NQE Pricing Specialist

CrossCountry Mortgage•Cleveland, OH

About The Position

The NQE Pricing Specialist is responsible for managing the pricing and rate-lock process for Non-QM mortgage loans, with a focus on exception pricing, off-sheet offerings, and risk-based pricing decisions. This role serves as a critical liaison between Sales, Credit, and Secondary Marketing to support pricing that is competitive, compliant, and aligned with CCM’s strategic objectives in a dynamic, exception-driven environment.

Requirements

Equivalent combination of education and experience in mortgage banking.
3+ years of experience in Non-QM pricing or rate lock desk operations, with direct responsibility for exception pricing decisions.
Advanced experience with Non-QM guidelines, investor overlays, and borrower risk evaluation criteria.
Excellent analytical, quantitative, and decision-making skills.
Advanced collaboration and communication skills to interact effectively with Sales, Credit, Capital Markets, and external partners.
Excellent organizational, task-management, and attention-to-detail skills applied consistently to achieve objectives.
Experience with pricing engines such as Optimal Blue and LoanSifter.
Experience with Encompass loan origination system.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business, or a related field

Responsibilities

Report as a member of Non-QM rate lock desk, including issuing lock confirmations, tracking lock expirations, and maintaining compliance with lock policies.
Assess and price exception scenarios that fall outside standard rate sheets, working closely with Credit and Underwriting teams to evaluate compensating factors and layered risk.
Issue accurate and timely pricing quotes for Non-QM products, including base and exception-level pricing, off-sheet rates, and custom takeout pricing.
Analyze loan-level risk characteristics, including credit, assets, income, occupancy, and documentation; determine appropriate pricing overlays or exceptions based on investor appetite and internal guidelines. This includes evaluating non-QM terms such as prepayment penalties (PPP), debt service coverage ratio (DSCR), and alternative income documentation types.
Collaborate with the Secondary Marketing and Capital Markets teams to ensure that offered pricing aligns with hedge positions, investor guidelines, and market movements.
Monitor pipeline health and manage pricing exceptions throughout the loan lifecycle, identifying and resolving pricing discrepancies pre- and post-closing.
Keep abreast of market conditions, LLPA updates, investor guideline changes, and Non-QM trends that may have an impact on pricing or lock policy.
Document pricing exceptions and justifications thoroughly in the loan origination system and CRM, ensuring transparency and audit readiness.
Provide insights and reporting to management on exception trends, investor hit rates, lock fallout, and margin impact.
Ensure all rate lock and pricing actions adhere to compliance standards, investor requirements, and internal controls, especially within the context of the non-QM market.