain job descriptions, assigned responsibilities, career paths, and anticipated departmental staffing needs.