Finance

Company: Clean Energy Jobs and Justice Fund

Location: , IL

Job Function: Finance

Posted on: October 16, 2026

The Clean Energy Jobs and Justice Fund (CEJJF) is Illinois’ nonprofit green bank, created through the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. CEJJF was established to ensure that Illinois’ transition to clean energy is equitable by:

• expanding access to capital for clean energy businesses that face barriers to traditional financing,
• helping homeowners and small businesses lower their energy costs, and
• facilitating frontline communities’ access to clean energy solutions that foster healthier environments and stronger local economies.

CEJJF is a community-informed equity and economic justice organization that uses clean energy finance as a vehicle to put the ownership and the wealth generated by Illinois’ clean energy transition in the hands of the contractors, residents, and frontline communities that are most vulnerable to a changing climate. CEJJF’s values commit it to taking strategic risks and catalyzing innovation where traditional financial institutions often hesitate.

CEJJF is moving from startup to active deployment, with initial products entering the market and a capitalization strategy under development. The organization will deploy its first $1M in direct lending this year.

CEJJF encourages candidates to apply even if they do not meet every qualification listed. The right person for this role may bring strengths this description does not anticipate.

This role requires approximately 25% travel within Illinois.

CEJJF operates in a hybrid work environment. Employees based in the Chicago area are expected to work in person 1–2 days per week, while employees based outside the Chicago area are expected to work in person 2–3 days per month. Business travel and other required in-person work are counted toward these expectations.

CEJJF seeks a senior leader for its lending and investment function. Reporting to the Executive Director, this position’s portfolio includes designing CEJJF’s financial products, building its project pipeline, and underwriting and closing the transactions CEJJF originates on its own account. They structure the participation, co-lending arrangements, and partner channels that extend CEJJF’s lending beyond its own balance sheet. They attract the private capital that funds deployment.

CEJJF was created to design innovative financing tools and products that compensate for the barriers to capital for frontline communities and disadvantaged businesses. As one of two senior positions reporting to the Executive Director, this person will help set the strategic direction of a growing institution and is expected to build and lead CEJJF’s investment team as the balance sheet grows.

• Lead the design of CEJJF’s financial products that address market barriers, including loans, guarantees, credit enhancement, and debt and equity investment structures.
• Bring CEJJF’s current product set to market and carry it through its first cycles, including the residential, predevelopment, contractor, and municipal offerings now in development.
• Build and prove underwriting approaches that make a credit decision possible where conventional criteria may not be available, drawing on alternative repayment sources, cash flow evidence, and guarantee and reserve structures.
• Develop and execute CEJJF’s private capital strategy, securing funding from banks, CDFIs, and institutional investors.
• Structure credit enhancement, loan loss reserve, and first‑loss arrangements that enable private capital to lend alongside CEJJF.
• Negotiate co‑lending, participation, and syndication arrangements with banks, CDFIs, and peer institutions.
• B…