Address
Form of workCherry Bekaert’s Strategic Financing Services team is looking for a Strategic Financing and Application Writing Consultant with a background in the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) or similar program area.
We offer an opportunity to work with a team of experts with a deep track record in NMTC allocation applications, tax credit placement and deployment, and tax credit compliance and asset management services.
We help our partners raise, deploy and manage capital in low-income communities across the country from rural non-metro census tracts to urban core historically disinvested neighborhoods. We work with borrowers, Community Development Entities (CDEs), lenders and investors to understand and simplify complicated tax credit and incentive financing structures; locate and secure the resources needed; and successfully navigate through the process to a financial closing. We help bridge the knowledge gap, serving as a guide, and close the financing gap bringing much needed revitalization, services, resources, and jobs into underserved communities.
SFS Impact
SFS has been involved in the NMTC industry since its inception and to date has secured over $1.7 billion in NMTC funding. SFS is proud to have structured and facilitated NMTC investments that have created 28,077 direct jobs, served 957,153 clients through community facilities, and helped create over 10.6 million square feet of new and improved commercial and industrial real estate. SFS’s current portfolio consists of investments in areas with poverty rates as high as 66%, median family income as low as 14.24%, and unemployment rates as high as 31.2%.
As a Strategic Financing and Application Writing Consultant, you will:
- Work with CDEs on strategic plans, including product offerings, measurement of impacts and other considerations that affect likelihood of success. The successful candidate will have a strategic mindset, strong attention to detail and commitment to deadlines and a mission to help make a difference in low-income communities.
- Assist clients with formalizing their organizational framework through an Organization Assessment including: review of the organization’s service area, products/services, track record, pipeline, community impact data, management capacity and finances
- Collaboratively develop and implement the plan to move them forward by assisting CDEs, CDFIs and lenders with tax credit underwriting and certifications.
- Work with organizations to meet certification requirements and establish policies and procedures that will ensure continued compliance.
- Help secure private investment commitments and a strategy for long-term financial viability.
- Collaborate with clients to identify and source appropriate NMTC pipeline opportunities to suit unique CDE needs (considering geography, project type, community impacts, etc.).
- Synthesize and incorporate industry terms, trends and data to support business strategies, community outcomes and compelling applications that translate to smooth financial closings.
- Identify and manage other grant and Application Writing opportunities to ensure quality and timely submissions as well as strategic alignment.
- Collaborate with investors, borrowers, supporters and stakeholders to secure commitments, evidence of support and/or letters of interest as required for submission of various funding applications and/or financial closings
- Application and Grant Writing: Manage the process of writing CDE/CDFI certification applications, TA/FA applications and other CDFI Program applications for clients and manage the grant writing and Applications process for clients seeking funding from other tax credit and funding programs.
- Draft, review and prepare various applications and supporting documents for strategic and technical opportunities
- Write compelling business strategy, community outcomes and other narratives to maximize scoring and increase likelihood of successful outcomes
- Design and compose project proposals and summaries for investment opportunities in a clear, compelling, and concise manner
- 10-20% travel will be necessary to conduct site visits, meet with potential clients, conduct community outreach sessions and attend industry events
What you bring to the role:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, English, Journalism, or related field; Master’s Degree or JD a plus
- 3+ years of experience in community development finance, tax credit finance or CDE/CDFI lending, structured finance, commercial loans, grant writing, strongly preferred
- Experience in working with CDEs, borrowers, lenders, investors and stakeholders strongly preferred
- Knowledge of finance, data and/or reporting, with specific experience with CDFI Fund’s AMIS reporting strongly preferred
- Knowledge of tax credit financing with specific experience with NMTC required
- Proficiency in Word and Excel
- Strong written communication skills
- Strong sense of urgency and shared sense of mission. Passion for community investment and revitalization that will spark transformation, inclusion, and social justice.
- Ability to be flexible and work under fixed timeframes to meet deadlines, prioritizing workflow and managing compliance and reporting obligations
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively on different phases of projects
What we offer you:
- Our shared values that foster inclusion and belonging including uncompromising integrity, collaboration, trust,and mutual respect.
- The opportunity to innovate and do work that motivates and engages you.
- A collaborative environment focused on enabling you to further your career growth and continuous professional development.
- Competitive compensation and a total rewards package that focuses on all aspects of your wellbeing.
- Flexibility to do impactful work and the time to enjoy your life outside of work.
- Opportunities to connect and learn from professionals from different backgrounds and with different cultures.
About Cherry Bekaert
Cherry Bekaert, ranked among the largest assurance, tax and advisory firms in the U.S., serves clients across industries in all 50 U.S. states and internationally. “Cherry Bekaert” is the brand name under which Cherry Bekaert LLP and Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC, independently owned entities, provide professional services in an alternative practice structure in accordance with applicable professional standards. Cherry Bekaert LLP is a licensed CPA firm that provides attest services, and Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC and its subsidiary entities provide business advisory and non-attest services spanning the areas of transaction advisory, risk and accounting advisory, digital solutions, cybersecurity, tax, benefits consulting, and wealth management. For more details, visit cbh.com/disclosure.
Cherry Bekaert cares about our people. We offer competitive compensation packages based on performance that recognize the value our people bring to our clients and our Firm. The salary range for this position is $86,800 to $179,950. Individual salaries within this range are determined by a variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills, and geographic location. In addition, we offer a comprehensive, high-quality benefits program which includes annual bonus, medical, dental, and vision care; disability and life insurance; generous Paid Time Off; retirement plans; Paid Care Leave; and other programs that are dedicated to enhancing your personal and work life and providing you and your family with a measure of financial protection.
Cherry Bekaert provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.
Candidates must demonstrate they are eligible to work in the United States. Cherry Bekaert will not provide work sponsorship for this position.
Cherry Bekaert LLP and Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC are members of Allinial Global, an accountancy and business advisory global association. Visit us at cbh.com/careers and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
© 2023 Cherry Bekaert. All Rights Reserved.
No Agency Candidates Please
#LI-MM2 #LI-Remote
