What are the responsibilities and job description for the Non-QM Underwriting Manager - Remote position at Benchmark Mortgage?
Position Overview:
The Non-QM Underwriting Manager is responsible for leading, developing, and scaling a high-performing non-QM underwriting team and being the subject matter expert for non-QM loan programs, balancing loan production goals with sound credit risk management, investor requirements, and regulatory compliance.
Ideal candidates for this position have expert knowledge in non-QM loan programs, guidelines, and investor requirements, proven ability to oversee a high-volume underwriting pipeline, and have proven experience leading and developing teams.
Essential Functions of the Role:
- Manage, coach and train a team of underwriters to ensure quality, compliance and service-level standards are met.
- Oversee the non-QM underwriting pipeline to ensure loans are reviewed, approved, and cleared-to-close within established turn times.
- Serve as escalation point for difficult files, guideline interpretation, and exception requests.
- Track productivity, quality, suspense, and defect trends with reporting and loan-level reviews.
- Conduct periodic loan reviews to ensure adherence to internal credit standards, investor guidelines, and regulatory requirements.
- Ensure loans are underwritten to guidelines that are compliant with state and federal laws and regulations, including HMDA, Regulation Z, and Regulation B.
- Collaborate with Operations, Sales, and Secondary leadership to align on goals, capacity planning, and service-level expectations.
- Other duties as assigned.
Classification: Full Time, Exempt
Essential Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
- Expert knowledge in non-QM loan programs, guidelines, and investor requirements
- Proven underwriting pipeline management skills
- Proven experience leading and developing teams
- Expert knowledge of income analysis, including self-employed borrowers, tas returns, P&Ls and K-1s
- Demonstrated ability to analyze workflows and implement improvements in standard operating procedures
Non-QM Underwriting Manager
Essential Knowledge/Skills/Abilities, Cont’d:
- Comprehensive knowledge of mortgage regulations, including HMBDA, Reg Z, Reg B, and FNMA guidelines
- Strong communication skills
- Ability to work across organizational boundaries
- Highly detail-oriented
- Strong decision-making skills
- Advanced problem-solving capabilities
- Strong critical thinking skills
- Proven ability to prioritize and multi-task
Experience Requirements:
- Minimum of five (5) years of progressive levels of mortgage underwriting experience required, with a minimum of two (2) years of non-QM underwriting experience.
- Prior underwriting management experience required.
- Encompass and Desktop Underwriter experience preferred.
Education / Licensing Requirements:
- High school diploma or equivalent required. Some college preferred.
Working Conditions:
- Fast-paced environment.
- Requires normal vision (corrected) both close and distant.
- Requires normal hearing levels (corrected).
- Requires working at a desk to use a phone and computer for extended periods of time.
- Requires sitting, bending.
- Works effectively with frequent interruptions.
- Lifting requirements of 10 lbs. occasionally.
- Minimal travel <5%.