Underwriter

Harmony Housing Affordable Development Inc. (“HHAD”) is among the largest real estate developers of affordable rental housing in the United States. Our mission is to positively impact communities by creating and preserving quality affordable housing for low wealth households. HHAD is a wholly owned subsidiary of Harmony Housing, a 501c3 not-for-profit owner and operator of affordable housing. Our fast-growing organization is currently seeking a detail-oriented and experienced Underwriter to join the expanding Finance team and be an integral part of the growth of HHAD’s affordable housing development business. The ideal candidate will be responsible for managing the financial aspects of affordable housing projects, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and providing accurate financial reporting to stakeholders. This position works in close coordination with HHAD’s Accounting, Business Development, Construction, Development, and Executive teams and is based in our Raleigh, North Carolina office, reporting to the Director of Finance. This position will be responsible for leading all efforts related to underwriting, financing, and closing transactions for the Company’s multi-family affordable development platform (new construction, rehabilitation, mixed-use, and Rural Development (“RD”)). The Underwriter will perform financial analyses of development opportunities and regularly interface with external development partners, as well as lenders, syndicators, equity investors, and various government agencies. This position requires a great deal of autonomy and accountability, along with strong experience in financial analysis, low-income housing tax credits, critical thinking and problem solving, negotiating, networking, and teamwork. Primary Duties and Responsibilities: Project Finance:Support the execution of the multi-family affordable development platform by leading efforts related to underwriting, financing, and closing projectsCollaborate with a cross functional Project Team (Finance, Development, and Construction) to successfully execute on multiple development projects at a timeFacilitate the collection, organization, review, and analysis of financial due diligence materialsPrepare, update, and maintain detailed project-level and portfolio-level financial models using Excel macros and various data analysis techniquesPrepare financial analyses and supporting materials for presentations to senior leadership, Investment Committee, external development partners, and other stakeholdersProvide regular status reports on projects to senior leadershipMonitor and drive project schedules to ensure financial milestones are achieved as scheduledTrack pre-development costs and cash needs for assigned projectsLead efforts to raise debt and equity by preparing investment packages, soliciting proposals from potential lenders and investors, responding to questions, and negotiating termsIdentify potential sources of soft funding and be able to update financial models with the unique associated financing termsWork closely with the Development Team to prepare applications for tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, and other sources of fundsAssist in monitoring project budgets, ensure development sources and uses remain balanced, and provide insights into cost management and financial performanceParticipate in project meetings and contribute to financial decision-making processesPrepare closing draws and facilitate project financial closing and funding requests; review closing statements for accuracyRegulatory Compliance:Ensure continuous adherence to local, state, and federal regulations (including state QAPs) related to affordable housing financing and reportingReview project partnership and financial documents and ensure funding terms and conditions are consistently maintainedStakeholder Engagement:Effectively and timely communicate with bank representatives, lenders, investors, housing agencies, market analysts, appraisers, auditors, clients, and other external deal participantsEstablish, cultivate, and maintain strategic relationships with potential and existing partners, brokers, institutional and equity partners, owners, lenders, and other key stakeholders in various marketsLead meetings with external clients, financial partners, as well as government agencies and pertinent officials as may be neededCollaborate with financial analysts, developers, project managers, and other stakeholders to provide financial insights and supportTeam Leadership:Foster a collaborative environment that encourages continuous improvement and innovationIdentify and implement process improvements to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Finance and Underwriting functionsStay updated on industry trends and best practices in affordable housing financeEnsure individual and departmental goals and objectives are achieved Experience, Skills, and Abilities Required: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, finance, real estate, mathematics, or a related field; Master’s degree a plusMinimum of two (2) years of progressive professional experience with a successful track record in real estate development, real estate finance, or low-income housing tax credit syndication, with an in-depth understanding of real estate fundamentals and transaction structuringExceptional financial modeling skills with the ability to create, update, maintain, understand, and audit complex financial models using Microsoft Excel (advanced levels)Experience reviewing real estate financial information (operating statements, rent rolls, audits, loan documents, etc.); ability to process information including gathering, assessing, coding, organizing, auditing, and verifying dataExperience in advanced multi-family real estate underwriting with LIHTC and tax-exempt bond financing, FHA mortgage insurance programs, as well as Agency debt products (Fannie/Freddie), and familiarity with other affordable housing funding programs and compliance regulationsDemonstrated excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skillsAbility to recognize and mitigate investment risksHigh-energy, accurate, organized, highly detailed, and results-oriented professional with demonstrable ability to successfully manage multiple projects and successfully work under pressure of strict deadlinesExcellent written and oral communication skills with an ability to clearly and concisely express ideas, thoughts, and concepts in writing and verballyStrong financial and analytical skills, as well as advanced computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe, SharePoint, and SmartSheets and other similar programs)Ability to handle daily responsibilities and projects with minimal direction, while also working in close collaboration with a team to provide solutions where neededAbility to maintain a “big picture” focus while attending to very detailed work and providing thorough documentationResourceful, flexible, and maintain the ability to react and respond quickly towards positive outcomesStrong personal standards and values consistent with HHAD’s core values (entrepreneurial, integrity, caring, and excellence) A satisfactory background check will be required as part of the selection process. At Harmony Housing Affordable Development (HHAD"), we believe that finding creative solutions for our clients comes from the collaboration of people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. We strive to build a work environment that empowers all individuals with opportunities to channel their entrepreneurial spirit. HHAD is an EEO employer. This job description is not inclusive of all responsibilities, skills, requirements, efforts or working conditions associated with this position. While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current position, management reserves the right to modify the position or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change. This job description replaces all previous descriptions for this position.