Portfolio Underwriter Jobs (NOW HIRING)

FLSA Classification: Full-Time, Exempt

Department: Credit Administration

Reports To: Team Lead, Portfolio Underwriting

Job Overview

Endeavor Bank’s diverse business clientele is centered in San Diego and across the greater Southern California market. The underwriting position supports the Bank’s mission to deliver tailored lending solutions with a strong emphasis on credit quality, risk management, and responsiveness, all with a consultative approach. The Portfolio Underwriter is expected to apply sound judgment, demonstrate technical competency, maintain a commitment to accuracy, sound underwriting practices, regulatory compliance, and provide quality service standards in a dynamic, deadline-driven environment.

Reporting to the Team Lead of the Portfolio Underwriting Group, this Portfolio Underwriter position places an emphasis on underwriting loan renewals, modifications, annual loan reviews, problem loan reports, financial reporting management, and covenant management. The underwriting position also includes supporting new loan underwriting as needed. Specific responsibilities are outlined in the sections below.

Loan Types

This role involves underwriting a wide range of credit products offered by the Bank. These include Commercial and Industrial (C&I) loans such as lines of credit, equipment loans, working capital loans, business acquisitions, partner buyouts, and SBA 7(a). It also covers a variety of Commercial Real Estate (CRE) loans, including owner-occupied real estate, investment properties, and construction loans, consisting of commercial, retail, industrial, multifamily, and hospitality asset types. The Bank also utilizes SBA 504 loan structures, State and Federal guaranteed loan programs, and various other loans for commercial business purposes. Understanding of loan structures, repayment sources, collateral, industry/market detail, and regulatory guidelines is essential to underwrite each transaction effectively.

Renewal and Modification Underwriting

The Portfolio Underwriter is responsible for proactively managing maturing loans and ensuring timely renewal underwriting is completed well in advance of maturity dates. This includes requesting updated financials, spreading, performing current credit analysis, confirming covenant compliance, and assessing whether modifications to terms or conditions are warranted. The Underwriter must escalate any loans at risk of maturing without renewal approval at least 30 days in advance, and coordinate with the designated Team Lead or Credit Admin as needed. Routine reliance on short-term extensions is discouraged and considered underperformance.

Portfolio Management

The Portfolio Underwriter plays an active role in ongoing portfolio oversight for loans assigned to each respective Underwriter. This includes tracking and reviewing borrower financial reporting, conducting periodic covenant testing, and performing annual reviews. The Underwriter is responsible for initiating risk rating adjustments when warranted, flagging deteriorating conditions, and preparing quarterly problem loan reports for downgraded relationships. The Underwriter must monitor financial trends, debt levels, and borrower responsiveness throughout the life of each loan to ensure credit risk is appropriately managed.

Financial Spreading

The Underwriter is responsible for preparing detailed spreads of borrower and guarantor financial statements, tax returns, and related financial data. All spreads must be accurate, fully reconciled, and comply with Bank standards. Close attention and careful consideration must be given to the treatment of particular financial accounting practices to ensure adherence to Bank spreading guidelines to accurately present spreads and financial analysis. The Underwriter must validate the financial integrity of borrower entities, consolidate affiliated entities when appropriate, and analyze guarantor tax returns and personal financial statements. Spreading should support both historical performance evaluation and forward-looking projections.

Financial Analysis & Risk Assessment

Using the financial spreads and other relevant information, the Underwriter performs comprehensive credit and risk analyses. This includes evaluating liquidity, leverage, profitability, and debt service coverage ratios. Global cash flow analyses are performed for guarantor-backed credits or multi-entity borrowers. The Underwriter also examines business models, industry trends, customer concentrations, ownership structures, succession plans, and any known legal or reputational risks. Each analysis must be objective and well-documented, reflecting the Underwriter's independent judgment and consistent alignment with the Bank's credit policy and risk profile.

New Loan Underwriting Support

While the primary focus is on portfolio management, the Portfolio Underwriter will also support new loan underwriting as needed. This includes preparing Loan Approval Memorandums, collaborating with relationship managers and borrowers, and ensuring all documentation and due diligence is collected. The Underwriter is expected to meet internal timelines and maintain high standards of analysis and documentation.

Asset-Based Lending and Collateral Review

For loans involving borrowing base facilities or collateral-dependent repayment, the Underwriter enforces borrowing base compliance and collateral eligibility requirements. This includes validating advance rates, monitoring dilution trends, ensuring timely and accurate submission of borrowing base certificates, and following up on field audit results. The Underwriter must identify and resolve any over-advances, discrepancies, or material ineligibles promptly to maintain control over the facility. Collateral is reviewed for adequacy, enforceability, and valuation accuracy.

Loan and Legal Documentation

Once a loan is approved, the Underwriter works closely with loan documentation specialists and legal counsel to ensure the proper drafting and execution of all legal documents. This includes change in terms agreements, notices of default, forbearance agreements, and other applicable loan or legal agreements. The Underwriter must confirm that documents conform to the approved credit terms and applicable regulatory requirements.

Credit Policy and Regulatory Compliance

The Underwriter must maintain strict adherence to Endeavor Bank's Credit Policy and lending guidelines. All policy exceptions must be clearly documented and justified with appropriate mitigating factors. This position supports regulatory and internal credit reviews, including safety and soundness exams, credit file audits, BSA/AML evaluations, and compliance reviews. The Underwriter must ensure proper file documentation, timely response to reviewer inquiries, and implementation of remediation actions if issues are identified.

Communication

Strong communication is essential. Internally, the Underwriter must engage in frequent collaboration with Relationship Managers, Credit Administration, Loan Operations, and Executive Leadership. Externally, Underwriters will interface with borrowers, CPAs, appraisers, examiners, and attorneys to clarify documentation, confirm data, or resolve credit issues. The Underwriter is expected to communicate clearly and professionally in both written and verbal formats.

Performance Metrics

• Timeliness and quality of renewal and modification underwriting

• Accuracy and completeness of financial spreads and credit analysis

• Effectiveness of portfolio monitoring and covenant compliance

• Responsiveness to problem loan identification and reporting

• Support and turnaround time for new loan underwriting

• File completeness and documentation compliance

Qualifications

• 2–5 years of commercial loan underwriting experience in C&I and CRE lending

• Proficiency in analyzing business financial statements and business tax returns, along with personal financial statements and personal tax returns

• Experience with financial spreading tools and credit analysis software

• Strong writing skills and ability to present complex credit topics clearly

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or related discipline

• Formal credit training preferred

• Familiarity with ncino, Salesforce, and Microsoft Office

• Self-starter with ability to manage deadlines and prioritize tasks independently

• High attention to detail and commitment to process integrity