Operating Officer

OPERATING OFFICER, THE INNOVATE FUND

POSITION SUMMARY
The Innovate Fund (TIF), a Community Development Entity (CDE), was established in 2004 with a mission to transform communities by creating quality jobs and improving health and wellness outcomes for low income residents. Serving GA, NC, SC, TN, VA, and WV, TIF focuses its investment strategy on communities that exhibit high poverty, low wages, and poor health/education outcomes. Since its inception, TIF has directly deployed $417M of New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) investments through 39 transactions that have leveraged an additional $917.1M of indirect capital.


The Operating Officer will assist/support the Board of Directors (Board), responsible for the supervision, direction, and management of the LLC's affairs and business. This role involves strategic leadership, financial oversight, and the execution of key initiatives to advance TIF's mission in serving Low Income Communities (LICs).


To view the full position profile, please visit TIF Position Profile


Reports to: The Board of Directors
Located: Greenville, SC area; TIF would consider candidates residing in other parts of the geographic service area as long as there is clear willingness to be onsite in Greenville regularly.



ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Pipeline Development

• Strategic Pipeline Development: Identify, source, and cultivate a pipeline of high impact investment opportunities that align with the organization's mission and long term economic development goals. Actively engage in community based origination, identifying projects at the inception stage to ensure a unique deal flow.
• Project Viability & Underwriting: Lead the preliminary assessment of borrower viability and project feasibility; provide expert guidance to potential borrowers through the multi stage NMTC application and closing process.
• NMTC Application: Together with CB, propose an NMTC Application pipeline for Advisory Board and Governing Board approval. Facilitate coordination with the Boards for information, e.g., resumes/bios, Controlling Entity/GLDC track record, etc., required for the Application. Review and provide feedback on Application documents for timely submission.

Board Governance & Approval Processes

• Board Management: Serve as the primary point of contact for Governing and Advisory board members. Prepare and deliver project funding proposals and strategic updates to the Boards, ensuring all stakeholders are aligned on risk and community impact. Maintain corporate documents (e.g., Operating Agreements, meeting minutes, etc.)
• Strategic Alignment: Facilitate ongoing communication and strategic alignment between the public interest goals of the GLDC and the professional services expertise of CBH to ensure TIF meets its dual objectives of community impact and financial sustainability.

Deployment

• Closing Leadership: In partnership with CB and TIF's closing counsel, drive the financial closing process by managing the timeline and deliverables between borrowers, internal teams, and external legal counsel.
• Complex Document Negotiation: In partnership with CB and TIF's closing counsel, review and negotiate complex legal documents and loan commitment terms, ensuring business deal terms are accurately memorialized and organization interests are protected.

Fund Operations

• Operational Oversight: Execute comprehensive management of daily operations, including budget development, financial reporting, insurance procurement, and treasury/bank account management.
• Compliance & Asset Management: Support CB in their compliance and asset management activities throughout the seven year compliance period, ensuring strict adherence to NMTC regulations and successful project exits.

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Strategic Plan Implementation: Responsible for the hands on execution of the organization's multi year strategic plan, translating high level board vision into actionable operational goals and measurable community impact.
• Performance Tracking: Establish and monitor Key Performance Indicators to evaluate the success of the strategic plan, reporting progress regularly to the Governing Board and adjusting tactics to meet changing industry landscapes.

External Relations & Advocacy

• Stakeholder Management: Manage and deepen critical external relationships, including active engagement with the CDFI Fund, the NMTC Coalition, and legislative representatives.
• Legislative Advocacy: Monitor and engage in legislative developments to influence policy and stay informed on industry trends, serving as a subject matter expert for the fund.
• Strategic Marketing: Oversee the organization's brand presence and marketing efforts to ensure consistent messaging across all geographies and industry conferences. Prepare, with TIF's external marketing vendors and partners, materials such as press releases, Impact Videos, and Impact Reports.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPECTATIONS

Education & Experience

• 5+ years in community development finance, with expertise in NMTC or tax credit funded projects.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, or a related field; Master's degree or JD preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills; experience in loan origination and structuring. Familiarity with Monday.com a plus.
• Ability to multi task and work independently with minimal supervision. Professional maturity that demonstrates dependability, responsiveness, initiative, flexibility, knowledge, and credibility.

Expectations

• Dedication to making a difference in low income communities through strategic and impactful leadership.
• Travel: 25% within the six-state service area.

COMPENSATION INFORMATION
The salary offered is expected to be between $130,000 - $150,000, depending on experience and qualifications. The salary will be complemented by a comprehensive benefits package.



TO APPLY
Preference will be given to candidates who choose to apply prior to May 25th. FGP will evaluate applications on an ongoing basis during the application period. A selection is anticipated in summer of 2026.


Candidates may direct questions to Christin Mack, Practice Lead, Public Sector, Nonprofit, and Community Impact Executive Search with Find Great People, at cm *** @ * gp.com .



FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about The Innovate Fund, please visit We encouraged interested candidates to review TIF's annual community impact reports as well as current and past projects.