Vice President, Head of Underwriting

Vice President, Head of Underwriting

About OppZo

OppZo is a mission driven FinTech company whose goal is to democratize access to affordable working capital. OppZo's team consists of former government contractors, experienced capital allocators, and entrepreneurs who are passionate about designing innovative and mission-aligned financing solutions to help small and medium businesses grow. We believe that every business owner deserves access to affordable and fair financing when they need it.

OppZo is reinventing how small businesses get access to capital. We are venture-backed and led by veterans in the FinTech space.

About the Vice President, Head of Underwriting Role:

OppZo’s VP, Underwriting is an integral part of the leadership team acting as main executive for the Originations Division and reporting into the Chief Business Officer. You will be primarily responsible for evaluating financing opportunities, underwriting credit exposure, and negotiating loan documentation. This role will work in a team setting with the sales, portfolio management and operations teams. This role will develop, structure, analyze, covenant, document, fund, and close Term Loan transactions. Underwriters interface directly with clients and prospects, financial sponsors and/or financial intermediaries (including outside accountants, legal counsel, appraisers, field examiners, etc.).

This is a fast-paced, multi-faceted, client facing role with direct contact with applicant, borrowers and lenders/investors, in addition to a broad spectrum of internal business partners.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Establish and lead the underwriting strategy, direction, and objectives, while performing a regular review of the underwriting process.
• Provide strategy, insight and direction for onboarding and supporting new clients.
• Full understanding of OppZo, Inc. credit policies is required to identify and resolve issues during the underwriting, documentation and closing processes.
• Supervise a scaling team - both local and remote - of underwriters with a large volume of applications supported by technology.
• Oversight of team’s timely completion of due diligence and underwriting.
• Engage in customer calls as appropriate; meet with existing and potential investors as appropriate.
• Manage all critical client and stakeholder communications to an effective outcome while maintaining the highest level of professionalism.
• Serve as an OppZo team expert, applying knowledge and experience related to collateral and contracts.
• Manage all staff matters including performance reviews, training, employee relations, metrics, and compensation.
• Work with technology and underwriting teams to implement and refine the tools needed to support the future state of high-volume commercial loan underwriting.
• Maintain the fintech underwriting strategy to include the ongoing development of systems, processes and practices in support of OppZo’s underwriting philosophy, guidelines and service level standards.
• Support platform transitions or upgrades.
• Work with executive management to incorporate any new expansion plans as needed.
• Must demonstrate unquestionable business and personal integrity.
• Demonstrates sound judgment and acts with speed - able to achieve results quickly

Required Job Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance or business administration (or similar focus) required. Master’s degree is a plus.
  
• Strong leadership skills with 5-10 years proven track record of success building high performing teams in Asset Based Lending (ABL), commercial credit, factoring, leveraged finance, and/or relationship management.
  
• Prior tech experience preferred (FinTech, combination of tech background and financial institution experience)
• Demonstrated financial acumen (Financial analysis, business analysis)
• Critical thinker, required to have a thorough understanding of the loan process within the system from beginning to end
• Familiarity with the GovCon space is a plus
• Experience with the Assignment of Claims process is a plus
• Must have a strong understanding of credit fundamentals and loan monitoring best practices
• Exceptional communication skills with ability to facilitate critical conversations at all levels and to a wide range of stakeholders including senior management, clients, attorneys, and financial sponsors.
• Proven ability to act as a brand ambassador and culture carrier.
• Thrives in a fast-paced and diverse environment and the ability to manage multiple work streams.
• Ability to function as part of a flat organization, manage several projects at once and work effectively as an individual and as part of multiple teams.
• Completion of a formal credit training program is desired.
• Sound understanding of credit, transaction structuring, and financial and collateral analysis
• Understanding of legal documentation.

OppZo, Inc. and its affiliates are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.