Senior Specialist, CREF Policy

As the leading advocate for the real estate finance industry, MBA is committed to providing our members with unmatched value and unparalleled benefits. In doing so, we recognize that our most valuable resource is our employees. MBA prides itself on sourcing top talent from all fields and is committed to investing in a culture where communication is essential, diverse voices are encouraged, and embrace inclusion for all.

• Competitive salary and benefit packages including Medical, Dental, and Vision.
• A culture committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Hybrid work schedule that supports work-life balance
• Professional development opportunities

If you are looking for a career-defining opportunity, share similar values, and are ready to make a difference in the real estate finance industry, look no further. Apply today!

SUMMARY

The Senior Specialist, Policy contributes to public policy, business, and member engagement activities of MBA's Commercial Real Estate Finance (CREF) Group. The incumbent will report directly to the VP, CREF Policy and will support MBA members, Councils, and Committees, contribute to achieving industry advocacy objectives, and have a meaningful impact on policy issues - including those related to promoting affordable rental housing - that can substantially affect the industry.

The incumbent works with MBA members and the VP CREF Policy to manage MBA Councils and Committees, formulate MBA's commercial and multifamily advocacy positions, manage complex regulatory policy-focused projects, communicate orally and in writing with policymakers and members, and coordinate across MBA and other trade associations. The Senior Specialist Policy also enhances MBA member engagement by preparing communications with members, identifying policy trends, issues, and concerns of interest to members, and convening members.

Recent, current, and future areas of policy may include housing policy; state and local legislative and regulatory policy; FHFA regulatory actions, the GSEs, and GSE release; capital standards for life insurance companies and banks; private credit; CMBS; tax policy; accounting treatment of commercial real estate and mortgages; the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act; FHA and HUD multifamily policy; and affordable housing.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Works with the VP of CREF Policy to support MBA Councils and Committees and CREF policy advocacy objectives. Under the supervision of the VP, manages multiple complex regulatory policy/advocacy-focused projects.
2. Identifies, tracks, analyzes, and writes about policy developments affecting MBA members. Prepares communications to members; identifies policy trends, issues, and concerns of interest to members; and convenes members in standing or ad hoc calls or meetings.
3. Advocates and represents MBA and its members by communicating orally and writing to policymakers, members, other parts of MBA, and other trade associations. Promotes member awareness of CREF policy work and activities through dissemination on MBA's website and other member communication platforms. Coordinates communications with Public Affairs, Legislative & Political Affairs, and other MBA departments.
4. Works with team to help coordinate and execute CREF member events. Coordinates across MBA Departments as necessary to ensure the event reaches an appropriate set of members and provides a positive member experience. Memorializes and prepares materials for conferences, councils, committees, working group meetings, and calls. May help identify and recommend members for speaking opportunities on conference calls, webinars, meetings and conferences.
5. Affirmatively advises the CREF senior staff of priorities, deadlines, and meetings and follows up on necessary details to contribute to overall CREF success across policy and member engagement. Facilitates exchange of information among CREF staff on common priorities and responsibilities within the group. As assigned or within areas of responsibility, works collaboratively with CREF Group colleagues to coordinate interdepartmental reports or initiatives.
6. Responds to inquiries from MBA members, the public, and MBA staff as assigned or within areas of responsibility. Drafts reply to correspondence under the supervision of the VP.
7. Develops a deep understanding of the CREF industry and its various sectors through MBA educational offerings, other educational and training opportunities, and continual self-study.
8. Collaborates to accomplish specific projects or to manage areas of responsibility in accordance with CREF priorities, strategies, and workflow. Understands and complies with MBA's policies, practices, and operations and supports a culture of inclusion.
9. This position description is illustrative only and should not be construed to contain every function/ responsibility that may be required by an incumbent in this job. Actual role and level of responsibility will be commensurate with the incumbent's demonstrated ability to fulfill that role or responsibility.

SPECIFICATIONS:

The position requires high levels of analysis, communication, organization, judgment and discretion, clarity of thought, proactivity, appetite for gaining deep knowledge and for growing expertise in the CREF industry, and a willingness to operate outside of their current comfort zones in an environment that can change quickly. Knowledge of affordable housing issue preferred.

The incumbent will be a self-starter, motivated, with strong oral and written communication skills, and comfortable operating independently and as part of a team. The incumbent will also have a demonstrated ability to take ownership of areas of responsibility and for the ultimate success of assigned projects. Self-sufficiency in Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Aptify or other member database software preferred.

An undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline combined with a minimum of three to five years of progressive commercial real estate finance, affordable housing, policy, trade association, or regulatory/legislative experience is required. The incumbent should have knowledge and experience in some or all of the following areas:

• Advocacy,
• Policy and legal matters,
• Trade association practice,
• Regulatory or legislative processes,
• Communicating clearly to a variety of audiences, and
• Drafting complex documents on deadline with multiple inputs.

The current recruitment range for this role is $80,000 - $82,000.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or based on disability.

MBA is an E-Verify employer. Please note that MBA will not sponsor employment.