Head of Commercial Real Estate Origination

THE COMPANY

For 175 years, National Life Group (“NLG”) has aimed to keep their promises to provide families stability in good times and in bad. And throughout that history, they have provided peace of mind to those families as they plan their futures.

As a mission-driven business, the cause of what they do is as important as the products they sell. And their cause is a very simple one, directed at the people who live and work on America’s Main Streets: “To Do good in our communities and with the individual families we serve.”

NLG Capital, the investment management company of NLG, manages approximately $40+ billion in AUM. Our purpose is simple – to allow NLG to keep its promises. How we do this – an obsessive focus on delivering investment results. We drive results through a rigorous but collaborative investment process, and we hold ourselves to the highest of standards, both as investors and teammates. While our process is based on rigor, our culture is based on our guiding principles: Meritocracy, Uncompromising Transparency, Intellectual Honesty, Performance Driven Learning, Relentless Pursuit of Excellence. These principles serve as the foundation of our team.  They govern the way we conduct ourselves, how we interact with teammates and how we approach every investment decision.  We act with the integrity and humility required to make the investment decision that is right for the firm, and ultimately our policyholders.  Our culture has been deliberately built to foster curiosity and provide opportunities to learn and grow, both as people and investors. The flat and collaborative nature of our team promotes an atmosphere where the best ideas are continually expressed and rewarded. Our pursuit of excellence is unwavering.

Role Summary

NLG Capital is seeking a Head of Commercial Real Estate Origination to lead deal sourcing and execution across a growing bridge and structured finance investment platform.  The Head of CRE Origination will be responsible for shaping investment strategy, leading the Origination team and deal underwriting, overseeing deal structuring, and collaborating across the organization to ensure efficient deal execution and closing.

NLG Capital manages over $4 billion in Commercial Real Estate debt and is actively expanding the program to focus on opportunities across the capital stack, including whole loans, B-notes/mezzanine, and preferred equity.  The Head of Commercial Real Estate Origination will be expected to expand sourcing channels while ensuring rigorous underwriting and due diligence across the team.  Target sectors will be broad based and opportunistic, with a particular focus on multifamily bridge and modest value-add commercial lending, largely in the middle and lower-middle markets.

Successful candidates will have a demonstrated investment and leadership track record.  Experience lending across the capital structure, in real estate equity investing, construction lending, or in structured finance or banking are all considered a plus.  The Head of Commercial Real Estate Origination should be comfortable interacting frequently with Investment Committee on strategy and deal flow and must have the presence and leadership ability to work among a small entrepreneurial team focused on growing NLGs commercial real estate footprint.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead deal sourcing, underwriting, and structuring across Commercial Real Estate transactions including whole loans, B-notes, and preferred equity
• Evolve and improve upon NLG Capital’s sourcing network, leveraging relationships with borrowers, banks, and mortgage bankers to drive robust deal flow and access
• Collaborate with the Investment Committee to inform and shape investment strategy
• Work across Credit and Asset Management functions to ensure proper pre-close due diligence, ongoing monitoring across the portfolio, and assist with workouts
• Travel (up to 30% of time) to build relationship capital, conduct due diligence, and attend industry conferences
• Develop projections and cash flow models as part of deal underwriting, presenting a clear and concise view of value and risk to relevant investment committees and leadership
• Provide insight on the current real estate market environment, important trends, and property specific dynamics that drive investment strategy
• Ensure consistent reporting and analytics to keep the team aligned and informed, covering market activity and deal flow
• Seek opportunities to improve upon infrastructure and the investment process, maintaining productive relationships with other investment managers and third-party vendors
• Maintain knowledge of the regulatory and accounting environment and provide subject matter expertise to internal functions as necessary

Minimum Qualifications

• 10+ years experience in high yield commercial real estate lending, structured finance, or equity investment
• Undergraduate or advanced degree in Finance, Real Estate, or a related field of study
• Demonstrated track record sourcing, underwriting, and executing on deal flow across bridge, transitional, or construction lending
• Deep industry relationships with brokers and sponsors and ability to find and cultivate new relationships accretive to the NLG Capital investment strategy
• Experience with CoStar, Reis, and Argus preferred
• Leadership responsibility and demonstrated success mentoring and driving progress among team members
• Experience with asset management and servicing functions supporting balance sheet whole loan lending, and the ability to contribute to ongoing excellence in these functions
• Experience with loan workouts and maximizing value in distressed transactions

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading investment efforts across an opportunistic mandate in Commercial Real Estate
• Track record within high yield commercial real estate finance spanning mezzanine, B-notes, and/or preferred equity
• Experience managing third party mandates and interfacing with investors in both a capital raising and portfolio management capacity
• Knowledge of insurance investing and the ability to innovate solutions within a constrained mandate

Benefits & Compensation

• Your benefits start day one and are flexible and customizable to your and your family’s specific needs. Check out the BENEFITS of a Career at National Life!
• The base salary range for this position is 150-250k. We are open to varying levels of experience.

In addition to base salary, other rewards may include an annual bonus, quarterly bonuses, commissions, and other long-term incentive compensation, depending on the position.  National Life offers a competitive total rewards package which includes: a 401(k) retirement plan match; medical, dental, and vision insurance; a company funded wellness account for director and below employees; 10 paid holidays; a generous paid time off plan (22 days of combined time-off for non-exempt employees and exempt employees have discretion in managing their time, including scheduling time off in the normal course of business, but in no event will exempt employees receive less sick time than required by state or local law); 6 weeks of paid parental leave; and 6 weeks of paid family leave after a year of full-time employment

National Life is accepting applications for this role on an ongoing basis and the role remains open until filled.   

National Life Group® is a trade name of National Life Insurance Company, Montpelier, VT – founded in 1848, Life Insurance Company of the Southwest, Addison, TX – chartered in 1955, and their affiliates. Each company of National Life Group is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. Life Insurance Company of the Southwest is not an authorized insurer in New York and does not conduct insurance business in New York. Equity Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, is a Broker/Dealer and Registered Investment Adviser affiliate of National Life Insurance Company. All other entities are independent of the companies of National Life Group.

Fortune 1000 status is based on the consolidated financial results of all National Life Group companies. 

National Life Group

1 National Life Dr

Montpelier, VT 05604

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