Vice President, Underwriting

Description

Chicago Atlantic is a private markets alternative investment manager focused on industries and companies where demand for capital exceeds traditional supply. The firm’s investment strategies include opportunistic private credit and equity with focuses on loans to esoteric industries, specialty asset‑based loans, liquidity solutions and growth and technology finance. Chicago Atlantic has closed over $3.2 billion in credit facilities. Chicago Atlantic’s team of over 95 professionals has offices in Chicago, Miami, New York and London. For more information on Chicago Atlantic’s investment opportunities and financing products, visit chicagoatlantic.com.

We are expanding our underwriting team and seeking a Vice President, Underwriting to lead the evaluation, structuring, and execution of new private credit investments. This role is ideal for a hands‑on credit professional (investment banking / leveraged finance preferred) who can independently drive deals from initial screen through Investment Committee approval and closing, exercising strong credit judgment and partnering closely with senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead end‑to‑end underwriting of new investment opportunities, including financial modeling, credit analysis, downside and recovery analysis, and scenario stress testing
• Evaluate company performance, business models, industry dynamics, and macro trends to assess credit risk, durability of cash flows, and return potential
• Own the preparation of high‑quality investment memoranda and IC materials and present recommendations to senior leadership and the Investment Committee
• Drive diligence processes and manage third‑party workstreams (management teams, sponsors, legal counsel, accounting advisors, consultants)
• Partner with origination and senior investment professionals to structure transactions and negotiate key credit terms, including leverage, pricing, covenants, collateral, and documentation protections
• Manage execution from term sheet through closing, including coordination with counsel and oversight of documentation and closing deliverables
• Maintain underwriting models, assumptions, and investment tracking tools to ensure analytical rigor and consistency across deals
• Support portfolio oversight from a credit perspective, including covenant compliance, periodic reviews, and amendments/waivers/restructurings as needed
• Mentor junior team members and contribute to underwriting standards and best practices

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field (MBA/CFA a plus)
• 6–10+ years of experience in private credit, leveraged finance, investment banking, private equity, or credit investing
• Proven ability to independently underwrite and execute credit investments in a fast‑paced environment
• Advanced financial modeling skills with deep experience building, reviewing, and stress‑testing complex models
• Strong credit judgment and understanding of downside risk, structuring, and documentation considerations
• Exceptional written/verbal communication skills and comfort presenting to senior stakeholders / IC
• Highly organized, detail‑oriented, and able to manage multiple transactions simultaneously
• Ownership mindset well‑suited for a lean, entrepreneurial investment platform