Director, Commercial Real Estate Origination

About the role

The Director, Commercial Real Estate Origination is a senior originator responsible for leading the sourcing, structuring, and execution of commercial real estate debt investments. This role involves building and managing a pipeline of high-quality investment opportunities, developing and maintaining relationships with sponsors, brokers, and mortgage bankers, representing NLG Capital through industry engagement and conferences, and executing loans ranging from $15M to $60M.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain a pipeline of high-quality investment opportunities.
• Develop and manage relationships with sponsors, brokers, and mortgage bankers.
• Travel to key markets for client meetings, broker engagement, and site visits.
• Represent NLG Capital through industry engagement and conferences.
• Originate, structure, and close commercial mortgage loans (typically $15M–$60M).
• Underwrite stabilized, transitional (bridge), and construction loans.
• Assess business plans, lease-up risk, capital expenditures, and exit strategies.
• Structure loans within credit parameters aligned with risk-return objectives.
• Perform cash flow analysis, market evaluation, and sponsor credit review.
• Prepare and present investment memoranda to internal credit committees.
• Negotiate loan terms, pricing, covenants, and legal documentation.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders through closing.
• Monitor market conditions and capital markets trends.
• Partner with portfolio management on diversification across assets and geographies.
• Collaborate with asset management to support portfolio performance and risk mitigation.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Real Estate, or related field and 6 - 8 years of related experience.
• 6 or more years of commercial real estate lending experience with a track record of originations.
• Experience underwriting stabilized, transitional/bridge, and construction loans.
• Strong knowledge of credit underwriting, real estate fundamentals, and loan structuring.
• Established network of sponsors, brokers, and mortgage bankers.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills.
• Experience using commercial real estate (CRE) software used for valuation and cash flow modeling.
• Strong analytical, research, and communication skills.
• High integrity, sound judgment, and disciplined risk approach.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA with concentration in Finance, Real Estate, or related field.
• At least 8 years progressive experience commercial real estate lending and origination.
• Experience with ARGUS CRE Valuation software.

Skills

• Leverage approved AI tools to improve the efficiency, quality, and impact of work products.
• Exercise sound judgment by reviewing and validating AI-generated content.
• Maintain accountability for the accuracy, quality, fairness, and integrity of work products by adhering to National Life’s AI guiding principles.
• Use AI responsibly and in accordance with company policies related to confidentiality, data privacy, security, compliance, retention and intellectual property.

Benefits

Your benefits start day one and are flexible and customizable to your and your family’s specific needs. Check out the BENEFITS of a Career at National Life!

Pay

Base Pay Range: $108,750 - $159,500 USD

Schedule

The current work schedule type and core days are subject to change with advance notification and manager discretion. The onsite work schedule currently offers an onsite work schedule, with the expectation that you will be in the office four (4) days per week during onsite core days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).