Responsible for both credit underwriting and portfolio management within a large, specialized real estate corporate banking portfolio. This position supports the delivery of CRE debt products to REITs and institutional private capital groups nationwide. Responsibilities include (i) structuring, underwriting, due diligence, credit analysis, credit presentations, and closing coordination for new and existing transactions, and (ii) ongoing portfolio monitoring, risk assessment, compliance, and servicing activities. The role requires strong critical thinking, problem solving, credit judgment, analytical ability, risk awareness, and effective communication skills. Associates operate with increasing independence while collaborating closely with Lead Underwriters, Portfolio Managers, Relationship Managers, Credit Officers, Legal, and internal diligence and operations partners throughout the full credit lifecycle.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following outlines the core responsibilities of this position. Additional duties may be assigned as business needs evolve.

1. CRE Credit Structuring & Underwriting

• Lead or support due diligence and underwriting for new credit opportunities, renewals, and reviews, including gathering and analyzing financial statements, projections, market research, property-level performance, sponsor strength, and collateral characteristics.
• Facilitate underwriting documentation of complex and mid-level credit relationships, ensuring accuracy and alignment with internal credit policies.
• Analyze borrower, guarantor, and property cash flow performance, identify key risks and mitigants, and provide independent assessments consistent with risk appetite.
• Structure transactions in accordance with approval requirements, recommending loan terms, covenants, collateral structures, and risk mitigants.
• Supplement analysis with industry, market, and competitive research to identify trends and potential credit impacts.

2. Credit Presentation Leadership

• Prepare high-quality credit presentations and approval documents for new transactions, renewals, and reviews, clearly articulating transaction rationale, risk assessments, and recommendations.
• Lead or support discussions with Credit Officers and approvers, incorporating feedback promptly and accurately.
• Ensure credit packages meet all internal standards, including completeness, consistency, and compliance with credit process metrics.

3. Portfolio Management

• Oversee ongoing performance and monitoring activities for assigned portfolio, including preparation of client risk assessments, review of property and borrower financial reporting, and identification of emerging risks.
• Conduct periodic reviews, annual reviews, covenant tracking, and exposure/risk rating updates, ensuring adherence to applicable credit policy and monitoring requirements.
• Identify issues such as reporting delays, covenant breaches, or performance deterioration and take steps to resolve concerns with Relationship Managers and Credit Officers.
• Maintain accurate, complete, and audit-ready portfolio documentation in accordance with credit process standards.
• Serve as a point of contact for clients and internal partners regarding portfolio-related matters, which may include site visits or meetings with client management teams.

4. Client Relationship Management

• Serve as a key point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on underwriting and portfolio matters, ensuring clear, proactive communication.
• Participate in client meetings and site visits with Relationship Managers as needed to support underwriting or ongoing monitoring efforts.

5. Industry Expertise

• Maintain strong knowledge of commercial real estate underwriting, property types, and market dynamics to support informed risk assessments and credit decisions.
• Monitor emerging trends in CRE markets, capital markets, and regulatory environments relevant to client portfolios.

6. Team Development

• Support and mentor junior analysts, providing guidance on financial analysis, underwriting standards, CRE fundamentals, and credit policy expectations.
• Contribute to a collaborative team environment, supporting process improvements and best‑practice development.

QUALIFICATIONS
Required Qualifications:
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Minimum 3 years of experience in commercial real estate finance, including asset management, underwriting, portfolio administration, syndicated loan transactions, and/or credit decision-making.
• Strong knowledge of loan documentation, covenants, corporate accounting, and financial statement analysis.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving abilities with a solid understanding of commercial real estate and credit principles.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.
• Proven success in collaborative team environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or equivalent education and experience.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prefer 5+ years experience in commercial real estate finance.
• Experience within a regulated financial institution with strong knowledge of compliance, policies, and procedures.
• Advanced degree (MBA, master’s in real estate finance, accounting, or related field).
• Experience with ARGUS software, Advanced Excel modeling, and familiarity with third-party real estate data sources (CoStar, REIS, Axiometrics).
• Optional: FINRA Securities licensure (Series 79 and Series 63).

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