Mortgage Underwriting Manager

Role: The Mortgage Underwriting Manager at Blaze will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the mortgage underwriting process. You will lead a team of underwriters, ensuring loan decisions are accurate, timely, and compliant with company policies, investor guidelines, and applicable federal and state regulations. This role will support production goals, monitor credit quality, and drive process improvement across the underwriting workflow.

Work Type: Full-time, on-site at our Larpenteur Administrative office in Falcon Heights, MN  

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and motivate a team of mortgage underwriters to achieve departmental goals and objectives.
• Develop and maintain underwriting policies, procedures, and guidelines in accordance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
• Oversee the underwriting process for mortgage loan applications, ensuring compliance with credit union policies, investor guidelines, and regulatory requirements.
• Update underwriting procedures and controls based on regulatory changes and audit findings.
• Communicate changes in investor guidelines and regulatory requirements to all mortgage production staff.
• Provide guidance and support to underwriters on difficult or escalated loan files, resolving complex issues as needed and providing guidance on conditions and final decisions
• Monitor pipeline flow, underwriting turn times, and quality metrics
• Manage relationships with third-party vendors, such as appraisers, title companies, and closing agents, to ensure timely and efficient service delivery.
• Collaborate with other departments, including loan origination, processing, closing, and compliance to streamline processes and improve overall service levels.

Other Duties

• Comply with applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act, the Patriot Act, and the Office of Foreign Assets Control
• Exhibit Blaze’s Core Value’s: Better Lives, Thoughtfully Compassionate, Minnesota’s Best, and Give Back
• Regular and predictable attendance
• Perform other duties as assigned to support effective department operation.

Experience/Education/Certifications/Licenses

• Minimum High School degree or equivalent.
• Minimum 5-6 years similar or related financial experience, including prior leadership experience

Demonstrated Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of conventional and government loan products, credit policy, income analysis, and collateral review.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Computer skills including Microsoft products.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to lead credit union department processes; exert regional influence or corporate knowledge sharing.
• Knowledge of Encompass a plus.
• Simple arithmetic and finance related mathematics (e.g., interest, time value of money, compounding), accounting.
• Experience with mortgage regulations and lending requirements, including FNMA, FHLMC, HMDA CFPB, RESPA, ECOA and all other pertinent regulations

Communication Skills

Ability to respond to members and employee to problem solve and explain loan decisions based on investor and internal guidelines. 

Physical Requirements

Ability to sit and stand; answer calls; operate computer; interact with internal employees and members on the phone; travel to designated offices; lift up to 20 lbs.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere, and we encourage diverse applicant depth and breadth. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We are committed to providing salary ranges for all open positions. Please note that the specific compensation for this role will be determined based on your experience, qualifications, location, and internal equity considerations. The salary range for this position is: $91,399.44-$110,000/annually. This range reflects the base salary for this position. We have other benefits associated with this position which include: low-cost medical (as low as $20 a paycheck), dental insurance, vision insurance, quarterly bonuses, generous vacation and sick time hours, paid leave options, up to 6% 401k contribution, and tuition reimbursement.