Underwriting Manager – Retail Residential Mortgage

The Mortgage Talent Network

Underwriting Manager for a growing independent mortgage company focused on retail residential mortgages. Leading a team of underwriters with hands-on management and cross-functional collaboration.

Posted 5/22/2026full-timeRemote • Montana • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSeniorWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead, mentor, and calibrate a team of retail residential underwriters — setting the standard for quality, consistency, and turn time
Own escalated and exception files while maintaining production flow and protecting the company's credit profile
Serve as a cross-functional partner to sales, operations, and processing — removing friction, solving bottlenecks, and keeping the pipeline moving
Develop and maintain a robust underwriting quality feedback loop that drives continuous improvement across the team
Monitor agency guideline updates (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA and beyond) and translate changes into clean, workable overlays the team can execute on
Ensure all underwriting activity meets state-by-state compliance standards in an IMC environment — where regulatory precision matters and there is no federal preemption safety net
Contribute to senior-level credit and production conversations as a credible, experienced voice in the room

Requirements

What you’ll need

5 years of mortgage underwriting management experience in a retail residential setting — this must be your most recent role
Deep, working mastery of agency guidelines: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA at minimum; additional product knowledge is a plus
Hands-on proficiency with Encompass LOS — you should be comfortable navigating it daily, not learning it on the job
Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a team in a fast-moving independent mortgage company environment — IMC experience is strongly preferred
Comfort operating with autonomy in a nimble, non-depository setting where decisions move quickly and compliance knowledge is your foundation
Bonus points — valued but not required: - DE, SAR or LAPP authority - Experience with USDA, bond/grant programs, jumbo, or non-QM products - Prior leadership experience managing a team of five or more underwriters at an IMC

Benefits

Comp & perks

Full benefits package

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

mortgage underwriting managementagency guidelinesFannie MaeFreddie MacFHAEncompass LOScompliance knowledgecredit profile managementproduction flow managementcontinuous improvement

Soft Skills

leadershipmentoringcross-functional collaborationproblem-solvingcommunicationautonomyteam developmentorganizational skillsadaptabilitycredibility

Certifications

DE authoritySAR authorityLAPP authority