Jobs & Internships

President & Chief Executive Officer

Leadership and Management

The President & CEO is responsible for the overall management of the organization including:

• Leading an interdisciplinary team of senior-level personnel and performing the functions of community relations, strategic planning, fundraising and capital formation, annual and multi-year budgeting, fiscal management, and creation and maintenance of internal systems and procedures;
• Delegating responsibility as needed and holding members of the staff and contract personnel accountable for their specific areas of responsibility;
• Guiding the affairs of the organization in a way that creates a dynamic and continuously improving organization, able to consistently serve the evolving needs of Greater Minnesota, and promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and access for all Minnesotans.

Vision and Planning

The President & CEO is responsible for providing overall direction to the organization including:

• Proactively identify strategically important affordable housing opportunities;
• Optimize impact on the most important and timely affordable housing needs;
• Advance innovation and conduct research on effective capital markets strategies, replicable models, and fund design;
• Create a work environment that promotes continual learning, innovation, responsiveness;
• Lead strategic planning and develop annual work plans;
• Identify and build strategic partnerships with supporters of local/regional housing initiatives.
• Advance the goals of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, both within the organization and throughout the industry.

External Representation

The President & CEO is the organization’s primary spokesperson and representative, serving as liaison to various sectors of the community, including business, non-profit, philanthropic and government. They develop and maintain effective partnerships with public agencies, builders and developers, financial institutions, community leaders, local units of government, and elected officials.

Board of Directors Relations

The President & CEO is accountable to the board of directors for the operation and management of the organization. They are the primary liaison to the board of directors, responsible for ensuring adequate support to the board to make and maintain policy, determine appropriate allocation of resources, engage in strategic planning and the design of effective programs, and otherwise govern effectively. They engage the board early and fully on new directions, lines of business, markets, initiatives, programs, acquisitions, and other opportunities. They keep the board informed on matters of budget, finance and the significant legal affairs of the organization.

Qualifications

The President & CEO must possess broad knowledge of:

• Development finance and innovative financing techniques;
• Real estate development, project management, community planning, and community building;
• Fundraising and capital formation;
• Public policy.

The President & CEO must have significant senior management experience within complex businesses, non-profit organizations, or public agencies, and a demonstrated ability to build and manage a highly productive team. They must have a grounded understanding of the entirety of the Minnesota housing landscape including, and especially, rural markets. They must have a proven record of serving as an effective thought leader and visionary in the public realm, have passion for the agency’s mission, and be able to convey the vision and purpose of the organization to a diverse group of external audiences.

The President & CEO must present a solid, business-like image and command respect within the business, financial, and nonprofit communities. They must be an effective public speaker and possess excellent writing skills. A master’s degree in a related field is preferred.

Personal Qualifications

• Progressively responsible positions of leadership and management in government, non-profit or business organizations.
• Visionary leader, able to bring imagination and wisdom as problems and opportunities arise.
• A passion for working in community development, housing, and public policy.
• A commitment to social justice
• Highly effective interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving capabilities.
• High energy, highly focused, and productive.
• Comfortable working in a developing, changing, evolving organization.
• High tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to concentrate on multiple priorities simultaneously, ability to shift priorities to accommodate changing demands. Nimble.
• High degree of comfort with an iterative process, comfortable with collaborative work and able to accept feedback.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, presentation); ability to write clearly and concisely.
• Ability to convey complex financial, community development and real estate development processes to non-technical audiences.
• Highly ethical, honest, trustworthy, respectful, and loyal to the organization.
• Master’s degree in public, business or non-profit administration, city and regional planning preferred.

For More Information

Greater Minnesota Housing Fund has retained Simkin Search LLC to conduct this executive search. Specializing in affordable housing and community development, Simkin Search partners with you to attract real estate professionals with the skill, experience, and passion to drive your organization forward, and with the temperament and leadership style to thrive in your team’s culture. www.simkinsearch.com Submit all inquiries and applications to us at:

Chief Financial Officer

Position and Responsibilities

The CFO is responsible for ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the organization’s financial reporting and asset management. The CFO helps form and direct the organization’s financial goals and objectives, its budget, and financial plans. The CFO is responsible for establishing and ensuring that internal controls are in place, enforced, and reviewed periodically for conformance to accounting and financial standards and applicable regulations, including compliance and recognition for government contracts and private grants. The CFO will play a key role in the development of new capital market structures and vehicles in partnership with the management team. Additionally, the CFO will develop and manage highly skilled financial professionals.

Finance

• Oversee cash flow planning and ensure adequate funds are available as needed;
• Oversee investment management activities;
• Oversee financing strategies and activities, including managing banking relationships;
• Oversee asset management function for company’s loan fund, gap loan, and equity investment portfolios;
• Develop an effective asset allocation and investment policy for recommendation to the CEO and the Finance Committee of the Board;
• Monitor and review investment advisor and manage performance reports for compliance with established performance benchmarks and investment policy;
• Participate in capital development activities providing company financials and acting as point of contact for financial due diligence with funders.
• Review and approve covenants in funding agreements;
• Develop and utilize forward-looking, predictive models and activity-based financial analyses to provide insights into the organization’s operations and business plans; and
• Coordinate the development and monitoring of budgets.

