Are you passionate about small businesses, entrepreneurship, housing availability, and access to business and housing loans? The Center for Rural Affairs is looking for you!
The Center for Rural Affairs is seeking a full-time Loan Specialist who is bilingual in English and Spanish both speaking and writing to work in Northeast Nebraska including in the areas of Columbus, Norfolk, and South Sioux City.
The ideal candidate will be passionate about small businesses, entrepreneurship, housing availability, and access to business and housing loans. They will have a proven ability to build relationships with community leaders, partners, and residents to maintain a strong referral network for loan generation. They will deliver technical assistance to potential and current loan clients. They will visit current client businesses and celebrate their accomplishments. They will be committed to getting results while creating opportunities for entrepreneurship and affordable housing.
Who We Are
The Center for Rural Affairs is a dynamic, energetic non-profit organization working to build a better rural future for all. We’ve done this work for more than 50 years and we do it from rural places. Our work creates opportunities for beginning farmers, new business owners, and first-time advocates. The Center’s work is fueled by our compassionate, mission-driven staff who work for the betterment of rural communities, stewardship, and the next generation. Additional information can be found at www.cfra.org.
What You’ll Do
The Loan Specialist reports to the Lending Services Director works with the lending team, and is responsible for the following:
- You will develop a referral network with local partners, businesses, bankers, economic development districts, and local community residents to identify and support individuals who need small business and housing loans.
- You will assist, guide, and educate prospective loan borrowers as they journey through the loan application process.
- You will prepare loan packages and gather all documents needed to present a loan application for review and approval.
- You will provide technical assistance to borrowers in all stages of their loan relationship with the Center.
- You will build a strong relationship with all loan clients, making regular contact with them in person and through phone conversations.
- You will be the trusted go-to person for resources and referrals when requested by community members, organizations, Center staff, and partners.
Who You Are & Keys to Success (the must-haves)
To be successful in this job, you will excel in four areas:
- Relationship-building: You develop and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders and can bring in allies and partners from marginalized communities, such as people of color, people with disabilities, low-income families, and immigrants. You know how to build sales networks, as well as alliances, and find points of collaboration even when there are competing interests.
- Drive to achieve results: You have a track record of accomplishing ambitious goals and getting results even when there are obstacles. You set a high bar and meet it because you think three (or 30) steps ahead to anticipate hurdles and come up with pragmatic solutions. You plan backward and involve stakeholders appropriately.
- Inclusive leadership and management: You approach leadership with a mindset of “power with” rather than “power over” and regularly include others in decision-making. You have experience managing multiple projects and keeping tasks from slipping through the cracks. You use resources wisely and can provide clear direction to clients, partners, and contractors to leverage time and resources for impact.
- Commitment to racial equity and social justice: You recognize the role of race, income, age, immigration status, and other identities in addressing disparities, and you consistently amplify community voices to advocate for more equitable solutions. You recognize how your own identities show up in the work, and welcome, reflect on and act on feedback with an eye toward continuous learning about race, ability, and other lines of difference.
Being fluent in speaking and writing in Spanish is required.
If you were here right now, you would be:
- Identifying individuals who are in need of small business and housing loans by creating a large network of relationships.
- Use your knowledge and experience to sell the Center loan products meeting your quarterly and annual goals.
- Presenting a complete loan application package for a business or housing loan to the loan committee for approval several times a month.
- Providing technical assistance to your loan clients to help them be successful, learn sound business practices, and be able to make regular payments on their loan(s).
What Else You Should Know
This is a full-time non-exempt position. The position may be based in an existing Center office, home office, or newly established office. This position will require frequent travel by car throughout the region to build your sales and client network, meet with community partners and loan clients, and may include overnight travel on occasion. This position has a salary range of $50,000-$64,000 with top-notch benefits that have a cash value ranging from $10,000 to $29,500, depending on family status and tenure with the Center.
The Center for Rural Affairs is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify.
How to Apply
If you would like to work for an organization that has a national reputation as one of the top organizations in the country that works to make rural communities more vibrant, apply by sending your resume, cover letter, and three professional references by clicking here. In the cover letter, please include how your personal and professional experiences have positioned you for success in this role and any related work, skills, or expertise you want us to know about. Please let us know how you heard about this position and why you want to work with us.
