Director, Commercial Real Estate Loan Underwriting

SitusAMC•New York, NY

About The Position

SitusAMC is looking for a Director for its client, a multi-$billion-dollar financial services institution (the “Bank”). In this role, you would support the origination, underwriting, closing and execution of commercial real estate loans for the Bank’s CMBS and balance sheet programs. The loans are primarily $10-200M, 5 and 10-yr fixed rate loans on stabilized, cash flowing properties in diverse asset classes across the US. The ideal candidate will possess the ability to act as a fully autonomous deal lead, responsible for driving transactions from initial screening through closing and securitization (as appropriate). The role requires strong independent credit judgement, the ability to proactively identify and mitigate risks, and the confidence to influence loan structuring decisions. The Director will serve as a central point of coordination across origination, capital markets, legal, and third party providers, while maintaining accountability for execution timelines and overall deal quality. This position is best suited for candidates with demonstrated experience owning complex CRE transactions end-to-end and operating effectively in high-stakes, internally and externally visible environments (e.g. – credit committees, rating agency presentations, investor discussions, etc.)

Requirements

BA/BS, ideally in commercial real estate finance, finance or similar
At least 7 years’ experience underwriting commercial real estate loans at a bank, insurance company, debt fund, investment management company or similar; specific focus on CMBS is ideal
Demonstrated experience independently leading CRE loan transactions from origination through closing (not solely supporting roles)
Proven ability to exercise independent credit judgment and make recommendations in situations with incomplete or evolving information
Experience structuring CRE loans, including familiarity with risk mitigation tools (e.g. – reserves, covenants, cash management, other credit enhancements, etc.)
Strong work ethic with a solutions-driven approach to working through issues or challenges
Excellent communication, organizational and interpersonal skills
Desire to work among a diverse team and be a supportive and collaborative colleague
Ability to multi-task and work effectively under tight deadlines
Strong organizational and execution skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and transactions concurrently while maintaining deadlines and attention to detail
Strong attention to detail, analytical and accuracy skills

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary underwriting lead with end-to-end ownership of transactions, ensuring timely execution, sound credit outcomes, and alignment across all stakeholders
Underwrite and close commercial real estate loans for multiple borrowers and different asset types
Participate in initial loan sizing, collaborating with origination and capital markets
Lead preparation and defense of credit memos, clearly articulating key risks, mitigants, and structuring rationale for committee, including cash flow analysis, risks and strengths, borrower / sponsor review, and market analyses
Act as the central point of coordination across internal teams and external counterparties, proactively resolving issues and maintaining deal momentum
Conduct property-level diligence and market analysis with an emphasis on forming independent, defensible views rather than relying solely on third-party inputs
Complete site inspections and detailed local analysis, including broker interviews and discussions with property management
Analyze detailed property financial information
Create and/or review existing Argus cash flow models; edit assumptions based on actual market data collections and financial review information
Ability to review third party reports (appraisal, engineering, environmental, etc.), and identify key issues that warrant further investigation and/or revision
Collaborate with appraisal review group to discuss specific appraisal methodology and ensure that the assumptions used in the appraisal are well-supported and are consistent with the actual terms at the Property and/or market
Assess borrower’s credit worthiness by reviewing financial statements, credit reports, and media searches
Ability to evaluate major/single tenant performance or financial condition
Independently identify credit risks and confidently propose actionable solutions, including structural and other credit enhancement features to adequately address risks
Lead presentations and discussions with syndication partners, investors and rating agencies regarding any concerns related to loan structure, sponsorship, legal, property, market, and underwriting