Strategic Planning

• Develop multi-year and annual capitalization plans that identify and quantify grants, loans (equity-equivalent debt investments (EQ2s) and program related investments (PRIs)) and other capital sources for the organization;
• Develop complex capital market solutions to expand business activities of the organization and support new business lines and initiatives;
• Engage the finance committee of the board of directors to develop short-, medium-, and long-term financial plans and projections;
• Represent the company to financial partners, including financial institutions, investors, foundation executives, auditors, and public officials;
• Remain current on nonprofit audit best practices and state and federal law regarding nonprofit operations.
• Ensure the organization has the appropriate technology tools and development to support critical financial functions.

Accounting Compliance and Administration

• Maintain and oversee the day-to-day financial and accounting operations of the organization, ensuring that appropriate systems are in place to maintain effective internal controls and financial procedures;
• Ensure the timeliness, accuracy, and usefulness of financial and management reporting for federal and state funders, foundations, and GMHF’s board of directors. Oversee the preparation and communication of monthly and annual financial statements;
• Report on overall loan portfolio and organization level compliance to funders and the Department of Treasury Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, including GMHF’s annual recertification as a CDFI;
• Stay informed of the latest CDFI compliance regulations. Identify and communicate potential compliance concerns, and work closely with the management team, lending team, and finance team to maintain good standing as a CDFI. Evaluate GMHF’s performance relative to CDFI peers;
• Lead and coordinate audits and proper filing of tax returns. Ensure legal and regulatory compliance regarding all financial functions.

Required Experience and Qualifications

The CFO must have extensive senior management level experience within complex businesses, non-profit organizations, or public agencies, and a track record of building and leading a highly productive team. They must have a grounded understanding of the Minnesota housing landscape, particularly rural markets. They must have a proven record of serving as an effective thought leader and visionary in the public realm, have passion for the agency’s mission, and be able to convey the vision and purpose of the organization to a diverse range of external audiences. They must work collaboratively in all aspects of the position.

• Knowledge, skills and abilities in finance, budget, accounting, institutional investments, capital markets, business management, and strategic financial and organizational planning;
• Experience and knowledge of housing finance and CDFI’s preferred;
• Experience and knowledge of real estate development and small business finance helpful;
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities, facilitate work among a professional team, and shift priorities to accommodate changing demands;
• Experience in community relations, board relations, management team, and client relations;
• History of managing growth, aligning operations to support strategic business priorities;
• Established record of performance excellence, planning, and meeting/exceeding established goals and timelines;
• Evidence of good decisions through sound analysis, life experience, and good judgment;
• Ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends, and build the organization components to address dynamic circumstances;
• Strong skills in oral and written communications, meeting facilitation, and business negotiation
• Proficiency in latest office software, ability to learn additional core programs;
• Strong leadership skills, including ability to develop staff and lead with influence and humility;
• Commitment to social justice and racial equity;
• Working leader that contributes to work products in addition to oversight responsibility;
• Passion for working in community development, housing, and public policy;
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving capabilities;
• Thrives working in a complex, creative, and evolving organization;
• High tolerance for ambiguity while pushing projects and issues forward.

About Greater Minnesota Housing Fund

Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (GMHF) is a complex 501(c)(3) non-profit financial intermediary established in 1996 by The McKnight Foundation and Blandin Foundation to address affordable housing financing needs in Minnesota. To date, GMHF has provided direct financing of nearly $1 billion and mobilized another $3.1 billion in housing investments, resulting in the financing of more than 20,000 affordable homes throughout Minnesota. GMHF operates a $165M real estate development loan fund for affordable housing pre-development, acquisition, construction, bridge and longer-term amortizing permanent loans, tax increment bond financing, and first mortgage financing. The loan fund typically provides financing of $60M-$100M per year using this base of capital and raises $20M -$30M per year to grow the loan fund asset base.

GMHF operates the Minnesota Equity Fund (MEF), a low-income housing tax credit equity financing vehicle for socially motivated investors to finance affordable housing. Minnesota Equity Fund must raise and deploy $25M-$35M in equity capital per year to address current demand.

GMHF also operates the NOAH Impact Fund, a new equity investment fund capitalized with $32.5M from banks, foundations, and public agencies for the acquisition and preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing in the Twin Cities metro area. The NOAH Impact Fund provides financing of $10M -$15M per year. Based on Fund I’s success, GMHF is working to capitalize NOAH Fund II at $33.5M.

GMHF is certified by the Department of Treasury as Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), holds an Aeris Rating of “4-Stars, AA, Policy Plus”, and is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB). GMHF seeks to utilize and access FHLB capital more effectively as it grows. GMHF is constantly evolving and expanding in innovative ways into new lines of community development finance, planning and technical assistance programs, and research and development activities.

Learn More

Greater Minnesota Housing Fund has retained MMC Consulting, Inc. to conduct this executive search. Specializing in non-profit CFO’s in the Midwest, MMC Consulting, Inc. partners with you and your company to match finance professionals with the skills, experience, and disposition to drive organizations forward.
Please contact Gabby Thorsen at gthorsen@mmcmsp.com to learn more about this exciting job opportunity.