Senior Lending Services Underwriter

Job Details

Job Location:

Vancouver, WA 98683 Salary Range: $32.38 - $46.96 Hourly. Be part of something uniQue.

The Senior Lending Services Underwriter III is responsible for underwriting and decisioning the full range of consumer lending products, including complex and high‑risk loan scenarios. This role serves as a senior credit authority, providing guidance on layered risk, handling exceptions, and supporting overall credit quality and consistency across the lending portfolio. Operates with advanced delegated authority and is responsible for decisioning complex and high‑risk loans, including HELOCs with elevated risk characteristics.

• Utilize a multi‑layered underwriting decision framework designed to support efficiency, consistency, and appropriate risk evaluation across all lending products. This framework includes:
  • Instant Decisioning:
    Automated decisions generated through the loan origination system based on established credit criteria and decision models.
  • Referral (Exception‑Based) Underwriting:
    Applications that fall outside of automated decision parameters are referred for underwriter review. Underwriters evaluate these files using established guidelines, compensating factors, and sound credit judgment within delegated authority.
  • Manual Underwriting (HELOCs Only):
    Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCs) are underwritten through a fully manual process. These loans require comprehensive evaluation of credit, income, collateral, and market risk, including identification of layered risk and application of enhanced underwriting standards where applicable.
• Provide guidance on referred and manually underwritten loans, particularly in complex or higher‑risk scenarios.
• Review and decision all consumer loan products including credit cards, PLOCs, direct and indirect auto loans, and all HELOCs, including high‑risk scenarios.
• Analyze complex financial profiles, including layered credit, income variability, and collateral risk.
• Evaluate high‑risk HELOCs in accordance with established procedures, including assessment of credit, collateral, and market risk factors.
• Apply advanced underwriting judgment in exception scenarios and determine appropriate structures or conditions.
• Ensure all underwriting decisions comply with internal policies and regulatory requirements including NCUA, ECOA, and Fair Lending standards.
• Serve as escalation point for Underwriter I and II staff on complex loans and policy interpretation.
• Identify layered risk and determine appropriate mitigating factors or alternative structures.
• Document all decisions thoroughly, including rationale for approvals, conditions, counteroffers, or denials.
• Participate in quality control reviews and assist in identifying trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Support development and consistency of underwriting practices across the team.
• Maintain strong working knowledge of loan origination systems including Meridian Link.
• Collaborate with operations, processing, and leadership to ensure alignment between credit decisions and operational execution.
• Lead and actively participate in department development initiatives, including system testing, workflow design, and training delivery to support operational effectiveness and credit quality.
• Review loan participation samples across all product types within delegated authority.
• Act as a subject matter expert (SME) to staff, providing guidance on complex credit scenarios, guideline interpretation, and decision consistency.
• Must demonstrate advanced understanding of and compliance with applicable regulations including NCUA guidance, Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), and Fair Lending laws. All decisions must be consistent, well‑documented, and supported by established underwriting criteria, particularly in high‑risk and exception scenarios.
• Demonstrate strong regulatory knowledge applicable to this position and understand and comply with government regulations with emphasis on the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), US Patriot Act and related regulations.
• Actively participate and fulfill expectations in the Credit Union Email Security Awareness Program as outlined in the Information Security…