Underwriting Director - (Hybrid, Raleigh, NC)

Csbdf•Raleigh, NC

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Carolina Small Business Development Fund (CSBDF) is a nonprofit and certified community development financial institution (CDFI) committed to supporting small businesses across the state. Our mission is to foster economic development in underserved communities by providing capital, business services, and policy research. We assist small businesses as a partner, trusted guide, advocate, and accessible funding source, working towards economic opportunity for all. The Underwriting Director manages underwriting staff, key credit department functions including loan underwriting, analysis, and approvals, and loan servicing and processing. This role underwrites loan applications and manages overall credit operations in accordance with CSBDF policies and procedures to ensure good credit quality. The position is responsible for managing the underwriting of eligible loans under various loan guaranty programs, including the SBA Community Advantage Pilot Program, Charlotte Community Capital Program, USDA Business and Industry Program, and US DOT Short Term Lending Program. This position is housed within the Credit Department but supports both the Credit and Business Solutions Teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or other related field (or equivalent experience).
6+ years in commercial/small business underwriting, with at least 3 years in a leadership/supervisory role.
Strong understanding of accounting principles, credit analysis, and commercial underwriting, including financial statement review, asset valuation, and cash flow analysis.
Expertise in Global Cash Flow analysis and character-based credit assessment for early-stage or underserved entrepreneurs.
Hands-on experience preparing credit memoranda for loan committees.
Thorough knowledge and understanding of commercial loan documentation and business entity structures.
Understanding of regulatory requirements governing lending activities.
Proactive leadership with strong negotiation, persuasion, and decision-making skills.
Excellent communication, organizational, and attention-to-detail capabilities.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion when handling sensitive client information.
Commitment to fostering a quality credit culture and supporting a collaborative, team-based environment both in-person and virtually.
Strong ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and adapt to a fast paced, dynamic work environment.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with CDFI-specific lending or microlending is strongly preferred.
Familiarity with U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 7(a) loan requirements and related compliance standards is strongly preferred.
Working knowledge of loan origination and portfolio management systems; experience with Salesforce and CDFI-specific software is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide independent, in-depth analysis of financial statements, projections, business plans, and collateral to identify risks, mitigants, and appropriate loan structures.
Prepare credit memoranda and present recommendations in line with CSBDF approval authorities and program guidelines.
Serve as SME for various loan capital and guaranty programs available to CSBDF (e.g., SBA 7(a), SSBCI capital program) to ensure compliant underwriting and eligibility across programs.
Maintain current and up-to-date knowledge of lending policies, program rules, regulatory guidance, industry trends, and best practices.
Manage issuance of loan commitment letters.
Collaborate with CSBDF Directors (i.e., Business Solutions Director; Loan Operations Director; Loan Portfolio Director) to coordinate application intake, pipeline assignment, and workload balancing to meet expected procedural and cycle-time targets.
Identify and implement process improvements (including automation opportunities) to streamline underwriting activities and reduce cycle times.
Ensure direct reports adhere to established policies, procedures, and documentation standards while encouraging continuous improvement.
Track and report production, approval rates, exceptions, and cycle-time target adherence; recommend actions based on trends.
Collaborate with Loan Portfolio Director to monitor portfolio performance (e.g., delinquencies, charge-offs, concentrations); recommend risk mitigation strategies and structural credit facility enhancements.
Support periodic audits, file reviews, and compliance reviews; contribute to policy updates and controls.
Ensure accurate and timely reporting and other required submissions for various loan capital and guaranty programs available to CSBDF (e.g., SBA 7(a), SSBCI capital program).
Mentor, coach, and develop analysts/underwriters; conduct periodic performance reviews and individualized development plans.
Promote consistency in analysis, credit memoranda quality, and credit decisioning across the team.
Collaborate with other internal team members to deliver cohesive borrower experience.
Represent CSBDF at community events, partner forums, and stakeholder meetings as needed; communicate program capabilities and credit perspectives.
Perform other duties as assigned.