In communities across the country, a lack of sufficient funding for school facilities and development acts as a barrier to an excellent education for far too many students. As Vice President of Lending for the Facilities Investment Fund at Civic Builders (Civic), you will play a pivotal role in breaking down this barrier. Your leadership will be instrumental in expanding our reach in priority markets and developing innovative strategies to bridge financing gaps, ensuring that students have access to the education they deserve.

The Facilities Investment Fund (FIF), a groundbreaking partnership between the Walton Family Foundation and Civic Builders, is designed to expand access to affordable facilities financing for high-potential public charter schools. Launched in 2017, the fund offers loans for new construction, renovation, refinancing, acquisition, leasehold improvement, and predevelopment. With flexible terms and below-market interest rates, FIF helps charter schools secure high-quality facilities and grow their impact in under-resourced communities.

Reporting to the Chief Lending & Investment Officer (CLIO), you will lead a four-person team through an exciting period of growth and drive $100 million in annual loan production, bringing flexible facilities financing to schools across the U.S. You will also manage and oversee new loan products, including an $11 million predevelopment loan fund, with strategies for deploying predevelopment funds and supporting schools (including new start schools) with technical assistance as they move toward securing next-stage financing.

To date, FIF has supported 33 schools and over 20,745 students. As Vice President of Lending, you will leverage your deep market presence to champion Civic Builders as a leader in the sector and represent FIF nationally.

Key Focus Areas

• Loan Origination and Risk Management. Support the team in pipeline development and managing relationships with charter schools, charter management organizations, technical assistance organizations, real estate brokers and developers, and affiliate organizations. Ensure thorough financial analysis, due diligence, risk management, and structuring of facility financing requests under a "Schools First" approach, meeting schools where they are in their growth.
• Strategic Planning and Market Analysis. Work closely with senior leadership to execute annual goals and strategic plans. Advise on changes and impacts within the charter school sector landscape, market trends, and opportunities. Identify markets with unmet needs and actively engage schools, communities, and partners through targeted outreach.
• Lending Process Optimization. Work with the CLIO and other staff to update loan policies, procedures, and templates; use our Salesforce lending platform to drive the work and share impact data. With the CLIO, guide the development and execution of recapitalization strategies to support Civic’s long-term lending capacity. As needed, collaborate with the Vice President of Portfolio Management and the portfolio management team on amendments, workouts, reporting, and other assignments. Ensure compliance with all agreements and obligations.
• Team Development. Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance culture by providing targeted support, training, and professional development opportunities aligned with our organization’s mission. Mentor your team in best practices for underwriting, loan structuring, and construction financing while coaching them to streamline processes, accelerate momentum, and deliver results.
• Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Incorporate equity and inclusion principles into our daily operations, fostering a culture that promotes these values at all levels of the organization. Externally, collaborate with school leaders and others to identify the supports needed to create equitable learning environments for students of color and integrate these principles into our underwriting processes.
• Stakeholder Engagement. Build and maintain strong relationships with community leaders, educators, and other stakeholders, advocate for inclusive lending practices, and actively participate in external collaboratives and industry groups.

Work Environment, Salary, and Benefits

• This position is based out of our New York, NY office and offers a hybrid/remote work environment. We welcome candidates from beyond the New York area to apply, with a strong preference for candidates within commuting distance. Some travel is required to visit school sites, represent Civic Builders at conferences, and attend relevant staff meetings.
• The budgeted salary range for this role is $190K–$210K, with bonus eligibility. The salary offered will be commensurate with experience and location. Our benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, 4% employer match 401(k), and generous PTO.
• Additional benefits and perks include flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA), short-term & long-term disability insurance, group term life insurance, commuter benefits program, 12 weeks paid parental/family leave, cell phone plan reimbursement and equipment replacement, professional development reimbursement, home office setup, and social and educational outings.

Qualifications

• 10 years of experience in commercial real estate financing, with strong underwriting, loan structuring, and construction financing skills. A minimum of 7 years in charter school facility financing is preferred.
• Proven experience in managing and developing a team of underwriters, with a record of fostering individual growth and team success while driving the work.
• Familiarity with federal and state funding for charter schools and charter school operations and budgets. Proficient in charter school financials and real estate operations. Strong analytical skills and financial acumen.
• Demonstrated interest and strength in networking and forging relationships with partners and schools.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills. Proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint.
• Adaptable with the ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining organization and attention to detail.
• A deep commitment to expanding high-quality education options, improving financial access, and driving equitable outcomes for under-resourced communities, coupled with the ability to effectively convey this commitment to partners, funders, staff, and other stakeholders.

About Civic Builders

Civic Builders is the nation’s leading nonprofit lender and developer of public charter schools. Since 2002, the organization has invested more than $2 billion into over 100 schools, bringing high-quality educational opportunities to more than 55,000 students annually.

Staffing Advisors is committed to reducing bias in every aspect of the hiring process. We have long recommended a competency-driven approach to hiring. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position description; we will consider people from a variety of backgrounds and career experiences.