Underwriting Manager - Non-Agency
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Job Summary The Underwriting Manager - Non-Agency is responsible for the leadership and operational performance of the Non-Delegated Underwriting team. This position is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and performance of the underwriting functions, ensuring loans are underwritten accurately, consistently, and in accordance with Planet ’s guidelines, company credit policy, and regulatory requirements. The Manager will provide leadership, coaching, and technical guidance to the underwriting team while serving as a subject matter expert for Non-Agency loan products. This role is responsible for maintaining strong credit quality, meeting service-level expectations, managing pipeline capacity, and ensuring consistent underwriting practices across the team. The Manager will work closely with Credit Risk, Sales, Capital Markets, Operations, Quality Control, Compliance, and other business partners to resolve complex loan scenarios, support new products and initiatives, identify process improvement opportunities, and provide a consistent and positive experience for our correspondent sellers. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Directs Non-Delegated underwriting operations, ensuring sound credit decisions and consistent application of investor guidelines. Provides training, leads, and mentors the underwriting team.
- Represents the Company in a professional manner by providing exceptional customer service.
- Maintains proficient customer service levels between sellers, underwriters and operations.
- Serves as a subject matter expert for Non-Agency and Non-QM products, including DSCR, Bank Statement, Asset Depletion, P&L, Foreign National, and other alternative documentation programs.
- Reviews and approves complex, high-risk, or escalated loan scenarios when necessary.
- Monitors pipeline volume, staffing capacity, productivity, and service level agreements. Identify operational risks and implement process improvements to improve efficiency and scalability.
- Partners with Credit Risk to evaluate underwriting exceptions, emerging trends, and guideline changes.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Position Requirements Education
- Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent related work experience required
Experience
- Minimum 5 years of leadership experience managing underwriting, operations, or mortgage fulfillment teams, including experience as a Supervisor, Manager, Senior Underwriter, or similar leadership role.
- Minimum 3 years of direct experience with Non-QM and/or Non-Agency mortgage products, including investor guideline interpretation and alternative documentation programs.
- Demonstrated experience leading both underwriting and operational teams in a correspondent or wholesale mortgage environment.
- Experience managing operational performance, staffing, productivity, quality, and service level agreements.
- Proven success implementing operational improvements, technology initiatives, and process enhancements.
Functional/Technical Skills
- Extensive knowledge of Non-QM and Non-Agency mortgage products, including Bank Statement, DSCR, Asset Depletion, P&L, Foreign National, ITIN, Jumbo, and other alternative documentation programs.
- Strong understanding of non-delegated correspondent lending models.
- Advanced knowledge of mortgage credit analysis, income calculation, asset review, collateral analysis, and risk assessment.
- Thorough understanding of mortgage regulations, including ATR/QM, TRID, RESPA, TILA, ECOA, Fair Lending, and investor compliance requirements.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and decision-making skills.
- Excellent written, verbal, and executive-level communication skills.
- Proven ability to analyze operational data and use metrics to drive performance improvements.
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