Underwriting Manager — Retail Residential Mortgage (IMB)

The Mortgage Talent Network•St. Louis, MO

About The Position

A growing independent mortgage company with a retail residential focus is looking for a seasoned Underwriting Manager who's ready to lead from the front — not from behind a desk. This is a true player/coach role where your fingerprints will be on credit decisions, team culture, and the quality of every file that moves through the pipeline. If you've been waiting for a seat at the table where your voice actually carries weight, this is it.

Requirements

5 years of mortgage underwriting management experience in a retail residential setting — this must be your most recent role
Deep, working mastery of agency guidelines: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA at minimum; additional product knowledge is a plus
Hands-on proficiency with Encompass LOS — you should be comfortable navigating it daily, not learning it on the job
Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a team in a fast-moving independent mortgage company environment — IMC experience is strongly preferred
Comfort operating with autonomy in a nimble, non-depository setting where decisions move quickly and compliance knowledge is your foundation

Nice To Haves

DE, SAR or LAPP authority
Experience with USDA, bond/grant programs, jumbo, or non-QM products
Prior leadership experience managing a team of five or more underwriters at an IMC

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and calibrate a team of retail residential underwriters — setting the standard for quality, consistency, and turn time
Own escalated and exception files while maintaining production flow and protecting the company's credit profile
Serve as a cross-functional partner to sales, operations, and processing — removing friction, solving bottlenecks, and keeping the pipeline moving
Develop and maintain a robust underwriting quality feedback loop that drives continuous improvement across the team
Monitor agency guideline updates (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA and beyond) and translate changes into clean, workable overlays the team can execute on
Ensure all underwriting activity meets state-by-state compliance standards in an IMC environment — where regulatory precision matters and there is no federal preemption safety net
Contribute to senior-level credit and production conversations as a credible, experienced voice in the room