Sr. Commercial Loan Underwriter

Job Title: VP, Senior Commercial Loan Underwriter

Location: Santa Rosa, CA

Salary: $120,000 - $130,000 DOE

Employment Type: Full-Time

Department: Credit Administration / CAPS

Position Overview

The VP, Senior Commercial Loan Underwriter is a subject matter expert responsible for the comprehensive underwriting of complex commercial loan requests. Functioning with a high degree of autonomy, this individual analyzes borrower financial strength, structures credit facilities, and ensures strict adherence to the Bank’s risk appetite and credit policies.

This role requires a specialized focus on Commercial Real Estate (CRE) and Business lending, with specific expertise in the Senior Housing sector and bond financing structures. In addition to core underwriting, the VP will oversee construction loan administration and provide mentoring to junior credit analysts, serving as a key partner to Relationship Managers throughout the deal lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Underwriting & Financial Analysis

• Credit Assessment: Evaluate commercial loan requests from origination to closing. Analyze financial statements, tax returns (business and personal), cash flow, debt service coverage (DSCR), leverage, and liquidity to determine borrower risk.
• Deal Structuring: Prepare detailed credit memorandums and credit analyses for presentation to Bank credit authorities. Recommend appropriate financial covenants and loan structures.
• Due Diligence: Review and interpret third-party reports, including appraisals, environmental assessments, valuations, and title reports. Verify the accuracy of all application data and collateral values.
• Risk Management: Assess business models, industry trends, and management strength to perform thorough risk assessments. Ensure all loans comply with Bank policies, state/federal regulations, and program rules.

Construction Loan Administration

• Project Monitoring: Manage the construction lending process, including the creation and maintenance of budget spreadsheets and the coordination of draw funding with Loan Operations.
• Contractor Analysis: Perform comprehensive analysis and qualification of General Contractors.
• Inspections: Coordinate and monitor construction progress via third-party inspectors.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Stakeholder Management: Collaborate directly with Lenders and borrowers to resolve issues, clarify financial data, and facilitate timely closing of loans.
• Mentorship: While this role currently has no direct reports, the VP is expected to provide leadership, training, and mentoring support to Credit Analysts within the department.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum of 7 years of Commercial Real Estate & Business Loan underwriting experience.
• Specialized Expertise: Requires at least 3 years of specific experience in the Senior Housing sector and experience with bond financing structures.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in financial modeling, ratio analysis, stress testing, and sensitivity analysis. Experience with loan origination systems (Baker Hill preferred) and strong Excel skills.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to create clear, well-reasoned credit memos.
• Work Style: Ability to work independently in-office with minimal supervision, managing multiple transactions in a fast-paced environment.