Community Investment Specialist

Who we are

Our mission at FHLBank Chicago: To partner with our members in Illinois and Wisconsin to provide them competitively priced funding, a reasonable return on their investment, and support for their community investment activities.

Simply said, we're a bank for banks and other financial institutions, focused on being a strategic partner for our members and working together to reinvest in our communities, from urban centers to rural areas. Created by Congress in 1932, FHLBank Chicago is one of 11 Federal Home Loan Banks, government sponsored in support of mortgage lending and community investment.

What it’s like to work here

At FHLBank Chicago, we bring people together. We are committed to a high performing, engaged workforce, and to supporting the communities we serve across Illinois and Wisconsin. Our Buddy Program pairs new hires with tenured employees to guide their onboarding. Our professional development and training opportunities through upskilling, mentorship programs, and tuition reimbursement allow employees to grow their career with us. Our collaborative, in-office operating model brings teams together to foster innovation, connection, and shared success. To support balance and flexibility, employees are provided with an allocation of remote days to use as needed throughout the year.

What you’ll do

The Community Investment Specialist supports the Bank’s community investment mission by contributing to outreach, program execution, and strategic initiatives focused on affordable housing and economic development. The role works collaboratively across teams and with external partners to advance community engagement efforts, support program and governance activities, and help inform the Bank’s community investment strategy through research and analysis. Through these efforts, the Community Investment Specialist plays an important role in strengthening the Bank’s overall Community Investment impact.

How you'll make an impact

• Advance affordable housing and economic development by helping deliver programs and outreach that strengthen communities across Illinois and Wisconsin.

• Turn insights into action by using research, data, and stakeholder feedback to shape community investment strategies and expand the reach of mission-focused products.

• Build meaningful connections by collaborating with financial institutions, nonprofit and public-sector partners, and internal teams to increase the Bank’s community impact.

What you can expect

• Support and participate in the Bank’s outreach activities, under the management of the Bank’s Manager, Community Outreach and Engagement; contribute to the successful execution of the Bank’s community outreach plan.

• Support the execution of Bank-sponsored Community Investment events (convenings, trainings, forums).

• Represent the Bank at affordable housing, community development, and banking industry events; engage in targeted marketing activities to expand use of Bank mission products.

• Track and report team outreach activities in Salesforce, Airtable, and other platforms; maintain and improve Salesforce dashboards and data integrity; validate and troubleshoot reporting issues; and prepare reports and presentations summarizing engagement metrics and performance for internal stakeholders.

• Support the development, implementation, and ongoing enhancement of Community Investment programs.

• Conduct research and analysis on community development trends, affordable housing needs, and member and stakeholder engagement opportunities.

• Assist with the review, development, and maintenance of key program-related documents (e.g., policies, external marketing and application materials, program guidelines).

• Support team managers in the development of presentations and materials for Bank executives, the Community Investment Advisory Council, the Board of Directors, and external audiences.

• Lead the production of the bimonthly Community Investment newsletter and assist in developing outreach materials (presentations, fact sheets, etc.) in collaboration with Communications, Operations, Law, and CI Policy teams.

• Monitor and respond to external inquiries and communications received through public-facing Community Investment channels.

What you'll bring

• Bachelor’s degree with a concentration in Business or Public Policy/Administration, Finance, Real Estate, Urban Planning, or related field

• 2-4 years of banking or community development finance work experience preferred.

• Working knowledge of affordable housing and community development finance ecosystems and finance.

• Working knowledge of how financial institutions—across different charter types—support affordable housing and community development, including Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) dynamics and partnerships with public and nonprofit sectors.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities, take initiative, and work effectively under pressure in a fast-paced environment, either independently or as a member of a team.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting to varied audiences.

• Ability to effectively collaborate with varied stakeholders and build positive, productive relationships.

• Ability to effectively analyze, apply, and communicate policies, procedures, and regulations; strong attention to detail.

• Knowledge of the Bank’s brand, business model, mission, and regulatory environment.

• Exercise sound judgment to develop, analyze, and interpret both quantitative and qualitative data from impact, risk, and return perspectives; leverage data and field experience to draw connections, inform decision-making, guide outreach strategies, and support key initiatives.

• Positive team player, excited to deliver on the Bank’s mission and partner with our members to support their community investment activities.

• Up to 25% travel, primarily in IL and WI.

• Proficiency in MS Office, including Excel and PowerPoint; fluency in Tableau and Salesforce.

Salary Range:

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition.  Ultimately, in determining your pay, we may also consider your experience, and other job-related factors. In addition to the base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package which can be found here: https://hrportal.ehr.com/fhlbc