Underwriter, Reverse Mortgages

Main activities : 

 

• Daily, incumbents must promptly review received applications, verify the supporting documentation to ensure accuracy and legitimacy, approve, decline, or refer the applications for approval.  
• The incumbents are also responsible to ensure that approved deals close as scheduled and efficiently as possible by following up on outstanding conditions/documents and ensuring compliance with established guidelines. 
• The incumbent will follow up with brokers daily on issued mortgage commitments to ensure that funding volumes are maximized. 
• The incumbent will review documentation for accuracy and legitimacy placing a strong emphasis on anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-terrorist financing (ATF) requirements, including but not limited to, income and down payment verification. 
• The incumbent will strive to ensure that mortgage files are following the corporation’s established lending policies and procedures. 
• The incumbent is responsible for the management of their deal flow to meet prescribed deadlines and SLAs. The incumbent will make diligent use of reports to track and manage the flow of all deals funding for their pipeline. 
• Incumbents must provide the highest level of internal and external customer service while fielding mortgage broker inquiries and building strong broker relationships. 
• Daily, be the main point of contact and provide underwriting and mortgage fulfillment expertise to mortgage brokers, direct-to-client representatives, and aid co-workers when required to meet the corporation’s service levels  
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the policies, procedures, and products.  
• Develop strong broker relationships including in-person meetings to help drive excellent NPS results without sacrificing credit quality. 
• Assess an applicant’s fit with EQB’s Reverse Mortgage criteria, specifically credit worthiness and legal ability to assume a mortgage. Perform activities like, but not limited to title searches, property maintenance affordability calculators, review property appraisal and borrower documentation to meet internal policy and procedure, regulatory and file-specific requirements.  
• Work closely with Management from SFR Credit, SFR Residential Operations and SFR Sales to evolve the EQB Reverse Mortgage product. Also, the incumbent will need to be comfortable working with a wide range of internal stakeholders to help them understand how EQB’s Reverse Mortgage product differs from peers.  
• Taking initiative and having an urgency to ensure files are funded in a timely manner 

Knowledge/Skill Requirements!

Knowledge/Skill Requirements!

• Post-secondary education in business or finance.  
• Minimum of 2 years’ mortgage experience, with preference given to reverse mortgage exposure.  
• Bilingual in French and english
• Highly developed verbal and written communication skills with the ability to respond in a clear, concise, and professional manner. 
• Excellent time management, analytical and problem-solving skills.  
• Excellent attention to detail along with established and meticulous organizational skills. 
• Sound knowledge of AML & ATF practices, and fraud risk in the mortgage industry and the ability to address concerns relating to suspected misrepresentation is required. 
• In-dept knowledge of mortgage funding, QA, and underwriting guidelines is an asset. 
• Experience in underwriting mortgages for properties located in different provinces is an asset. 
• Proficient in MS Office (MS Word and Excel). 
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a constantly changing environment and to perform well in a high volume, high intensity environment. 
• Ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships with brokers. 
• Commitment to developing him/her-self and to keeping abreast of industry changes and trends.  
• Critical thinking for unique transactions requiring “outside-of-the-box” thinking 

Job Complexities/Thinking Challenges 

• The incumbent is responsible for making lending decisions and recommendations, often under constrained timelines, without compromising credit risk and profitability. The incumbent should be prepared to manage files and documentation of greater complexity at times. The incumbent is required to follow the corporate policies, guidelines, and procedures to work through files and rationalize the recommendations or decisions made.
• There are designated authorities and various levels of management reviewing recommendations and approving the mortgage applications and documentation submitted for senior level approval. 

Accountability 

• Incumbents operate under direct management, and their team’s performance is regularly monitored by the Manager, Reverse Mortgage Underwriting. Regular decision making pertaining to deal recommendations and pricing is required, however this is done under management supervision and guidance is available as required. Given time constraint challenges of the department, the incumbent will work with a fair degree of independence, occasionally on more complicated files, and must think and react accordingly. The incumbent will also assist and make themselves available to their teammates and less experienced staff. 
• The role will have a substantial impact on the success of the Single-Family Residential department in reaching its annual funding targets and other departmental goals. 
• The incumbents may have authority to approve reverse mortgage applications up to a specified approval limit, but this will be at the discretion of Senior Management. 

Managing Risk 

• All members of the Equitable Bank team are responsible for managing risk and compliance within their departments. As such, employees should maintain and demonstrate the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct in accordance with Equitable Bank policies, guidelines, and directions.  

Key Internal and External Contacts 

• The Incumbent communicates daily with mortgage brokers, and when necessary, with the appraisers and solicitors. Daily communication with interdepartmental staff members also occurs. The incumbent is expected to provide underwriting and credit expertise for mortgage brokers and co-workers. 

Physical Demands/Working Conditions 

• Normal office environment: there is moderate, job-related pressure linked to operating in a fast-paced environment, broker requirements, fixed closing dates, uncooperative business partners, etc. Occasional travel within Canada to other offices of the Bank and industry events may be required from time to time. Hybrid work is expected with 1-5 days in person depending on the level and seniority of the role. Work outside of normal business hours may be required.