Lead Underwriter Specialty Lending (Affluent Clients)

About the Role

Wells Fargo is seeking a Lead Underwriter within the Cards and Personal Loans (CSPL) group, part of the Consumer Lending division. This role will support credit decisioning for high-net-worth and affluent customer credit card requests, including complex credit applications and credit line increases. The Lead Underwriter will evaluate the overall creditworthiness, financial capacity, and repayment ability of affluent clients by reviewing credit bureau information, financial statements, tax returns, trust documentation, investment portfolios, cash flow, liquidity, and other supporting documentation. This role requires strong credit judgment, sound risk assessment, and the ability to balance credit quality with a high-touch customer experience.

In this position, the Lead Underwriter will partner closely with internal stakeholders, including Wealth Advisors, Private Bankers, Risk, Compliance, Operations, and other lending partners, to deliver thoughtful credit recommendations and timely decisions. The role is ideal for an experienced underwriter who can navigate complex financial profiles, communicate clearly with business partners, and support lending solutions for clients with sophisticated financial needs. This position will also contribute to process improvement, escalation resolution, and policy adherence while helping ensure exceptional experience for affluent customers and internal partners.

Responsibilities

• Review, analyze, and evaluate complex credit applications and credit line increases for high-net-worth customers.
• Analyze credit bureau information, collateral valuation, cash flow, tax returns, financial statements, trusts, investment portfolios, and other supporting documentation to recommend or approve appropriate credit line requests.
• Ensure expert communication skills to deliver a best-in-class customer experience and proactively address customer needs to customize lending solutions.
• Collaborate with internal partners such as Wealth Advisors and Private Bankers to proactively address client needs.
• Ensure exceptional customer service delivery to affluent customers, balancing credit quality with customer experience.
• Lead complex initiatives with broad impact and act as a key participant in the development of projects for Specialty.
• Ensure conformity with bank policies and procedures.
• Evaluate complex processes or tasks that may require research into the cause and effect of challenges related to affluent credit card originations.

Requirements

• 5+ years of Underwriting experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of Underwriting for affluent customers with a background in high-line assignments.
• Deep understanding of Wealth Management and experience with high-value credit portfolios.
• Financial Statement Analysis: Ability to interpret complex financial documents, including tax returns, balance sheets, and income statements.
• Ability to deliver a high-touch customer experience for affluent clients while maintaining credit quality and adherence to policy.
• Credit Risk Assessment: Proficiency in evaluating creditworthiness using credit scores, debt-to-income ratios, and other risk indicators.
• Cash Flow Analysis: Understanding of personal and business cash flow to determine repayment capacity.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Portfolio Management: Experience managing large or complex credit portfolios, including exposure limits and diversification.
• Extensive knowledge of lending policy guidelines and procedures as evidenced by strong credit and compliance quality.
• Track record of proactive problem-solving, taking initiative, and effectively resolving complex escalations timely and decisively to meet customer expectations.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, including managing a pipeline and supporting escalations while maintaining excellent quality.
• Analytical skills focusing on problem-solving, process improvement, and customer impact in a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to organize, re-prioritize, and manage multiple priorities to meet deadlines.

Job Expectations

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Locations: Charlotte, NC; Chandler, AZ; St. Louis Park, MN

Pay

$87,000.00 - $140,000.00

Reflected is the base pay range offered for this position. Pay may vary depending on factors including but not limited to demonstrated examples of prior performance, skills, experience, or work location. Employees may also be eligible for incentive opportunities.

Benefits

Wells Fargo provides eligible employees with a comprehensive set of benefits, including:

• Health benefits
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid time off
• Disability benefits
• Life insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance
• Parental leave
• Critical caregiving leave
• Discounts and savings
• Commuter benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• Scholarships for dependent children
• Adoption reimbursement