Senior Construction Specialist

Live Oak Bank • Wilmington, NC

1d • $71,960 - $113,080

About The Position

The Senior Construction Specialist actively manages and monitors Live Oak Bank’s specialty construction portfolio to identify and mitigate risk. The role uses construction expertise to guide borrowers, projects, and lending teams on applicable policies, procedures, and best practices, while applying construction department standards consistently with bank and government-guaranteed lending requirements.

The position coordinates construction loan closing and disbursement activities from initial documentation through project completion. This includes working with borrowers, lending teams, contractors, and third parties; overseeing due diligence, inspections, budgets, covenants, filings, and funding documentation; and serving as the borrower’s construction contact. The specialist also reviews and approves disbursement requests, addresses loan servicing matters, escalates issues, and mentors Construction Specialist I and II employees.

Requirements

• At least 3 years of commercial lending/customer service experience, or demonstrated mastery in managing specialty construction loans.
• Experience managing construction projects across at least 4 specialty verticals and at least 2 different product types, such as SBA, 504, Conventional, or USDA.
• Extensive knowledge of construction standards, policies, and procedures for bank and government-guaranteed programs.
• Knowledge of BUILT and Salesforce.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree or 3–4 years of equivalent experience.
• Effective communication skills, with a focus on conflict resolution.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize workload.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.

Responsibilities

• Generate construction closing checklists and participate in closing kick-off calls to explain construction loan closing requirements to borrowers.
• Coordinate with lenders, underwriters, closers, borrowers, general contractors, and other third parties to collect required construction documentation before closing.
• Provide construction closing updates to lending teams during pipeline meetings.
• Initiate required credit enhancements and engage third-party firms for initial project reviews and construction inspections.
• Prepare, analyze, and present general contractor due diligence for approval.
• Review borrower construction documents for completeness and accuracy before submitting files for closing approval.
• Confirm final loan budgets and configure project setups in disbursement software.
• Monitor compliance with loan agreement covenants applicable during construction.
• Coordinate with internal partners on tax credit, syndicated, and/or participated loans to support timely funding; respond to participant questions or concerns and escalate issues as appropriate.
• Create and submit disbursements in accordance with funding requirements.
• Ensure inspections and title updates are ordered on time, lien waivers and change orders are collected, and draw checklists are prepared to expedite disbursements.
• Initiate UCC and title filings to perfect security interests in collateral purchased with loan proceeds, and update collateral loan records with filing confirmations.
• Serve as the borrower’s construction point of contact throughout loan closing and disbursement.
• Answer general loan questions, monitor project timelines, manage loan budgets, and maintain current loan files through project completion.
• Complete modification requests on multi-advance loans and coordinate with internal and external parties to facilitate documentation.
• Track monthly loan payments and promptly address delinquencies.
• Assist the internal servicing department in collecting updated borrower financials in accordance with loan agreements.
• Escalate problematic situations to the Construction Team Lead and Credit Administration as needed.
• Review and approve disbursement requests from initial funding through project completion and final disbursement.
• Train, coach, and mentor Construction Specialist I and II employees, and provide Construction Team Leads with periodic updates on their progress as needed.
• Review loan files for completeness before approving them for closing.
• Treat people with respect, keep commitments, inspire trust, act ethically and with integrity, uphold organizational values, and accept responsibility for actions.
• Maintain a high standard of regulatory awareness, including BSA, AML, CIP, and OFAC.
• Perform other duties as required.

Benefits

• Annual bonuses and long-term incentives may be included, subject to various metrics and company policy.
• At least the minimum required paid sick leave is provided to employees residing in states that require employer-paid sick leave.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed