Mortgage Lending Manager (Sales and Operations)

National Mortgage Staffing; Modesto (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual incentive program up to 2.25%

Job summary

National Mortgage Staffing is seeking a Mortgage Lending Manager (Sales and Operations) in Modesto, CA. The role leads real estate lending across first mortgage and home equity, overseeing origination, underwriting, processing, closing, and secondary market delivery.

You will manage vendor relationships, ensure regulatory and credit standards, and drive production with a focus on quality and member service. Requires West Coast/ PT hours familiarity and leadership experience.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of progressively responsible real estate lending experience.
• Broad experience across mortgage origination, underwriting, operations, and secondary market execution.
• Strong knowledge of Agency selling guides, eligibility requirements, and loan delivery processes.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the full real estate lending lifecycle from origination through underwriting, processing, closing, post-closing, and secondary market delivery.
• Lead first mortgage and home equity lending operations.
• Manage direct loan delivery to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
• Establish and manage correspondent and wholesale lending relationships.
• Underwrite and approve real estate loan requests within established credit authority.
• Develop and maintain policies, procedures, and SOPs for real estate lending.

Skills

Real estate lending

Mortgage underwriting

Leadership

Vendor management

Credit analysis

Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance/Business or related field

Tools

LOS systems

Job description

Mortgage Lending Manager (Sales and Operations)

• Modesto, CA

Compensation: $85,000–$105,000
Schedule: Full-time, Monday–Friday, Pacific Time business hours
Bonus: Eligible for annual incentive program up to 2.25% of base earnings based on organizational NPS and ROA goals

Position Overview

A credit union is seeking an experienced Real Estate Lending Manager to lead its real estate lending function across first mortgage and home equity lending.

This is a broad, hands-on leadership role responsible for the full real estate lending lifecycle, including origination, underwriting, processing, closing, post-closing, secondary market execution, correspondent and wholesale relationships, vendor management, audit response, and team performance.

The organization is also expanding its first mortgage operation in-house. This person will play an important role in developing the processes, infrastructure, and team needed to grow production while maintaining strong credit, compliance, operational, and member service standards.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the full real estate lending lifecycle from origination through underwriting, processing, closing, post-closing, and secondary market delivery
• Lead first mortgage and home equity lending operations
• Manage direct loan delivery to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
• Maintain working knowledge of Agency selling guides, eligibility requirements, and investor delivery standards
• Establish and manage correspondent and wholesale lending relationships
• Evaluate loan participation and loan purchase opportunities
• Underwrite and approve real estate loan requests within established credit authority
• Support first mortgage, home equity, and ITIN borrower lending
• Manage third-party vendors, including LOS providers, AMCs, contract underwriters, and loan servicers
• Manage pre- and post-closing audit processes, including identifying, clearing, and responding to findings
• Support regulatory examinations and investor audits
• Develop and maintain written policies, procedures, and SOPs for real estate lending
• Monitor department KPIs, production goals, pipeline performance, and operational trends
• Identify performance gaps and implement corrective actions
• Lead, coach, mentor, and onboard real estate lending staff
• Develop strategies to increase first mortgage application volume and improve pull-through
• Build and maintain referral relationships with real estate brokers, builders, developers, and community partners
• Help develop the processes and sales support infrastructure needed to expand first mortgage production in-house
• Work with internal lending teams to support home equity submissions and ensure files are operationally ready for closing
• Monitor third-party/CUSO performance and engage directly with members when needed to support origination or resolve documentation and post-closing issues

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of progressively responsible real estate lending experience
• Broad experience across mortgage origination, underwriting, operations, and secondary market execution
• Prior supervisory or team leadership experience strongly preferred
• Direct Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan delivery experience
• Strong knowledge of Agency selling guides, eligibility requirements, and loan delivery processes
• Experience establishing and managing correspondent and wholesale lending relationships
• Experience evaluating loan participation and loan purchase transactions
• Strong mortgage underwriting knowledge consistent with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines
• Experience with first mortgages and home equity lending
• Experience with ITIN borrower lending preferred
• Experience managing third-party mortgage vendors, including LOS providers, AMCs, contract underwriters, and loan servicers
• Experience identifying, clearing, and responding to pre- and post-closing audit findings
• Regulatory examination or investor audit experience preferred
• Experience managing production goals and lending KPIs
• Strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, and staff development skills
• Knowledge of federal and state banking regulations and lending compliance requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, a related field, or equivalent professional experience
• Must be located on the West Coast / Pacific Time Zone and able to work Pacific Time business hours
• Ability to work effectively in a fully remote leadership environment

NMS Disclaimer

Client requirements and hiring decisions are set by the hiring company. Please ensure your application details align with your resume and reflect your direct experience. Thank you for your interest!