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Job Description
Credit Manager
HELP ME TAKE FAIRWAY AMERICA TO THE NEXT LEVEL!
"As President of Fairway America, I am looking for a talented and experienced commercial real estate finance professional to lead our credit and underwriting department. I am looking for a right hand person to take a leadership role in the underwriting, approval and structuring of our loans as well as to help build out the department as we expand. This position would have the inside track to becoming Chief Credit Officer of the company, which is and will be one of the most important positions in the company. As founder, owner and President, I currently fill this role and am now at a point where I want to identify, hire and begin to groom someone to, at the right time, take over that role. There is no guarantee of that, of course, and we will advertise and recruit at that time, but this role is expected to be the precursor to Chief Credit Officer if we make the right hire for this position. With that background, I am looking to find a talented, hard working commercial lender who knows how to underwrite property and loans, but also knows how to communicate with people and effectively sell his or her ideas and thoughts. This is a truly outstanding career opportunity with substantial responsibility and growth for the right individual ”
Matt Burk, President/CEO
At Fairway America, we are committed to our core values in order to aspire towards greatness :
- Act with Integrity
- Strive for Excellence
- People First
- Inspiring Goals and Visions
- Results Matter
- Empowering Each Other for Success
These values are alive at our company and we live them every day while pursuing our purpose of "Honorably doing worthwhile deals that create value, wealth, dignity and superior returns for all parties involved." If a deal is not worthwhile for everyone (our borrowers, investors, referral sources, and Fairway America), we'd rather not do it at all.
For the A-player looking for something special and who can answer "yes" to all of the following questions, this is the opportunity for you.
- Do you truly understand real estate – valuation, marketability, how it works, what makes it good or bad, stable or not stable, etc.?
- Are you a lender that understands that delicate balance between sales and underwriting?
- Do you know how to accurately assess risk and are not afraid to make a decision based on that assessment?
- Have you been on the sales side of the lending business and enjoyed it, but at the end of the day you are an underwriter at heart?
- Can you effectively lead and manage others as well as a department?
- Can you understand and help develop strategy and also implement and monitor the implementation of tactics?
- Are you able to effectively work closely with the sales/origination side of the business while making tough decisions on what credit risks to take and not take?
- Are you looking for more than just a job but a genuine career opportunity?
- Do you hate office politics as much as we do?
- Are you not only willing to take, but actually needing in order to be fulfilled, a position that has significant responsibility and leadership and the results of your decisions will have profound impact on the future success or failure of the organization?
- Do you have passion to succeed?
If you answered "yes" to these questions, we want to meet you!
Our Company
Fairway America is a successful Portland Oregon based, privately funded commercial real estate lending and investment firm. Through a simplified and streamlined process, Fairway America provides financing solutions for people who are unable or unwilling to get financed by more traditional lending sources. Everyday, Fairway America helps borrowers solve difficult problems, meet pressing deadlines, or take advantage of excellent opportunities. While assisting these borrowers, we also enable our investors to earn above average returns they are unable to get elsewhere. As many brokers and lenders have gone out of business or are struggling mightily, our conservative lending approach has enabled us to weather this storm and positioned us to take advantage of unprecedented market opportunities while helping people who are otherwise unable to locate financing.
The Position
Fairway is seeking a “Credit Manager” to oversee the processing, underwriting, and loan approvals and to work closely with the sales/originations group on pending loans to effectively move them through the system to closing. The Credit Manager will report directly to the President/Chief Credit Officer and in this capacity will provide input, recommendations, support, direction, and leadership in the credit, underwriting and lending policies. The successful Credit Manager will thrive in working on deals in a timely fashion to accurately assess risk, review financial statements, appraisals, title policies, and other critical documentation to ensure the overall quality of our loan portfolio is excellent. The successful candidate will have an inside track to the position of Chief Credit Officer at some point in the future when our growth necessitates my stepping out of that role, a decision which will not be made lightly due to the vital importance of accepting the right credit risk.
Responsibilities
- Oversee and manage credit department which initially consists of 2-3 people and upon growth would include a team of underwriters, field underwriters, processors, closer/funders, and other staff
- Develop credit policy and procedures to ensure risk is in sync with company credit standards relative to returns
- Be the liaison between the Sales and Credit/Underwriting departments in terms of assisting with structuring and selling of loans based on company credit standards, risk ratings, etc.
- Coordinate with Portfolio Manager to review performance of portfolio and learn from our prior experiences
- Make credit and underwriting recommendations and decisions on loans in current portfolio as necessary
- Make recommendations to President as to approval or denial of loans in conjunction with credit standards
- Define and create credit and underwriting policies going forward both for loans held servicing retained and for loans originated for sale into the secondary market, if any
- Develop and implement risk adjusted pricing models for new loans and communicate and implement policies effectively through both Credit and Sales/Origination departments
- Review appraisals and internal valuations for accuracy and completeness
- Inspect properties as necessary and make determination of value
- Build and maintain Approved Appraiser lists
- Oversee growth of the department as we expand geographically
- Recruit, hire and train underwriters, field underwriters, processors, loan servicing personnel, etc.
- Participate in CPA audits with respect to loan policy
- Research new geographic markets that are desirable to enter based on demographics, competitive landscape, and other factors, and build out future infrastructure of Credit/Underwriting/Appraisal processes to support growth
- Be willing and able to compete strongly for Chief Credit Officer role when it is time for us to hire for that position
Qualifications
At Fairway America, your values, abilities, and demonstrable track record of success are more important than direct experience. That being said, an ideal candidate would have the following:
- 5-10 years experience in real estate lending, credit analysis or similar training specifically in the areas of commercial mortgage origination, lending, credit analysis, property valuation, and loan servicing
- Absolutely mandatory that some portion of lending career to have been spent in a sales capacity. Very important to have had direct experience in the origination/sales of real estate loans.
- Ability to demonstrate an understanding of consultative selling practices
- Some portion of background/experience in asset based lending (hard money, factoring, equipment leasing, etc.) so as to have had significant experience and comfort level with selling value vs. price
- Bachelors degree in Business, Finance, Economics or related fields
- Ability to demonstrate a track record of having effectively managed a team of people
- Sound understanding of credit risks, appraisals, cash flow analysis, and real estate
- Strong analytic, management and communication skills
- Strong computer skills, especially in MS Office programs
- Demonstrable track record of success in related capacities
Benefits
Fairway America is committed to maintaining a motivated, positive work environment full of great people who share, demonstrate, and live our core values. Take pride in working for a company that lives its core values, vision and mission/purpose and continually provides tangible value and benefit to its employees, brokers, borrowers and investors. Our benefits include:
- Excellent base salary
- Individual bonuses based on personal performance and as well as performance of the loan portfolio over time
- Company profit sharing participation (no waiting period)
- Medical & dental coverage
- Matching 401K plan
- Cafeteria plan (section 125 plan)
- Short term disability policy
- Company paid ongoing training and personal development
- Vacation, personal time off and company paid holidays
- Outstanding working environment
- Family friendly atmosphere and culture
- Working with other “A players” with a burning desire to win
Apply
If you feel you are an "A player", are up for our challenging, demanding, and rigorous hiring process, and would like to join a dynamic, growing company, please submit your cover letter and resume to start the application process. All candidates must complete the application process to be considered. Phone calls are not accepted.
