Senior Mortgage Underwriter - Utica

Senior Mortgage Underwriter - Utica

The Arrow Financial Corporation Family of Companies is seeking dynamic, authentic individuals to join our amazing team! This opportunity may be perfect for you if you have experience in:

Proven experience in residential mortgage underwriting, including proficiency with Fannie Mac, Fannie Mae, FHA, and/or VA guidelines.

Exceptional organizational and analytical skills with a meticulous attention to detail, particularly in reviewing complex financial documentation and borrower profiles.

Strong passion for helping people in the community, applying ethical, sound judgement, to help qualified applicants achieve home ownership.

Refined communication and customer service skills to clearly convey complex credit decisions and collaborate effectively with loan officers and processors.

About this position:

The Senior Mortgage Underwriter is responsible for independently underwriting, approving, and presenting complex and higher-risk residential mortgage loan applications. Analyzing financial and collateral documentation, exercising advanced credit judgement and making recommendations and decisions in accordance with Company policy, regulatory requirements, and secondary market guidelines. This role serves as a subject-matter expert for complex underwriting scenarios and provides guidance to underwriters and lending team members.

This role is also critical in maintaining asset quality and supporting the Underwriting Manager in achieving departmental production and risk management goals.

We believe great things happen when teams connect in person! This hybrid opportunity lets you work from home two days a week while anchoring your week with at least three scheduled days at our Utica, NY regional office. It is the perfect setup if you want remote flexibility but live within easy commuting distance of Utica to join us for our required collaborative office days.

Essential Job Functions:

Analyzes borrower income, creditworthiness, assets, and collateral for complex and higher-risk residential mortgage loan applications.

Underwrites applications in accordance with bank policy, regulatory requirements, secondary market guidelines, and other third-party guidelines.

Approves, approves with conditions, or denies mortgage applications within assigned authority limits.

Reviews and analyzes income, asset, appraisal reports, and other supporting documentation for accuracy, adequacy, and compliance.

Identifies, evaluates, and documents compensation factors, layered risk, and policy exceptions as appropriate.

Prepares clear, well documented underwriting decisions to support audit, quality control, and regulatory examination requirements.

Serves as resource for complex underwriting scenarios providing technical guidance to lending and processing teams.

Collaborates with the Underwriting Manager regarding pipeline oversight, loan assignment, reporting, and exception tracking, as requested.

Coordinates with internal team members, closing attorneys, and appraisers, and other third parties to ensure loan files are complete and ready for closing.

Reviews and provides builder approval recommendations, construction advance schedules and draw requests.

Participates in quality control reviews and completes audit and compliance activities for the residential lending portfolio as assigned by management.

Maintains knowledge of changes in underwriting guidelines and regulatory requirements to ensure compliance.

What you will need to thrive in this role:

In addition to your work and life experiences, as well as your passion and excitement for the profession, you would benefit from having:

Education/

Certifications:

Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent experience required

6 years of mortgage underwriting or related mortgage experience required

Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) license or ability to obtain within the first 30 days required

Designations such as Direct Endorsement (DE) and/or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Appraisal Processing Program (VA LAPP) preferred

Skills/Knowledge:

Strong problem solving, organizational and analytical skills; ability to extract and interpret information from multiple sources

Strong communication skills, both written and verbal; comfortable communicating with customers, co-workers, management, and other stakeholders

Thorough knowledge of underwriting, mortgage products, and current lending regulations

Knowledge of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program guidelines preferred

Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook) as well as department specific systems and software

Excellent organizational, attention to detail, and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks and consistently meet established deadlines

Ability to provide thorough income analysis, which includes reviewing self-employment income for all business structures

Physical Demands:

Ability to remain in a stationary…