Senior Underwriter - Ontario

We’re Heartwood Financial Group Inc., a new, Canadian alternative mortgage lending institution on a mission. We're here to offer mortgage brokers and their clients something fresh: common sense lending. There’s never been a lender quite like us, and no doubt there’s no one quite like you. Which means we already have something in common. Let’s talk about how you’d like to use your skills, drive and experience to grow with us so that together we can give alternative mortgage lending the place it deserves in the hearts and minds of responsible Canadian borrowers who want to finance the purchase of a home, the commonsense way.

Senior Underwriter, Heartwood Financial Group

We’re looking for a Mortgage Underwriter who is analytical, detail-oriented, and has the ability to see beyond the numbers to identify solid lending opportunities. The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of Ontario, British Colombia, and/or Alberta's non-bank / non-B20 mortgage landscape, great communication skills to build partnerships with mortgage brokers, and the ability to work efficiently while maintaining a high standard of risk management. If you’re a problem-solver who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and has a keen eye for creative financing solutions, we want to hear from you!

Responsibilities

• Deal Assessment & Approval: Evaluate residential mortgage applications by analyzing financial statements, credit history, property details, and borrower risk factors.
• Think creatively to structure deals that fall outside traditional lending guidelines while ensuring they align with our risk appetite.
• Make sound and well-documented lending decisions, balancing risk with business objectives.
• Work closely with brokers, real estate professionals, and borrowers to identify solutions that fit unique financial situations.
• Meet key performance indicators (KPIs) for underwriting productivity, quality, and efficiency.
• Identify and share recommendations to continually improve the underwriting processes, ensuring smooth and efficient loan flow from application to closing.
• Assess and mitigate risks while ensuring sound lending decisions that balance profitability and loan performance.
• Ensure compliance with all company policies, provincial regulations, and anti-money laundering (AML) laws.
• Work closely with mortgage brokers to structure competitive mortgage applications for our clients, building and maintaining strong relationships within the Broker community.
• Maintain positive relationships with external partners such as appraisers, title insurance companies and solicitors.
• Provide clear rationale for approval or decline decisions and communicate with stakeholders effectively.
• Negotiate and problem-solve when required to get deals done efficiently while protecting the company’s interests.

Qualifications

• Experience: 5+ years in mortgage underwriting in private lending, alternative lending, or non-bank financial institutions.
• Knowledge: Strong understanding of private lending guidelines, alternative mortgage solutions, risk assessment techniques. Familiarity with the latest industry trends, fintech innovations, and digital mortgage solutions. Knowledge of the mortgage needs, processes, and customer demographics in Ontario, British Colombia, and/or Alberta.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to go beyond traditional underwriting guidelines and see the potential in deals others might decline.
• Problem-Solving: Creative thinker who can structure deals and find solutions for unique borrower situations which fall within the company’s risk appetite.
• Financial Acumen: Strong ability to analyze financials, credit reports, and property valuations to assess deal viability.
• Communication Skills: Excellent ability to explain underwriting decisions to brokers and internal members teams.
• Technology Proficiency: Comfortable using loan origination systems, financial analysis tools, and Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook).
• Approach: Detail-oriented, able to deliver quality work in a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment. Comfortable with being a contributor to a growing company.
• Must be located in the GTA and able/willing to work out of our office in North York 3 days a week.

Why People Love Working Here

• An impact-driven role where you help borrowers achieve financing solutions when traditional lenders say no.
• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• A dynamic, entrepreneurial work environment that values innovation and creative deal structuring, with opportunities to grow your career.
• A high performance team with goal-orientated leaders who provide challenging yet reasonable goals to invest in your future growth and development.
• A close knit collaborative team where your ideas are heard and valued.
• The chance to shape and change the future of a rapidly growing and evolving mortgage industry.

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