Senior Director, Debt Capital Markets

Job Description

Job Description

Senior Director, Debt

We are a growing institutional real estate investment manager focused on multi-family, retail, and industrial properties. As we continue to expand our portfolio and investment platforms, we are seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Director, Debt Capital Markets to lead and scale the firm’s debt capital markets function.

Located in our Costa Mesa, California office, this 100% in-office role will provide strategic leadership and oversight across all debt-related activities for the company and its sponsored investment vehicles. Reporting directly to the CFO, this individual will partner closely with Acquisitions, Portfolio Management, Finance & Accounting, Asset Management, and Executive Leadership.

The Senior Director will play a critical role in developing and executing sophisticated financing strategies, managing lender relationships, implementing scalable debt infrastructure and technology solutions, and establishing best-in-class operational controls and risk management protocols across the debt platform.

This position was developed based on the evolving needs of the organization and the current debt capital markets structure.

The Job Essentials:

Strategic Leadership & Capital Markets Oversight

• Lead the overall debt capital markets strategy for the company and its investment vehicles.
• Develop and execute short and long-term financing strategies aligned with company growth objectives.
• Provide strategic recommendations regarding debt structure, leverage, capital stack optimization, refinancing opportunities, and portfolio-level financing initiatives.
• Serve as the lead advisor to executive leadership and the Investment Committee on debt-related matters, lender trends, and market conditions
• Evaluate and implement innovative financing solutions to support acquisitions, recapitalizations, development, and fund-level initiatives.
• Research alternative facility-level financing solutions to provide quick efficient and scalable access to capital across all platforms.
• Establish departmental goals, priorities, and resource planning initiatives aligned with the firm’s strategic growth objectives.
• Represent the company professionally within the capital markets community, maintaining a strong external presence with lenders, investors, and industry partners.

Team Leadership & Organizational Development

• Directly manage and mentor the Debt Capital Markets team, including the Director, Debt Capital Markets and Loan Manager.
• Establish clear departmental priorities, workflows, accountability measures, and operational processes to support execution excellence.
• Create a proactive, organized, and solutions-oriented team culture focused on collaboration, responsiveness, execution excellence and continuous improvement.
• Develop team members through coaching, training, performance management, and professional development initiatives.
• Improve cross-functional communication and collaboration between Debt Capital Markets, Acquisitions, Finance & Accounting, Asset Management, and Portfolio Management teams.
• Build strong internal partnerships across all functional groups within the organization.

Debt Sourcing, Structuring & Execution

• Lead sourcing, negotiation, and execution of property-level, portfolio-level, and fund-level financing transactions.
• Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with banks, life companies, debt funds, CMBS lenders, credit unions, and alternative capital providers.
• Lead negotiations involving financing terms, covenants, guarantees, and loan documentation to optimize risk-adjusted outcomes for the firm.
• Oversee preparation and presentation of financing packages, lender materials, financial models, and underwriting analyses.
• Collaborate closely with Acquisitions and Asset Management teams to evaluate financing strategies for new investments and existing assets.
• Monitor market conditions, interest rate trends, and lender appetite to proactively position the firm for optimal financing opportunities.
• Provide strategic oversight and guidance to the Director, Debt Capital Markets throughout transaction execution and lender coordination.

Debt Portfolio Management

• Oversee management of the firm’s existing debt portfolio, including maturities, refinances, extension options, covenant compliance, and lender reporting requirements.
• Establish portfolio-wide debt tracking and reporting procedures to ensure timely execution, organizational visibility, and risk visibility.
• Develop strategic plans for debt maturities, refinancing initiatives, and capital planning across the portfolio.
• Maintain oversight of loan abstracting, debt compliance, and document management processes.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting to lenders, internal stakeholders, and investment partners.

Debt Technology & Process Infrastructure

• Lead the evaluation, selection, implementation, and ongoing optimization of a debt management software platform for the organization.
• Design scalable operational infrastructure and reporting systems to support continued company growth.
• Improve data integrity, reporting capabilities, workflow automation, and team efficiency through technology solutions and process enhancements.
• Partner with internal technology teams and external vendors to ensure successful system integration and adoption.
• Champion the use of AI and emerging technologies to improve process efficiency, reporting accuracy, and organizational scalability.

Risk Management, Compliance & Internal Controls

• Establish and maintain robust internal controls, governance procedures, compliance practices, and risk mitigation protocols across all debt-related functions.
• Ensure compliance with loan agreements, lender requirements, internal policies, and investment guidelines.
• Develop standardized policies and procedures for debt management and transaction execution.
• Identify operational risks and implement controls to improve organizational resilience and execution consistency.
• Support internal and external audit processes related to debt activities and reporting.

The Qualifiers:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, statistics, economics, or related field required
• MBA or CFA a plus
• 8-10+ years of proven experience in capital markets, real estate financing or private equity structuring
• Direct experience in taking the lead role of first trust deed financing
• Advanced Excel capabilities
• Experience in multi-tenant industrial properties a plus
• Experience in cash investing and firm funding
• A general understanding of commercial real estate terms and investment principles
• Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills
• Strong analytical and critical thinking with a keen attention to detail
• Motivated and results-driven with strong work ethic

The Perks:

• Competitive Pay + Bonus Incentive
• Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• 401k Plan + Company Match
• Professional Development Resources