Lending Specialist

About the Organization Women Venture is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to empower women to achieve their economic goals by building profitable and sustainable businesses that transform communities. We execute on this mission through providing clients access to business capital, coaching, and community. Our core values are to make meaningful change, engage with empathy, and persist boldly, and we seek out candidates who exemplify these characteristics.

EOE Statement We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. Women Venture values diversity of background and experience and encourages people from all backgrounds to apply for this position.

Description

Position: Lending Specialist

Supervisor: Lending Compliance Manager

FLSA Status: Full Time, Exempt

Location: Hybrid

* Must be in Twin Cities area*

Department: Lending

Salary: $55,000- $63,000 per year

Women Venture is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to empower women to achieve their economic goals by building profitable and sustainable businesses that transform communities. We execute on this mission through providing clients access to business capital, coaching, and community. Our core values are to make meaningful change, to engage with empathy, and to persist boldly, and we seek out candidates who exemplify these characteristics.

The Lending Specialist (LS) supports Women Venture's lending operations across the full loan lifecycle, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance from initial inquiry through post close transition. The LS manages applicant intake, pipeline tracking, documentation control, underwriting support, loan closing coordination, and collateral perfection. The LS provides reporting, data insights, and process improvement recommendations to strengthen efficiency and reduce risk. This position does not originate loans but serves as a key operational and compliance hub for the lending function.

Working cross functionally with the Finance department, the LS ensures smooth operational handoffs, supports modifications and servicing needs, and contributes to a strong, client focused lending experience.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for prospective loan applicants via email, phone, and referrals.
• Maintain the loan pipeline from initial inquiry through closing and transition to servicing.
• Monitor stage progression, SLAs, aging files, and reconciliation of dashboards and trackers; generate weekly/monthly pipeline reports.

• Pull due diligence reports and gather supplemental documentation for Loan Officers.
• Upon approval, manage the pre closing process, including notification of closing and document preparation.

• Coordinate all aspects of loan closings, including preparation of loan documents, scheduling, e signing, and in person signings.
• Manage disbursement and ensure proper perfection of collateral (UCCs, liens, mortgages, etc.).
• Update and monitor the Loan Process Checklist.

• Collect and file post closing documents, including Proof of Use of Funds.
• Support loan modifications and revolving line of credit draw requests.
• Process collateral releases, manage UCC continuation reporting, and support annual data collection.
• Represent the organization at meetings and events; provide public facing communication as needed.

• Support ensuring internal policy and regulatory documentation standards.
• Support funder reporting and written notice compliance.
• Track collateral perfection and post close compliance requirements.

• Maintain lending scorecards and provide data insights and trend analysis.
• Report service hours and client interaction notes.
• Identify workflow gaps and recommend operational improvements to reduce risk and enhance efficiency.
• Maintain and update SOPs.

• Pro…