The Role

The Vice President, Finance will lead the strategic treasury and Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) functions for the organization. They will report to the Chief Financial & Administrative Officer. They will be responsible for budgeting, forecasting, and analytical processes that support the organization's financial health and strategic goals. They and their team will provide insights and recommendations to senior management, enabling informed decision-making. They will oversee capital structure optimization, liquidity and cash management, lender and rating agency relationships, investment portfolio performance, financial compliance and more. They will ensure financial stability, risk mitigation, and operational excellence. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the organization’s financial trajectory and support strategic growth, particularly in the community development finance space.

Key responsibilities of the role include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Financial Planning & Analysis

• Drive strategic financial planning by integrating treasury operations with FP&A insights.
• Lead long-term financial modeling and scenario planning for liquidity and capital needs.
• Evaluate interest rate sensitivity and market risks to enhance financial decision-making.
• Develop strategies for capital allocation to maximize net assets.
• Align treasury initiatives with corporate financial strategy and growth objectives.
• Provide data-driven recommendations for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.
• Budgeting and Forecasting: Developing and managing the annual budget and periodic forecasts, ensuring alignment with the organization's strategic objectives.
• Financial Reporting: Preparing and analyzing financial reports, including variance analysis, to monitor performance against budget and forecasts.
• Strategic Planning: Collaborating with various departments to develop long-term financial plans and strategies that support the organization's growth and profitability.
• Data Analysis: Utilizing financial data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, and providing actionable insights to improve financial performance.
• Performance Management: Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure and track the organization's financial and operational performance.

Strategic Debt and Lender Relationship Management

• Develop long-term capital structure strategies to optimize funding costs and financial flexibility for lending and programs.
• Act as the principal relationship manager for LIIF’s lending institutions and negotiate favorable terms.
• Maintain strong relationships with credit rating agencies and ensure LIIF’s investment-grade rating.
• Implement advanced debt management strategies, including evaluating refinancing and hedging opportunities.
• Assess and execute innovative financing solutions, including private placements and securitizations.
• Analyze and forecast debt covenant compliance to mitigate financial risks.
• Lead scenario analysis for debt restructuring and liquidity optimization

Liquidity and Cash Flow Management

• Develop a comprehensive liquidity risk framework to align with strategic business needs.
• Implement automated cash management systems to enhance real-time visibility into cash flows.
• Oversee forecasting models for working capital needs and liquidity stress testing.
• Monitor macroeconomic trends and financial market conditions to adjust liquidity strategies proactively.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for efficient cash utilization and benchmarking.
• Analyze the impact of market changes on cash flow and recommend countermeasures.
• Drive initiatives to optimize working capital and reduce idle cash.

Investment Portfolio Oversight

• Develop and manage LIIF’s strategic investment policy to balance liquidity and returns.
• Optimize investment portfolio allocation to align with risk appetite and return expectations.
• Monitor performance of external asset managers and ensure compliance with investment guidelines.
• Assess alternative investment opportunities for excess cash reserves.
• Implement risk-adjusted performance analytics to evaluate portfolio returns.
• Manage collateralized lending arrangements, ensuring adequate liquidity buffers.
• Lead periodic evaluations to ensure adequacy of investment broker or initiate replacement.

Financial Compliance & Governance

• Develop a governance framework for treasury risk management and policy compliance.
• Lead efforts in ensuring full compliance with banking regulations, financial reporting, and audit requirements.
• Conduct periodic stress testing of financial positions to prepare for economic downturns.
• Enhance transparency in treasury activities by implementing internal controls and audit processes.
• Serve as a key advisor on financial compliance and risk mitigation to executive leadership.
• Review covenants and credit rating and support forecasting of major trends.

Treasury Technology & Innovation

• Spearhead automation initiatives to improve treasury efficiency and reporting accuracy.
• Evaluate and implement treasury management systems (TMS) for enhanced data analytics.
• Leverage AI-driven forecasting models for cash flow and liquidity management.
• Streamline reconciliation processes through digitization and advanced analytics.

