Senior Loan Specialist - Development - Lyons w

Position: Senior Loan Specialist - Housing Development - Lyons w/flexible work location
# Senior Loan Specialist
- Housing Development
- Lyons w/flexible work location

July 8, 2026

Do you have the appetite for building relationships, solving complex financing challenges, and helping developers and communities bring affordable and workforce housing projects from concept to completion?  Read on. We might be looking for you!

This role combines core lending responsibilities with specialized housing development finance expertise. The Loan Specialist will help prospective borrowers and partners understand available loan products, assess project feasibility, evaluate repayment capacity, structure appropriate financing, and navigate the lending process. The position will support a variety of housing development projects, including affordable housing, workforce housing, infill development, rehabilitation, rental housing, owner-occupied housing, mixed-use projects, infrastructure-related housing development needs, and other mission-aligned projects.##

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 with a flexible work environment. The Center focuses on capital access, community capacity, and policy advocacy strategies with work in areas of food systems, community resources, small business support, and environment and resilience.

The Center’s work is rooted in our mission-aligned values. We believe that a diversity of people and ideas strengthens our work, our workplace, and our communities. We take equal opportunity seriously, and we welcome applicants from a variety of backgrounds. Additional information can be found a.org.## What You’ll DoThe Senior Loan Specialist reports to the Chief Lending Officer and will work closely with the Associate Director of Lending & Housing Development.
* Build and grow a pipeline of affordable and workforce housing lending opportunities across Greater Nebraska.
* Partner with developers, lenders, nonprofits, and state & local governments to move housing projects from concept to completion.
* Analyze project feasibility and underwrite loans by evaluating budgets, financials, repayment capacity, and risk.
* Structure creative financial solutions by leveraging public, private, and mission-driven funding sources.
* Guide complex loan transactions from application through closing while coordinating with borrowers and key partners.
* Monitor loan portfolios and housing projects to support successful outcomes, manage risk, and maximize community impact.## Who You Are & Keys to Success (the must-haves)
To be successful in this job, you will excel in five areas:
* ** Relationship building:
** You know how to talk with people to understand their needs through conversation and inquiry. People trust you because you’re efficient with their time and have their best interests in mind. You’re able to build networks and alliances, and find points of collaboration even when there are competing interests on your time. You develop and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders and can bring in allies and partners.
* ** Drive to achieve results:
** You know how to work to your strengths to achieve your ambitious goals, and you anticipate hurdles as mere momentary inconveniences. You possess a competitive drive and are creative when prospecting clients and opportunities. You set a high bar and meet it by thinking three (or 30) steps ahead to come up with pragmatic yet innovative solutions. You have financial acumen and an affinity for the details.
* ** Inclusive leadership and management:
** You approach leadership in your work with a mindset of “power with” rather than “power over” and regularly include others with lived experience and/or expertise in decision-making. You use resources wisely and can provide clear direction to clients, partners, and contractors to leverage time and resources for impact.
* ** Setting and managing priorities:
** You have experience managing multiple projects and keeping tasks from slipping through the cracks. You use resources wisely and can provide…