Mortgage Underwriter - Portfolio (Canada Wide)

Highclere Capital; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Highclere Capital, a remote-first mortgage finance company, is seeking a Senior Mortgage Underwriter to manage complex residential files and ensure high-quality credit decisions in line with investor guidelines.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of underwriting experience across prime and non-prime lending, strong risk judgment, attention to detail, and proficiency with LOS systems and Microsoft Office; you will work independently in a fast-paced environment while supporting brokers and partners.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of residential mortgage underwriting experience with prime and non-prime exposure.
• Ability to assess complex or exception-based mortgage scenarios.
• Strong judgment balancing risk tolerance, investor conditions, and customer experience.
• Detail-oriented with a high degree of consistency in decision-making.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and experienced with LOS systems.
• Capable of working independently in a remote-first, fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Underwrite mortgage applications in accordance with lending guidelines and risk appetite.
• Analyze documents including income, credit, down payment, and property valuations.
• Identify red flags and elevate exceptions as needed.
• Apply insurer and investor conditions with precision.
• Liaise with brokers to request clarifications or outstanding documentation.
• Partner with Sales to ensure complete and high-quality submissions.
• Coordinate with Quality Assurance and AML teams on flagged issues.
• Liaise with insurer partners on insured/insurable applications.
• Support and train new hires as needed.
• Manage a personal pipeline to meet service level expectations.
• Ensure clear documentation and timely responses to brokers and internal stakeholders.

Skills

Residential mortgage underwriting

Complex mortgage scenarios

Attention to detail

Microsoft Office

Independent work

Tools

LOS systems

Job description

About Highclere Capital

Highclere Capital is a growing, Ontario-based mortgage finance company focused on providing innovative lending solutions to underserved borrowers across Canada. With a sharp eye on compliance, service excellence, and responsible growth, we partner with mortgage professionals to deliver tailored financing with speed and integrity. As a remote-first team preparing to open our first office, we’re building a culture rooted in accountability, collaboration, and a shared commitment to doing the right thing—for our brokers, our partners, and one another.

About the Role

The Senior Mortgage Underwriter is responsible for managing complex residential mortgage files and supporting the consistency and quality of Highclere’s credit decisions. This role requires deep underwriting experience, the ability to assess higher-risk or exception-based scenarios, and sound judgment in applying investor and insurer guidelines. Senior Underwriters are trusted to work independently, handle a broader range of deal types, and maintain Highclere’s service standards under pressure.

Core Responsibilities

• Underwrite mortgage applications in accordance with Highclere’s lending guidelines and risk appetite
• Analyze documents including income, credit, down payment, and property valuations
• Identify red flags and elevate exceptions as needed
• Apply insurer and investor conditions with precision
• Liaise with brokers to request clarifications or outstanding documentation
• Partner with Sales to ensure complete and high-quality submissions
• Coordinate with Quality Assurance and AML teams on flagged issues
• Liaise with insurer partners (Sagen, CG, CMHC), on insured/insurable applications
• Support and train new hires as needed
• Manage a personal pipeline to meet service level expectations
• Ensure clear documentation and timely responses to brokers and internal stakeholders

Compliance & Documentation

• Maintain audit-ready files with accurate system updates
• Stay up to date on regulatory policies and internal compliance procedures
• Participate in AML and compliance training

Skills & Experience

Must-Have Qualifications

• 5+ years of residential mortgage underwriting experience, ideally with exposure to both prime and non-prime lending
• Demonstrated strength in assessing complex or exception-based mortgage scenarios
• Strong judgment in balancing risk tolerance, investor conditions, and customer experience
• Detail-oriented with a high degree of consistency in decision-making
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and experienced with LOS systems
• Comfortable working independently in a remote-first, fast-paced environment

Nice-to-Have

• Experience in Alt-A or non-prime lending
• Familiarity with AML procedures and risk detection
• Exposure to both broker and institutional lending environments
• Bilingual in French is an asset

The full compensation package will be determined based on the applicant's experience.

Please note that we use AI-powered tools to help screen and evaluate resumes, identifying candidates whose skills and experience best align with the qualifications we're seeking for this role.