Senior Non-QM Underwriter

About the role

The Team: At Kind Lending, our family of diverse and talented Kind Ambassadors are the driving force behind our new approach to the mortgage experience. They're the heart and soul of the organization and our "People Before Profits" mentality shines through in every department.

Responsibilities

• Underwrite Non-QM residential mortgage loan applications in accordance with company, investor, and regulatory guidelines.
• Perform comprehensive credit analysis by reviewing borrower credit profiles, income documentation, tax returns, bank statements, asset documentation, liabilities, and overall financial capacity.
• Apply sound manual underwriting expertise and credit judgment to evaluate complex loan scenarios and make informed lending decisions.
• Assess borrower creditworthiness, identify compensating factors, and appropriately evaluate and mitigate credit risk.
• Recognize, investigate, and respond to potential fraud indicators and other material underwriting concerns.
• Review appraisals and collateral documentation to validate property values and ensure compliance with acceptable collateral standards.
• Accurately communicate underwriting decisions, conditions, and risk assessments to brokers, correspondents, loan officers, account executives, and internal stakeholders.
• Collaborate with sales, operations, and business partners to resolve complex underwriting issues and facilitate efficient loan processing.
• Conduct thorough reviews of loan documentation to ensure completeness, accuracy, and adherence to underwriting guidelines and quality standards.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of Non-QM products, agency and non-agency guidelines, mortgage regulations, and industry best practices.
• Manage an assigned pipeline effectively while meeting established productivity, service level, and turn-time expectations.
• Support quality assurance initiatives through consistent application of underwriting standards and sound risk management practices.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for complex Non-QM loan scenarios and guideline interpretations.
• Perform quality reviews and provide feedback to ensure consistency, accuracy, and adherence to underwriting standards.
• Partner with management to identify process improvements and support underwriting best practices across the organization.
• Provide guidance, mentorship, and underwriting support to junior underwriters and team members.
• Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience as a Non-QM Underwriter
• 5+ years of prior underwriting experience
• Solid knowledge of NON-QM and FNMA underwriting guidelines and requirements.
• Focus on income type products such as DSCR, Bank Statement, Asset Utilization, 1099, WVOE Only, as well as traditional Full Doc income calculations.
• In-depth knowledge of mortgage regulations, compliance standards, and industry best practices.
• Expertise in mortgage underwriting software and technology solutions; preferred knowledge of Blue Sage LOS.
• Strong command of manual underwriting requirements within NON-QM programs.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret complex financial information and assess credit and operational risk.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to interact with internal and external stakeholders.
• Problem-solving skills to address challenging underwriting scenarios and provide guidance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to develop strong relationships with sales partners, direct reports, and internal stakeholders.
• Detail-oriented, organized, and self-motivated with the ability to prioritize competing demands in a high-volume environment.
• Ability to consistently maintain high levels of performance under pressure and meet tight deadlines.