SVP, Acquisitions & Investment Management

Walker & Dunlop•Calabasas, CA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Walker & Dunlop is a leading provider of capital to the commercial real estate industry. The W&D Affordable Equity department, formerly Alliant Capital, specializes in tax credit syndication for the development and financing of affordable multifamily rental housing. As a syndicator of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), W&D Affordable Equity raises corporate equity and monitors investments through development, construction, lease-up, and permanent financing. The department offers integrated real estate and investment support services through its experienced team of professionals.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, real estate, finance, accounting, or a related field required.
15+ years of experience in real estate finance, including significant experience in Section 42 Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) syndication or multifamily housing.
Demonstrated experience underwriting and structuring LIHTC real estate transactions.
Experience managing complex real estate transactions through due diligence, negotiation, and closing.
Experience supervising, mentoring, and leading high-performing professional teams.
Experience working with developers, investors, lenders, and legal counsel in affordable housing transactions.
Deep knowledge of real estate development and finance, including land use and entitlement, property due diligence and acquisition, site planning and design, and affordable housing subsidy programs.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify, evaluate, and resolve complex transaction issues.
Excellent oral and written communication skills, including client-facing and public presentation abilities.
Ability to initiate and maintain effective, cooperative working relationships with team members, government agencies, consultants, lenders, investors, and developers.
Exceptional organizational skills with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a time-sensitive environment.
Demonstrated leadership capability, including mentoring, coaching, and performance management.
High level of professional judgment and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information.
Ability to communicate effectively across all levels of the organization.
Ability to take ownership of work, exercise sound judgment, embrace challenges, and adapt to new processes, systems, and business priorities.
Demonstrated professionalism, courtesy, respect, and thoughtfulness when working with colleagues, clients, investors, and other stakeholders.
Strong executive presence, with the ability to influence decisions, communicate risk clearly, and build credibility with internal and external stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

CPA, JD, MBA, or MST preferred.
Familiarity with escrow processes and title and survey review preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the Acquisitions Team in the lower-tier due diligence, underwriting, negotiation, and closing process for WDAE’s affordable housing investments, ensuring the economic, legal, and governance interests of WDAE’s investor limited partners (“ILPs”) are protected.
Oversee lower-tier negotiations and communications with developers, direct WDAE’s business positions in transaction documents, and supervise outside counsel to ensure negotiated outcomes align with approved underwriting, investor requirements, and WDAE governance standards.
Manage team workflows for Property Acquisition Report (“PAR”) packages, PAR models, Investment Committee materials, and investor deliverables, ensuring clear presentation of material risks, key assumptions, structural protections, and impacts to ILP interests.
Lead ongoing improvements to WDAE’s lower-tier closing processes, including enhanced use of systems and tools like iManage and ChatGPT, while maintaining appropriate controls, documentation standards, and approval protocols.
Interface with investors regarding lower-tier deal structure, due diligence, underwriting assumptions, and transaction risks, ensuring accurate, complete, and consistent communications.
Communicate directly with developers to facilitate lower-tier closings, resolve business and legal issues, and maintain disciplined negotiation boundaries.
Train, motivate, evaluate, and support the career development of Acquisitions Team members, reinforcing sound underwriting judgment, fiduciary awareness, and adherence to governance protocols.
Promote cross-functional collaboration among Originations, Investor Relations, Asset Management, and Finance to balance platform growth, execution quality, investor expectations, and risk management.
Assist Originators with review of draft letters of intent (“LOIs”) and provide deal structuring guidance, while maintaining Acquisitions’ responsibility for lower-tier diligence, negotiations, and final business recommendations.
Provide strategic recommendations to the Group Head of Affordable Equity and executive management regarding transaction risk, structural protections, negotiation strategy, market trends, process improvements, and other matters affecting WDAE’s platform.
Serve as a member of the WDAE Investment Committee, ensuring investment decisions are well-documented, analytically sound, and aligned with WDAE’s underwriting standards, governance protocols, and investor obligations.
Participate in the development of organizational plans, investment programs, and platform initiatives, focusing on alignment of execution quality, governance, risk management, and scalable growth.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Up to 83% subsidized medical payroll deductions
Competitive dental and vision benefits
401(k) + match
Pre-tax transit and commuting benefits
A robust health and wellness program – earn cash rewards and gain access to resources that promote health, engagement, and balance
Paid maternity and parental leave, as well as other family paid leave programs
Company-paid life, short and long-term disability insurance
Health Savings Account and Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending
Career development opportunities
Empowerment and encouragement to give back – volunteer hours and donation matching