Chief Financial Officer

With a mission to collaborate with the Knoxville community to create and preserve housing opportunities and strengthen neighborhoods, Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) is the housing authority and the redevelopment agency driving change throughout Knoxville.

KCDC is seeking its next Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to join a high-performing team dedicated to creating lasting impact in communities. From revitalizing residential neighborhoods to energizing commercial business districts, this position serves as a strategic and operational leader who works in close partnership with the CEO and the executive leadership team.

This individual is responsible for attracting capital, leveraging the balance sheet and borrowing capacity, and ensuring strong financial policies, procedures, and reporting systems are in place. The CFO provides timely financial business intelligence and analytical support to the CEO and executive leadership team. The CFO will also identify opportunities for revenue diversification and pursue grants in partnership with internal grant‑writing teams.

An understanding of bonding, non‑tax revenue streams and how best to leverage borrowing potential will be essential. The CFO oversees both the public finance practice and the accounting functions for KCDC and its forty‑one corporations, fifteen limited partnerships, and one nonprofit, which collectively have a 2024 operating budget of $90.2 million and total assets of $284 million. They will directly manage the Finance Director and oversee the accounting team of thirteen.

The CFO is responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal and regulatory accounting and financial reporting requirements, overseeing annual audits, and guiding long‑term financial projections – both operating and capital.

The CFO will lead the annual budgeting process, working closely with senior leadership and managers to ensure budgets are realistic and actionable. They will also be accountable for all aspects of accounting operations and internal controls, ensuring records adhere to Generally Accepted Accounting and Auditing Principles and Standards.

The CFO will join a tight‑knit executive leadership team that includes a Chief Development Officer, Chief Housing Officer, and Chief Strategy Officer. Together, this leadership team is shaping the future of Knoxville’s communities – and the CFO will play a central role in ensuring that growth is not only impactful but also financially sustainable.

• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with the CEO, executive leadership, and staff to support KCDC’s mission and long‑term financial sustainability.
• Provide strategic financial leadership to support the continued growth of KCDC’s operations, ensuring all financial decisions are grounded in sound analysis, aligned with long‑term goals, and compliant with legal and regulatory standards.
• Identify and pursue diverse revenue sources; including grants, non‑tax revenues, and creative borrowing strategies to expand KCDC’s impact and reduce reliance on traditional funding mechanisms.
• Support KCDC’s adoption of a new strategic development finance framework which includes strengthening KCDC’s role as Knoxville’s redevelopment and investment leader, fully utilize KCDC’s authority to drive local development and investment, lead the agency through the bond rating process, and become a certified CDE.
• Presentations to the Board of Directors of KCDC and its managed entities of key financial scorecards, regular financial statements and the annual budgets.

The Chief Financial Officer of KCDC will be a seasoned financial strategist and operational leader with a deep understanding of finance within complex governmental, quasi‑governmental, and private sector real estate. They will bring a high level of financial acumen, with proven experience in budgeting, strategic forecasting, compliance, risk management, and the oversight of sophisticated financial systems. Adept at navigating both big‑picture strategy and intricate financial details, the CFO will be an intellectually curious and analytical thinker who also possesses the…