Dir., Equipment Finance Channel Partnerships

THE ORGANIZATION: 

Accion Opportunity Fund is an unparalleled financial services non-profit that provides small business owners across the country with access to capital, networks, and coaching. We offer accessible options for these determined business owners. For over 30 years we have deployed over $1 billion in over 35,000 loans and served 4 million business owners with educational resources. Our client base is nearly 90% from underserved communities.   

In addition to providing loans, educational resources and support networks to small businesses, we also conduct original research, advocate for policy changes, and finance community construction projects in low-income neighborhoods through our New Market Tax Credit program.

AOF is on a journey to both scale our impact and become financially sustainable while offering access to responsible and affordable financial services.  We're building a better system for underserved small businesses and a workplace where passionate problem-solvers, data-driven thinkers, and small business champions thrive.

For more information about us, visit https://aofund.org/

ROLE SUMMARY: 

Reporting to the SVP, Partnerships and Strategic Growth, the Director, Equipment Finance Channel Partnerships will lead business development and referral partnership growth focused on mission-critical equipment financing for small businesses. This role is a production-oriented sales and partner acquisition position, responsible for building and scaling referral relationships that generate equipment leasing, term loans, and SBA-supported financing of $350,000 and below.

The ideal candidate brings a strong, existing network of equipment-focused referral partners, including manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, franchise vendors, equipment dealers, and financial institutions—and a proven ability to convert partner leads into funded small business loans. This role will focus on equipment essential to business operations in sectors such as medical and healthcare, restaurant and hospitality, retail, franchises, light trade equipment and others.

This is a highly external-facing role that blends business development, partner management, and revenue generation, with accountability for referral volume, quality, and funded production

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Equipment Finance Business Development

• Lead acquisition of new equipment-focused referral partners that generate consistent deal flow for loans and leases capped at $350K.
• Leverage existing relationships with manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, franchise vendors, and equipment dealers to drive immediate production.
• Identify and pursue vertical-specific opportunities in medical equipment, restaurant & hospitality, retail, franchise systems, and light industrial/trade equipment.

Referral Partner Management & Growth

• Serve as the primary relationship owner for equipment-finance referral partners, with clear accountability for production and performance.
• Drive partner activation through structured onboarding, training, and ongoing engagement focused on deal flow and conversion.
• Collaborate with partners to align on credit criteria, and quality of applications to maximize approval rates.

Production, Performance & Reporting

• Own referral pipeline and funded volume targets tied to equipment leasing, term loans, and SBA-supported equipment financing.
• Track and report on referral volume, approval rates, funded loans, and portfolio quality.
• Lead Quarterly Partnership Reviews (QPRs) focused on performance, optimization, and growth opportunities.
• Partner with credit, operations, and analytics teams to ensure smooth execution from referral to funding.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work with Marketing to develop equipment-specific partner materials, co-branded campaigns, and dealer enablement tools.
• Collaborate closely with UW and Risk teams to align underwriting guidelines with partner expectations.
• Provide market feedback to senior leadership on equipment trends, partner needs, and competitive dynamics.

MUST HAVES: 

• 5+ years of experience in equipment financing, leasing, across small business lending, with strong understanding of deal structures under $350K.
• 8+ years in sales, business development, or referral partnerships, preferably in equipment finance or adjacent lending ecosystems.
• Established network of equipment dealers, manufacturers, distributors, franchise vendors, or financial referral partners.
• Proven experience sourcing and converting referral leads into funded loans or leases.
• Strong knowledge of mission-critical equipment financing for sectors such as medical, restaurant/hospitality, retail, franchises, and light trade.
• Results-driven mindset with comfort being measured against production and funded volume goals.
• Excellent relationship-building, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, growth-oriented, mission-driven environment.
• Highly organized, proactive, and able to manage multiple partner relationships simultaneously.
• Comfortable working independently in a remote, collaborative team environment

NICE TO HAVES: 

• Familiarity with HubSpot, Salesforce, and Asana.

PERKS AND BENEFITS:

Our mission is what motivates us to come to work each day. We know that happy employees are productive employees, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• An environment that values work-life balance and monthly remote work reimbursements.
• 100% company-funded Medical, Dental, Vision, Life & Disability coverage for employees (Based upon your plan selection). 90% company-funded dependent coverage (Based upon your plan selection) as well as Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Voluntary benefits with payroll deduction for Supplemental Life & AD&D insurance and legal plans.
• Tax deferred & Roth 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer match.
• Unlimited paid vacation days, 12 paid holidays, 1 floating paid holiday, 10 Sick days, and paid parental leave.

We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion at Accion Opportunity Fund. AOF does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Salary Range*: $113,700+ $154,900

*Please note that the above salary range is a national range, and compensation is dependent upon the candidate’s experience and skill level.