Senior Credit Underwriter

Senior Credit UnderwriterDepartment: RiskReports to: COO & CROLocation: Remote or In Office | Full-TimeRole Type: Branch Leadership | P&L Ownership | Origination & Portfolio ManagementOverviewThe Senior Credit Underwriter is the senior credit and risk leader within an Upright branch, responsible for maintaining portfolio quality, ensuring disciplined underwriting and closing, and overseeing post-close performance across the branch’s entire loan book. As a branch owner-operator, you are accountable for balancing origination velocity with credit discipline, ensuring clean, compliant loans that contribute to profitability and long-term borrower success.This role combines leadership, credit expertise, and operational ownership. You will manage branch-level underwriting and risk processes, guide cross-functional collaboration between origination and operations, and ensure the branch achieves sustained performance through quality, compliance, and scalability.Managing Directors, Risk act as both strategic operators and credit stewards, helping Upright grow responsibly while maintaining platform integrity and market-leading borrower experience.MissionOperate a high-performing, credit-disciplined branch that delivers clean, compliant, and profitable loans. Lead the branch’s risk and underwriting function to maintain portfolio health, optimize throughput, and support Upright’s long-term growth through exceptional borrower outcomes and operational excellence.Core ResponsibilitiesBranch Leadership & P&L OwnershipOwn branch-level credit performance and risk-adjusted profitability, ensuring the portfolio meets both revenue and quality targets.Lead a team of underwriters, analysts, and risk associates to maintain disciplined, consistent credit decisions aligned with company standards.Maintain high QA and compliance performance to preserve branch autonomy and revenue share.Collaborate with executive leadership (CRO, COO, CEO) to refine credit strategy, underwriting models, and branch-level economics.Credit & Underwriting OversightOversee all credit decisions and structures, ensuring loans align with Upright’s risk appetite and underwriting parameters.Review signed term sheets, borrower qualifications, valuations, budgets, and entity documentation to ensure completeness and compliance.Partner with origination leaders to structure deals that balance borrower needs with profitability and credit quality.Ensure all closing packages are accurate, complete, and compliant — minimizing post-close exceptions and rework.Portfolio & Book PerformanceMonitor loan performance across repayment, draws, extensions, and delinquency to identify risks early and intervene proactively.Develop and execute remediation strategies for at-risk loans in collaboration with branch and Asset Management teams.Oversee renewals, extensions, and restructures that optimize both borrower outcomes and portfolio stability.Maintain regular reporting on origination & credit trends, branch QA results, and portfolio health to inform company-wide strategy.Quality, Scalability & Process ImprovementAnalyze post-funding and QC findings to identify recurring issues or upstream process gaps.Lead root-cause initiatives and collaborate with origination, operations, and legal teams to drive systemic improvements.Champion scalable workflows and documentation standards that reduce error risk and accelerate throughput.Reinforce a continuous feedback loop between origination and credit teams to strengthen first-pass approval quality and efficiency.Team Development & Staffing StrategyRecruit, mentor, and develop professionals within the branch, building a high-performing, growth-oriented team.Establish structured feedback, training, and review systems to ensure consistent book growth & underwriting standards.Collaborate with senior leadership to align staffing, workload, and borrower coverage for balanced growth.Cross-Functional Leadership & CommitteesRepresent branch-level credit strategy in company leadership committees focused on product, credit, and borrower experience.Partner with Operations, Servicing, and Legal teams to streamline workflows and reduce closing friction.Provide market insights and credit feedback to executive leadership to inform policy and product development.Key MetricsBranch P&L: Risk-adjusted profitability and contribution margin.QA Pass Rates: Percentage of loans with zero post-close exceptions.Throughput Efficiency: Average time to close and underwriting turnaround time.Portfolio Health: Delinquency %, draw performance, extension outcomes, and borrower satisfaction.Loss Mitigation & Recovery: Effectiveness of remediation and resolution strategies.Process Improvement Impact: Reduction in recurring exceptions and implementation of system enhancements.Team Development: Staff retention, progression, and branch credit capacity growth.What Success Looks LikeYour branch maintains best-in-class credit quality and clean closings with minimal exceptions.The loan book performs with strong repayment, draw timeliness, and borrower satisfaction metrics.You achieve sustained growth by balancing origination velocity with disciplined risk management.You lead a capable, scalable branch that reinforces Upright’s reputation for quality and reliability.Your process feedback and cross-functional influence contribute directly to company-wide efficiency and credit innovation.You maximize your long-term wealth participation through sustained branch profitability and platform growth.Required Skills & Experience5+ years of experience in private lending, commercial real estate finance, or structured credit leadership.Demonstrated success managing underwriting, credit policy, or risk teams with P&L responsibility.Proven ability to balance speed, borrower experience, and disciplined risk management.Strong analytical, documentation, and negotiation skills with a deep understanding of real estate collateral and loan structures.Experience collaborating across origination, servicing, and operations to optimize credit throughput.Entrepreneurial, owner-operator mindset with comfort in performance-based compensation.Proficiency with CRM, LOS, and portfolio management tools.This role offers competitive base pay, performance-based incentives, and long-term profit participation tied to branch performance. Managing Directors, Risk operate with significant autonomy and upside, building sustainable, high-quality portfolios while directly contributing to Upright’s growth and credit excellence.