Public Finance Analyst jobs in the United States

Education Finance Analyst Program (“EFA Program”) Position Overview 

The Education Finance Analyst (EFA) Program identifies and develops high-potential, early-stage professionals to succeed in mission-driven financial services roles – seeding and connecting the next generation of diverse finance leaders for the education sector. Through this two-year program, participants will address the finance and real-estate challenges facing schools today. Each Fellow will serve in a full-time, salaried role as a Financial Analyst at one of four sponsor organizations in support of critical work undertaken by these leading partners in the sector: Afton Partners (“Afton”), Civic Builders (“Civic”), Charter Schools Development Corporation (“CSDC”), and Equitable Facilities Fund (“EFF”). The role will be supported by a robust training program designed to foster mission-alignment, understanding of the education sector, development of technical skills, and other ongoing enrichment. The EFA program is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages candidates to apply from a variety of backgrounds and career experiences.

Overview 

• The EFA program is a 24-month full-time salaried position that provides participants an exceptional opportunity to work in mission-driven financial services organizations. 
• Analysts will participate in a range of learning and development experiences including a 8-week summer intensive and ongoing development training program focused on basic financial and underwriting skills as well as knowledge building in areas of education reform and charter school facilities. 
• Participants will have opportunities to engage in peer-to-peer collaboration with other Analysts including cross-organizational training, program events, and communities of practice. 
• Participants will be invited to attend guest speaker events and site visits to schools and other impact-oriented organizations. 

Education Finance Analyst Position Overview 

Who You Are 

• You believe all children deserve a quality education. You want to promote opportunity for children across the US and believe education and financial access are critical to the success of flourishing communities.
• You are intrigued by numbers and finances. You will support the partners’ efforts to analyze charter school operating finances and underwrite and structure charter school facilities solutions (loans and leases) for high-quality operators. Analyzing financial statements to assess charter schools’ financial position and creditworthiness will be essential to your team’s overall decision-making process. 
• Analyzing data is part of your work. You enjoy collecting, analyzing, and aggregating financial, academic, and impact data which will support financial decision-making, underwriting decisions, and portfolio monitoring. 
• You are an effective communicator. You're capable of developing various types of communications and materials for varied audiences and purposes. You know when materials need to demonstrate informative analysis and when inspirational, mission-aligned content is the best approach. You get excited about creating content that communicates effectively to board members, funders, and investors. 
• Special projects are your thing. You enjoy being part of the team and supporting your team members in undertaking research, strategic projects, and special initiatives on an ad-hoc basis. 

Qualifications 

• A Bachelor’s Degree is required; business or finance-oriented majors are welcomed 
• 0 - 2 years of professional relevant experience including internships or full-time work 
• Passion for the program’s mission to support high-quality education options and financial access for under-resourced communities 
• Demonstrated interest in financial statement analysis, quantitative problem-solving, and credit concepts (can be demonstrated through work, internship, or academic experience) 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel - including Program Prerequisites and at least 50% of Basic Excel Skills; Desire to grow capabilities with analytic tools over the course of the program
• Proficiency in other Microsoft products including Word, PowerPoint or Google Suite equivalents 
• Exemplary writing and communication skills 
• Outstanding organizational and time management skills 
• Ability to produce high-quality work products under tight deadlines 
• Strong entrepreneurial instincts and desire to seek innovative solutions to complex challenges 
• A high degree of integrity, authenticity, and a good sense of humor 

Location* 

These are remote or hybrid opportunities. Many are based in the midwest and east coast.

• Willingness to travel 10 - 25% (will vary depending on the organization analysts are placed with) (i.e. school site visits, periodically visiting the office, conferences)

Salary*

$65,000-75,000 
*NYC is at the upper end of the range; other cities adjusted for cost of living. For more information about Location and Salary details for each participating organization, see here.

Participating Organizations 

The program is jointly sponsored by Afton, CSDC, Civic, and EFF; organizations that work to ensure school finances and real estate are not a barrier to a great education. See additional information below: 

Afton Partners creates meaningful change in our communities by transforming public policies and practices so they are effective, sustainable, and serve those who need it most. By partnering with public agencies and nonprofits in K-12 education, workforce development, early childhood, and human services, Afton builds capacity, strengthens governance, and ensures resources are aligned and equitably distributed. Afton is a nationwide leader in charter school financial planning services. We have worked with more than 70 charter school networks of all sizes, from single-site operators just getting started to the largest charter school organizations in the country. Our work with charter schools improves school resource allocation decision making, informs school facility and school growth planning, and strengthens leadership and governance on fiscal matters.

Charter Schools Development Corporation (CSDC) supports quality school choice for underserved students by developing and financing affordable charter school facilities. CSDC was established in 1997 to serve the charter school community – the most dynamic, innovative, and fastest-growing segment of American K-12 education, and the vehicle, through increased competition and choice, for the systemic reform and improvement of poorly performing traditional public schools. CSDC is an experienced and collaborative force working to provide educational equity across 30 states and the District of Columbia. Learn more about CSDC here.

Civic Builders is the nation’s leading nonprofit lender and developer, bringing high-quality educational opportunities to under-resourced communities through the development of public charter schools. Since 2002, the organization has supported the growth of 81 schools educating more than 41,000 students annually.

Civic Builders partners with philanthropists and capital providers to design and manage affordable, new financing and development solutions for high-quality schools. As a nonprofit organization with two decades of experience, Civic Builders’ portfolio represents $1.45 billion invested into communities in need to ensure all students have access to safe, positive, and student-centered learning environments.

Equitable Facilities Fund (EFF) is a nonprofit social impact fund that’s on a nationwide mission to transform capital access for schools and communities. Since launching in 2018, EFF has committed over $1 billion of affordable facility financing to schools that excel in serving low-income and diverse communities.

EFF empowers high-performing public charter schools with equitable access to low-cost financing by innovatively combining mission-related investments and capital markets. Loans from EFF support affordable, permanent school facilities and allow school leaders to redirect critical resources to teaching and learning. By 2028, the organization seeks to make over $3B in loans to support over 200,000 students and significantly improve the quality of education offered to students across the US.