Senior Mortgage Executive - Lending Support Services

Washington Trust•Westerly, RI

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a seasoned mortgage executive to lead our Mortgage Operations and Secondary Marketing functions. This individual will play a critical leadership role in driving operational excellence, supporting production growth, and optimizing secondary market execution. As a key member of the Retail Lending leadership team, this role is responsible for the full lifecycle support of residential mortgage origination, including credit policy, underwriting oversight, operational execution, and secondary marketing strategy. The position will report directly to the EVP Chief Retail Lending Officer. This leader will ensure a high-performing, scalable mortgage platform that balances growth, efficiency, and risk discipline. The role requires strong collaboration with sales leadership, a deep understanding of credit and capital markets, and the ability to modernize processes through technology and workflow optimization.

Requirements

Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in mortgage lending, including operations leadership and management
Strong credit expertise with direct experience in underwriting and loan approval authority
Proven ability to lead and scale operational teams while supporting a high-performing sales organization
Strong analytical and financial management skills, including budgeting and performance tracking
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and data-driven decision-making
Experience leveraging technology, workflow design, and cross-functional training to improve efficiency and scalability
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization
Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) required

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience in secondary marketing and capital markets, including hedging and investor execution

Responsibilities

Lead all mortgage operations and secondary marketing functions, ensuring alignment with divisional growth and profitability objectives
Oversee loan approval authority within established credit policy, maintaining strong credit quality and risk standards
Evaluate economic trends and recommend updates to credit policy, product offerings, and underwriting guidelines
Direct secondary marketing strategy, including pricing, hedging, investor selection, and execution optimization
Manage mortgage pipeline hedging activities and ensure appropriate risk controls are in place
Partner with sales leadership to support production goals through efficient, responsive operational execution
Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including workflow optimization, automation, and technology enhancements
Oversee development and implementation of streamlined approval and documentation processes
Ensure effective allocation of resources across operations and secondary teams to support volume and service levels
Coach and develop managers and team leaders, building a strong leadership bench and fostering a performance-driven culture
Coordinate training programs across credit, operations, and sales to enhance consistency and capability
Maintain strong communication and alignment across sales, operations, and capital markets functions
Oversee mortgage portfolio performance, including credit quality, asset duration, and risk mitigation strategies
Manage departmental budgets and provide financial analysis and insights to support strategic decisions
Identify and maintain critical function continuity plans across all mortgage-related areas