Director of Strategic Investments

The Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA) is a new agency, created to address the ongoing challenges of affordable housing in L.A. County. We help people stay in their homes and increase housing options in all communities of Los Angeles County.  

Our agency was created by California state legislation sponsored by community organizations and housing experts, approved by the State Legislature, and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom.   

We are governed by a Board of 22 Los Angeles County leaders, including elected officials and housing experts. 

Now that you know who we are, here’s what we’re building and how you can help shape it.  The Senior Director will be responsible for leading and overseeing all aspects of capital deployment activities, including underwriting and closing functions.  In this position, you will play a crucial role in analyzing real estate investments and providing valuable insights to support the Strategic Investments team. 

This role requires strong relationship management skills, a deep understanding of credit and credit analysis, and operational efficiency.  The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker with strong leadership and analytical skills, and be detail-oriented.  Reporting to the Chief Strategic Investments Officer, this position will play a key role in advancing LACAHSA’s mission to increase the production, preservation and ownership of affordable housing. 

What You’ll Do:

• Underwriting and closing oversight, ensuring that loans are approved in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Lead the credit and investment review, approval and closing process throughout the deal lifecycle with an enterprise mindset, collaborating broadly with internal and external partners to ensure well-managed processes and the highest level of impact.
• Lead and mentor credit analysts and closing coordinators, providing guidance and support to help drive performance.
• Evaluate real estate projects and sponsors’ creditworthiness, and assess the risk associated with capital deployment activities.
• Prepare and analyze credit-related financial reports, providing insights to senior management.
• In coordination with Financial Analysts, evaluate the financial performance of multifamily real estate assets, prepare comprehensive written analyses, analyze credit quality, and assist in preparing and presenting credit requests for credit approval.
• Develop and deliver training programs, workshops, presentations, and technical assistance sessions to internal staff, external stakeholders, funding partners, and community organizations on affordable housing finance, underwriting standards, capital deployment strategies, and investment programs.

What You Bring: 

• A bachelor’s degree in economics, accounting, and/or finance
• 10 years of on-the-job experience evaluating, underwriting, and closing multifamily affordable housing.
• Proven leadership capabilities with experience managing teams and fostering a collaborative work environment.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills, with demonstrated experience developing and facilitating training, workshops, stakeholder meetings, and executive-level presentations. Ability to effectively communicate complex financial, investment, and affordable housing concepts to diverse audiences, including staff, executive leadership, external partners, and governing boards.
• Strong understanding of lending practices, credit risk assessment, loan closings, and community development finance
• Excellent and proactive verbal and written communication skills.
• Evolve to meet new and emerging opportunities and challenges, including enabling a try/test/learn team culture.
• Ability to collect, synthesize and analyze data for informed decision-making.
• Stay informed and demonstrate subject matter expertise, including attending and participating in industry workshops and conferences.

Key Competencies: 

• Strategic Leadership & Execution
• Affordable Housing Finance Expertise
• Credit Risk Analysis & Decision-Making
• Relationship Management & Stakeholder Engagement
• Financial & Investment Analysis
• People Leadership & Team Development

Licenses / Certifications:

Valid California Driver's License – Required

Technical Skills:

• Multifamily Affordable Housing Underwriting
• Financial Modeling & Pro Forma Analysis
• Loan Structuring, Closing & Portfolio Management
• Credit Risk Assessment & Investment Analysis
• LIHTC, Tax-Exempt Bond, and Public Funding Program Expertise
• Advanced Microsoft Excel (Financial Modeling, Forecasting, and Reporting)

Compensation Range:   

We are committed to equitable compensation practices, and we offer an annual salary ranging from $180,000.00 to $200,000.00 depending on your experience and qualifications. 

We Offer Amazing Benefits Too: 

• Great PPO health insurance options, and we will cover 100% of your premiums for Medical, Dental & Vision
• Fully paid Life and AD&D insurance coverage
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Generous retirement benefit where we match employee contributions dollar-for-dollar, up to 5% of the employee’s salary, with immediate vesting
• Paid time off, including 14 holidays, two weeks of sick leave, and two weeks of accruable vacation for new, full-time employees in their first year

Equal Opportunity

LACAHSA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating 

a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the community we serve. 

We strongly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and veterans.