VP Senior CRE Underwriter

RockBridge Search; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

RockBridge Search is seeking a VP/Senior Commercial Real Estate Underwriter to lead the underwriting process for sophisticated CRE loan requests, including acquisition, refinance, construction, and permanent financing. You will evaluate multiform asset classes and financial statements to determine creditworthiness and repayment capacity.

You will collaborate with lenders and cross-functional teams to structure loans in line with credit policies, while mentoring junior staff and ensuring rigorous

Qualifications

• Significant CRE underwriting experience in banking or financial institutions.
• Strong knowledge of CRE lending metrics and risk assessment.
• Experience underwriting complex CRE transactions.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage underwriting for complex CRE loan requests (acquisition, refinance, construction, permanent financing).
• Analyze CRE properties across asset classes (multifamily, office, retail, industrial, hospitality).
• Perform comprehensive financial analysis of borrowers, guarantors, sponsors and projects to determine creditworthiness.

Skills

CRE underwriting

Financial analysis

Credit risk assessment

Loan structuring

DSCR / LTV analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance

Job description

See Beyond the Numbers. Structure the Deal. Make an Impact.

Real estate lending is more than reviewing financial statements and checking boxes. It takes sharp analytical instincts, sound judgment, creative problem-solving, and the ability to recognize both opportunity and risk. We’re looking for an experienced VP / Senior Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Underwriter who knows how to dig into the details, think strategically, and turn complex transactions into well-informed lending decisions.

This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned CRE underwriting professional who enjoys working with sophisticated commercial real estate transactions, partnering with lenders, evaluating risk, and playing an influential role in the growth of a commercial lending portfolio. If you understand the numbers, appreciate the story behind the property, and know how to balance business development with responsible credit discipline, we'd love to connect!

What You'll Be Doing

Lead and manage the underwriting process for complex commercial real estate loan requests, including acquisition, refinance, construction, and permanent financing transactions.

Analyze and evaluate commercial real estate properties across multiple asset classes, including multifamily, office, retail, industrial, hospitality, and other income-producing properties.

Perform comprehensive financial analysis of borrowers, guarantors, sponsors, and commercial real estate projects to determine overall creditworthiness and repayment capacity.

Review and interpret rent rolls, operating statements, historical financial performance, borrower financial statements, tax returns, and property-level projections.

Evaluate key credit metrics, including debt service coverage ratios (DSCR), loan-to-value (LTV), debt yield, loan-to-cost (LTC), capitalization rates, and cash flow projections.

Assess market conditions, property valuations, tenant concentrations, lease structures, occupancy trends, and potential risks that could impact repayment.

Prepare detailed, well-supported credit presentations, underwriting memorandums, and loan recommendations for senior management and credit approval committees.

Structure loan requests in accordance with established credit policies, regulatory requirements, risk tolerances, and overall lending objectives.

Identify potential weaknesses, mitigating factors, and opportunities to strengthen proposed loan structures.

Partner closely with commercial relationship managers, lenders, credit administration, loan operations, and executive leadership to move transactions forward efficiently.

Review third-party reports, including appraisals, environmental assessments, property condition reports, and market studies.

Monitor existing portfolio relationships, identify emerging credit concerns, and provide recommendations regarding risk management and loan performance.

Mentor and provide guidance to junior underwriting professionals while promoting consistency, accuracy, and high underwriting standards.

Maintain strong documentation practices and ensure credit files are complete, accurate, and compliant with internal policies and applicable regulations.

Balance thoughtful risk management with a practical, solutions-oriented approach to supporting profitable lending relationships.

What We’re Looking For

Significant commercial real estate underwriting experience within a bank or financial institution.

Strong understanding of CRE lending, commercial credit analysis, loan structuring, and risk assessment.

Demonstrated experience underwriting complex commercial real estate transactions.

Advanced knowledge of financial statements, cash flow analysis, property valuation, and commercial real estate fundamentals.

Familiarity with multifamily, retail, office, industrial, construction, and other income-producing property types.

Ability to independently evaluate credit requests and develop comprehensive, well-supported underwriting recommendations.

Strong knowledge of DSCR, LTV, LTC, debt yield, capitalization rates, and other commercial lending metrics.

Experience preparing credit approval packages and presenting recommendations to senior credit officers or loan committees.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the confidence to collaborate across multiple departments.

Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities without sacrificing accuracy or attention to detail.

A proactive mindset, sound business judgment, and the ability to recognize both risk and opportunity.

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Real Estate, or a related discipline preferred.

The Opportunity

This is a chance to step into a visible, influential underwriting position where your expertise will help shape lending decisions, strengthen commercial real estate relationships, and support the continued growth of a lending portfolio.

We’re looking for someone who can bring more than technical underwriting skills to the table. We want a professional who asks the right questions, challenges assumptions, finds practical solutions, and understands that strong credit decisions are essential to long-term success.

If you know CRE, understand credit, and have the confidence to stand behind your analysis, this could be your next great opportunity.

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