CRE Underwriter

Old National Bank•Milwaukee, WI

7d•$83,300 - $168,400•Onsite

About The Position

Old National Bank is hiring a Credit Center Underwriter to analyze and decision loans with total credit exposure between $0 and $3 million, balancing risk and growth. The role evaluates new credit requests and renewals, ensures loan structures comply with bank lending standards, assigns appropriate asset quality ratings, and completes underwriting at a level suited to the risk and size of each opportunity. Decisions are made within assigned lending authority in a fast-paced, high-volume environment. The underwriter partners with Business Bankers, Commercial Segment Relationship Managers, internal support staff, and colleagues to provide credit expertise throughout commercial loan origination and review. The position requires accurate, efficient analysis, sound independent decision-making, and timely communication while managing multiple requests and client response timelines. The position may be filled at different levels, including Senior Credit Center Underwriter and Underwriting Manager, with additional responsibilities that vary by level. Underwriting Managers have direct reports and may travel to meet with them in person. The listed office locations are Chicago, Lincoln Park, Milwaukee, Madison, and Minneapolis–St. Paul. The salary range is $83,300–$168,400 per year, plus bonus; actual offers depend on responsibilities, skills, experience, education, and geographic location.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Ability to analyze and interpret financial statements independently or with limited oversight and understand basic accounting principles.
Ability to understand risks associated with lending to various industries and take appropriate action.
Basic knowledge of loan structuring, borrowing causes, and lending regulations.
Ability to comply with and conform to bank lending policies, guidelines, and standards.
Ability to make sound independent decisions and communicate them clearly and quickly in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
Ability to actively listen, identify issues and opportunities, and problem-solve in real time.
Ability to work collaboratively on a team while also thinking independently.

Responsibilities

Underwrite and decision renewals and new credit requests, including appropriate due diligence, risk assessment, and asset quality ratings.
Meet underwriting quality standards and productivity expectations for annual credit approval memorandum (CAM) volume.
Exercise assigned lending authority to make prudent, independent credit decisions that balance risk and growth.
Produce accurate, high-quality analysis efficiently while managing multiple requests and client-driven response timelines.
Collaborate with Business Bankers, Relationship Managers, support staff, and teammates throughout loan origination and review.
Provide consultative credit expertise and assist with loan structuring in accordance with bank guidelines, standards, and policies.
Communicate risks, questions, and options effectively to Relationship Managers and seek mutually beneficial solutions.
Deliver internal customer service and adopt new processes and tools as available.
Develop knowledge of common requests, including C&I, small non-owner-occupied commercial real estate, and nonprofit lending.
Help maintain the group email box and application pipeline, complete administrative tasks, and participate in projects as needed.
As a Senior Credit Center Underwriter, review and decision escalated applications when applicable, assist with conflict resolution, and train less experienced underwriters.
As a Senior Credit Center Underwriter, contribute to special or department-wide work such as problem-loan reporting, delinquency management, and covenant-violation resolution, while maintaining CAM production levels.
As an Underwriting Manager, review and decision escalated applications, assist with conflict resolution, train less experienced underwriters, and fill in for the department manager when absent.
As an Underwriting Manager, take on special or department-wide projects, resolve disagreements collaboratively, and manage direct reports; CAM production targets are halved compared with other team members.
As an Underwriting Manager, provide coaching, mentoring, feedback, and support to develop team members and may travel to meet direct reports in person.