Middle Market Lending Specialist jobs in Minnesota

Mission and Organizational Background:

The mission of First Children’s Finance (FCF) is to grow the supply and business sustainability of excellent child care. Founded in 1991, FCF provides business and financial assistance to business owners and leaders in the field of Early Care and Education (ECE). To achieve our goals, FCF works on three levels: Individual Business Level, Community Level and Systems Level. FCF is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Minneapolis that provides business development programs and financing to ECE providers in multiple states, with regional offices in four: Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, and Vermont. For more information, see the First Children’s website at: http://www.firstchildrensfinance.org. 

Job Summary:

FCF is seeking a Lending Operations specialist to join its growing Loan Program team.

The Lending Operations specialist is the first point of contact for our clients and our loan program. The candidate processes the intake of applications, analyzes the client’s business to decide where to route for next steps and connects clients with other members of the FCF team. The candidate provides exceptional customer service and communication to internal and external loan program clients to promote efficient and accurate workflows. This position works closely with staff in the field to answer questions and help referred clients.  This position works with the rest of the lending department to meet objectives related to disbursement, compliance, and impact while building a strong team dynamic.

This position is based in Minnesota but work with loan clients virtually throughout the country.  

Essential Functions:

• Provides efficient, holistic, high quality customer service to internal and external loan program clients. 
• Analyze client’s business/business plan for risk, feasibility, phase, support in order to direct to correct programs/products within FCF and partners. 
• Assists clients through application process by asking clarifying questions, verifying documents, and working with them as they access loan portal. 
• Answers inquiries about loan programs. 
• Collaborates with field staff to deliver excellent customer experience providing feedback on loan application status and clearly communicating and setting process, timeline, and expectations.
• Provide reporting for compliance with CDFI, SBA and other funders in addition to reporting on key metrics.
• Tracks inquiries and loan applications in Abrigo and Salesforce through their initial stages to handoff with other FCF staff. 
• Presents, on behalf of Loan Fund, available products, services and processes to internal and external clients and partners. 
• Perform administrative tasks related to loan process. 
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: 

• 4-year degree in business or comparable experience/education.
• 3-5 years customer relations experience.
• Experience creating and/or operating a small business.
• Experience explaining financial statements, i.e., profit/loss statements and balance sheets, tax documents, loan-related forms, and other financial and credit concepts to clients.

Requested – one or more of the following:

• Experience credit counseling clients
• Experience reviewing and explaining financial analysis
• Experience in small business loan underwriting
• Bilingual speaking skills
• Understanding of child care business 
• Understanding of child care facilities

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent communication and customer service skills and an ability to adapt to a wide variety of audiences, including clients, supervisor, peers, and external partners/vendors.
• Healthy curiosity when interacting with clients and when reviewing client information and clients’ finances.
• Demonstrated self‐starter who goes beyond job description to make sure goals are achieved. 
• Demonstrated organizational skill, and detail oriented. 
• Fast and comfortable with various software programs, including strong Excel and database skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines with a high level of accuracy. 
• Ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial, team‐oriented, mission‐driven environment. 

Work Conditions:

• Must be able to work on the computer for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to work out of FCF office 3 days a week.

Additional Notes: 

This job description represents the major functions of the position but is not intended to be all-inclusive. The incumbent is also responsible for taking direction from FCF representatives in completing projects or performing duties deemed necessary for the program and FCF success.

Benefits:

Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, disability insurance, holidays, paid time off, and paid family medical leave. Allowable travel costs are reimbursed.

Flexible work environment.

First Children’s Finance honors candidates’ time and effort in job-seeking by providing transparency regarding compensation. Creating transparency regarding salary information reduces the gender pay gap, and eliminates salary negotiation, which rarely benefits people of color or women. It is a value of our organization to support equitable hiring practices. 

First Children’s Finance is an Equal Employment Opportunity /Affirmative Action Employer.