Director of Legal Services in Burlington, Vermont at Vermont Housing Finance Agency

VHFA is seeking an experienced real estate finance attorney to provide legal leadership for complex affordable housing transactions that expand housing opportunities across Vermont.

At the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA), we are on a mission to ensure all Vermonters have access to affordable housing. We are seeking our sole Agency Counsel who fills many roles for our 45-person team. This person is part precise transactional architect, part strategic legal advisor, and entirely dedicated to mission-driven community impact. Serving as VHFA’s lead in-house counsel for multifamily rental housing and homeownership development transactions, you will oversee the legal execution, document drafting, and closing of complex affordable housing deals. Working closely with our finance teams, outside counsel, developers, and public partners, you will protect the Agency's financial and legal interests while ensuring transactions close on schedule.

The Impact You’ll Make

• Serve as VHFA’s lead attorney for multifamily rental housing and homeownership development transactions, ensuring closings are legally sound, timely, and aligned with approved financing terms.
• Identify and resolve legal issues that could affect closing, enforceability, priority, collateral, compliance, or VHFA’s financial interests.
• Direct and coordinate the Closing Specialist, internal teams, outside counsel, borrowers, developers, lenders, investors, government agencies, and other transaction participants so approvals, decisions, closing requirements, and significant legal issues are resolved and documented on schedule.
• Draft, review, finalize, and approve financing commitments, loan documents, regulatory agreements, security instruments, guarantees, assignments, subordination agreements, and related transaction documents, ensuring they accurately reflect approved financing terms, repayment obligations, collateral security, affordability restrictions, and other program requirements.
• Act as Agency counsel in tax-exempt bond closings by reviewing VHFA’s bond-related financing documents, coordinating with bond counsel, and ensuring transaction documents accurately reflect VHFA’s approvals, obligations, and legal protections.
• Engage and manage outside counsel when specialized expertise, transaction complexity, workload, or other circumstances warrant it.
• Confirm that legal due diligence supports closing with appropriate authority, enforceability, lien priority, collateral protection, and program compliance by reviewing and resolving title, survey, organizational authority, legal opinion, insurance, environmental, intercreditor, construction, and related matters.
• Provide practical legal guidance on low-income housing tax credits, State housing credits, taxable and tax-exempt bonds, community development programs, and other VHFA housing initiatives.
• Ensure final legal documents and post-closing requirements are complete, enforceable, properly retained, and suitable for transition to servicing, compliance, and asset management.
• Coordinate required TEFRA notices, hearings, approvals, and related documentation for tax-exempt bond financings.
• Provide internal advice and counsel on matters of legal significance to management. This could include reviewing proposed legislative language affecting VHFA’s statue or programs; reviewing contract terms; and weighing in on program compliance questions.

Work Environment & Flexibility

This position offers a hybrid work structure. You will work in our collaborative Burlington office environment and remotely as coordinated with your supervisor once fully trained, with in-office presence required for key agency meetings, board events, and closing sessions. Ability to travel across Vermont as needed for work-related meetings is required (VHFA provides a free Car Share membership for business travel).

The Perks

• A comprehensive benefits package including: medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and the family or optional buy-out plan
• The company pays 10% of your salary to a 403(b), regardless of your contribution
• Flexible Spending Account & Dependent Care Account
• Company-sponsored Short and Long-Term Disability
• Company-sponsored Life Insurance
• Up to $4,000 educational assistance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Combined Time Off & Holiday Pay
• Up to 6 weeks of paid time off for parental and family leave

Ready to help us build a stronger community? Apply today to join our collaborative, solution-oriented team!

What You Bring to the Table

• Credentials & Bar Admission: Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an accredited law school and active admission (or eligibility for prompt admission) to the Vermont State Bar.
• Relevant Experience: Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in commercial real estate transactions, real estate finance, municipal/bond law, or affordable housing development law.
• Technical Mastery: Strong working knowledge of real estate closing documentation, title and survey review, debt structuring, and tax credit/bond financing tools (such as LIHTC/Section 42).
• Collaborative Communication: Exceptional negotiation and interpersonal skills with a proven track record of resolving complex legal disagreements constructively.
• Mission Alignment: Deep commitment to community development and shared alignment with VHFA’s VIIBE values: Integrity, Innovation, Belonging, and Equity.