SBA Underwriting & Portfolio Compliance Specialist

We are seeking a highly skilled and analytical SBA Underwriting & Portfolio Compliance Specialist to join our Loan Service Provider (LSP) team. This hybrid position covers the full lifecycle of an SBA loan—spanning from initial risk assessment to default mitigation. You will be responsible for underwriting new 7(a) and 504 requests, verifying that bank-approved loans meet strict SBA eligibility guidelines prior to closing, managing routine post-closing servicing actions, and handling the critical back end process of default liquidation. A primary focus of this role will be preparing and auditing Universal Purchase Packages (UPPs) and charge-off files for non-performing loans to ensure our partner banks' federal guarantees are fully honored by the SBA. 

• Operational Execution: Manage daily tasks and workflows to meet departmental specifications and timelines.
• Quality & Precision: Conduct regular inspections of work and maintain high standards of accuracy, often holding tight tolerances or strict compliance.
• Process Improvement: Contribute to daily innovation and continuous improvement efforts within the department.
• Communication: Coordinate with internal teams and external partners to optimize processes and improve overall efficiency.
• Documentation: Maintain accurate records of activities, settings, and quality checks.

• SBA SOP Expertise & Adherence: Act as the primary gatekeeper for credit policy, ensuring all credit memorandums strictly adhere to the most current versions of the SBA SOP 50 10 (Underwriting, Eligibility, and Credit Standards). Stay aggressively up-to-date on all procedural changes, Policy Notices, and procedural updates issued by the Office of Financial Assistance.
• Financial Analysis & Risk Mitigation: Perform forensic analysis on complex commercial loan requests. This includes spreading multi-year corporate financial statements and personal tax returns, calculating debt service coverage ratios (DSCR), evaluating global cash flow, and analyzing projections to stress-test the applicant’s repayment capacity.
• Structuring & Program Matching: Determine proper loan structuring under 7(a), Express, or 504 rules—verifying equity injections, evaluating working capital requirements, assessing collateral adequacy, and validating complex use-of-proceeds allocations to shield partner lenders from regulatory risk.
• Credit Memorandum Development: Author high-quality, comprehensive credit memorandums that clearly articulate the borrower's operational profile, transaction strengths, risk exposures, and definitive, policy-backed mitigating factors for presentation to partner banks' credit committees.

• Junior Underwriter Oversight: Directly oversee and mentor one Junior SBA Underwriter, serving as their first line of escalation for complex credit scenarios, eligibility puzzles, and underwriting bottlenecks.
• Knowledge Transfer & SOP Training: Actively develop the junior underwriter’s technical capabilities, focusing on financial spreading accuracy, global analysis, and a nuanced understanding of SBA eligibility criteria (such as franchise registries, size standards, and change of ownership rules).
• Quality Control & File Review: Conduct peer reviews of credit memos prepared by the junior underwriter, providing constructive feedback to improve analytical depth, formatting consistency, and total adherence to both internal LSP standards and federal guidelines.

3. Portfolio Servicing & Post-Closing Actions

• Process routine and complex post-closing servicing actions (e.g., loan modifications, extensions, deferments, and collateral releases) through delegated authority or SBA Centers.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of all servicing activities to ensure an unbroken compliance trail.

4. Default Management & SBA Guaranty Purchase (UPP)

• Manage the default timeline for non-performing loans, coordinating with partner banks on liquidation strategies, collateral recovery, and litigation plans.
• Compile, review, and submit the Universal Purchase Package (UPP) and Charge off and Care and Preservation of Collateral (CPC) tabs to the SBA National Guaranty Purchase Center once a loan goes into default.
• Audit defaulted files to ensure the lender's credit administration aligns perfectly with SBA guidelines, safeguarding the bank against SBA repairs or complete denials of liability.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or equivalent industry experience.
• Experience: 3 years of direct SBA commercial lending experience, specifically blending front-end credit analysis with back-end liquidation, special assets, or guaranty purchase operations.
• Technical Knowledge: Deep, up-to-date knowledge of the SBA SOP 50 10 (underwriting/eligibility) and SOP 50 57 (servicing and liquidation). Mastery of SBA E-Tran and commercial credit spreading software.
• Skills: Meticulous attention to detail; strong forensic auditing skills to reconstruct loan histories for UPP submissions; ability to interface professionally with partner bank lenders and the SBA.

• Compensation: Competitive pay, based on experience
• Time Off: Paid time off and flexible work schedule
• Advancement: Opportunities for career growth

If you are looking for an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic team that values its people, we encourage you to apply. Please submit your resume and cover letter detailing your relevant experience.