Leadership & Organizational Alignment

• Serve as a thought leader on financial markets, liquidity strategies, and corporate finance trends, especially around CDFIs.
• Develop cross-functional partnerships to align treasury goals with business objectives.
• Provide strategic insights to the executive team on macroeconomic trends and financial impacts.
• Mentor and develop treasury professionals, fostering a high-performance culture.

Candidate Profile

LIIF is seeking a strategic leader to build on the successes of the current finance organization. The successful candidate will have a blend of technical expertise and strategic acumen. Importantly, they will be able to translate their knowledge in a clear, collaborative manner that supports organizational decision-making. They will be highly collegial and will nurture a strong culture, including retention, motivation, and development of a top performing team. Drawing from a range of professional experiences, the Vice President, Finance will be adept at successfully working in fast- paced environments and building partnerships.

The successful candidate should bring a track record in corporate finance, capital markets, and liquidity risk management. Additionally, they should bring strong knowledge of financial modeling, risk analytics, and scenario planning. Other ideal experiences include managing and negotiating with credit rating agencies; proficiency in treasury technology and AI-driven forecasting tools.

A minimum of 10 years of proven experience in economics, markets, and/or a relevant financial field is required. The successful candidate should have an educational background in finance, accounting, or business administration, and an MBA and/or relevant certification is highly desirable.

In terms of the performance and personal competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following:

Setting Strategy

• An advisory orientation; the ability to influence executive decisions through data-driven financial insights
• The ability to clearly articulate and build buy-in for ambitious strategies
• Creativity and resourcefulness during times of change; an ability to thrive in fast-paced environments
• A risk-taker who seeks data and input from others to foresee possible threats or unintended circumstances from decisions; someone who balances pragmatism with innovation

Influence and Relationship Building

• An approach of servant leadership; a focus on listening, partnership, and elevating the work of others
• Proven success forging and maintaining mutually productive relationships with other institutions and/or individuals to further organizational impact
• The necessary skills to serve as an ambassador for LIIF across a wide array of settings
• A high degree of emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively

Executing for Results

• The ability to set clear and challenging goals while committing the organization to improved performance; tenacious and accountable in driving results
• Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; the ability to adapt and lead others through complex situations
• A leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in their approach to making decisions; the ability to act in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for the organization
• The ability to develop strong implementation plans and to execute strategies effectively

Team Leadership

• A demonstrated ability to retain, empower, recruit, and develop top talent while nurturing a strong organizational culture; widely regarded as a developer of others
• An attitude of self-reflection; an openness to feedback and orientation towards leading by example
• The ability to delegate effectively and ensure proper allocation of resources to accomplish lofty goals
• Proven experience effectively leading a team of relevant scope and scale

Mission-Alignment and Personal Characteristics

• Fluency in FP&A and/or Treasury combined with a strong mission orientation/belief in the power of LIIF’s work
• An understanding of external factors facing CDFIs and related organizations, the curiosity to engage in conversations around the future of the field
• Warmth, collegiality, humility, and a high degree of emotional intelligence
• A self-starter with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment

Contact and Compensation

LIIF’s goal is to compensate for this position at a competitive level. The estimated compensation package is expected to be in the range of approximately $190-220K. That said, the final salary and total compensation of the candidate selected for this role will take into consideration various factors, including, but not limited to, scope of role, level of experience, stature in the industry, professional accomplishments, internal equity, the organization’s budget and will be subject to Fair Market Value evaluation. In addition to salary, the selected candidate will be eligible to participate in LIIF’s standard benefit package. Additional details regarding benefits are available upon request. The approximated range listed is a good faith determination of potential base compensation as a component of the total compensation for the role at the time of this job advertisement and may be modified in the future.

Russell Reynolds Associates has been exclusively retained for this search and prospective candidates are invited to contact Russell Reynolds Associates directly at [email protected] Applicants should include a resume and brief expression of interest. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

Olivia Stam

Russell Reynolds Associates 2001 K St NW, Suite 300

Washington, DC 20006

T: (202) 654-7800

Jamie Hechinger

Russell Reynolds Associates 2001 K St NW, Suite 300

Washington, DC 20006

T: (202) 654-7800

Bea Constable

Russell Reynolds Associates One Post Office Square, Suite 4000 Boston, MA 02109

T: (617) 523-1111