CONSUMER UNDERWRITING MANAGER

Consumer Underwriting Manager

Position Type: Full Time Job Shift: Full Time Education Level: Bachelor's Degree or Experience Travel Percentage: Minimal Travel Category: Banking

Description

Location: Albuquerque, NM 87109

Required work schedule: (not a remote or hybrid position)

• Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
• Rotating Saturdays: 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM

As a valued full-time team member, you'll enjoy fantastic benefits that promote your health and well-being:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Paid Short-Term Disability, Life Insurance, and AD&D
• Holiday Pay, Vacation, Birthday, Floating Holiday & Sick Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement for Professional Development
• 401(k) Plan with Employer Match
• Pension Plan for Long-term Security
• Exciting Opportunities for Career Advancement

Overall Purpose:

At Sandia Area, every position plays a vital role in fulfilling our mission to deliver high-value banking and lending services that strengthen the financial well-being of our members and community. Each team member is expected to embody our core values of Service, Sustainability, Efficiency, Trust, Stewardship, and Growth, contributing to our vision of empowering lifelong achievement through better banking.

The Consumer Underwriting Manager oversees the underwriting operations for consumer and real estate loans, ensuring sound credit decisions that align with the credit union's lending policies, risk tolerance, and strategic objectives. This role leads the underwriting team, monitors loan quality, ensures regulatory compliance, and supports efficient loan processing and exceptional member service. The position requires strong knowledge of lending regulations, attention to detail, and a commitment to confidentiality and integrity in the lending process.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Lead, coach, and develop underwriting staff while fostering a high-performing team environment.
• Oversee daily underwriting operations and ensure alignment with departmental and organizational goals.
• Manage staffing, workloads, budgets, and resources to maximize efficiency and control costs.
• Ensure timely loan decisions and efficient lending operations.
• Monitor lending center and underwriter queues to maintain service levels and turnaround times.
• Evaluate loan quality, decision accuracy, and portfolio performance.
• Provide guidance on complex credit decisions, exceptions, and policy interpretation.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

• Expertise in underwriting consumer and real estate loans, with a strong understanding of financial institution operations.
• Strong knowledge of credit analysis, income calculation, debt-to-income evaluation, and lending regulations.
• Familiarity with credit union lending philosophy, member service principles, automated underwriting systems, and loan origination platforms.
• Strong analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Proven leadership, coaching, and team development abilities, with the ability to set expectations, provide feedback, and foster a high-performance culture.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to align team performance with departmental and organizational objectives.
• Ability to analyze data and performance metrics to improve operational efficiency and results.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and emotional intelligence skills.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborative, adaptable, and proactive approach to professional growth and continuous improvement.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to perform essential job functions, including occasionally lifting up to 10 pounds.

Minimum Education and Experience requirements

• Bachelor's degree in related field.
• Three (3) year(s) of applicable experience required with at least Two (2) year(s) in a supervisory or leadership role.
• Prior financial institution experience, including progressive responsibilities in consumer lending required.
• Technical study of loan practices required.
• General knowledge of credit unions or financial institutions and operations preferred
• Must be in good standing with the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry.

Sandia Area Federal Credit Union (SAFCU) is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SAFCU provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.