Chief Compliance & Audit Officer

About the role:

This is a hybrid position requiring three full days in our San Francisco, CA or Omaha, NE office.

We are seeking an accomplished and strategic Chief Compliance & Audit Officer to establish and lead mortgage compliance processes as we launch our mortgage division. You will ensure compliance with applicable mortgage laws and regulations while collaborating across teams to develop a robust compliance framework. In this high-impact role, you’ll lead regulatory audits, manage third-party relationships, and represent Unison in investor and regulatory meetings.

Responsibilities:

Compliance Management

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive compliance management system to ensure enterprise-wide compliance.
• Structure and lead the Compliance Committee and Compliance Policy Approval Committee.
• Develop, implement, and maintain compliance policies and procedures.
• Regularly assess and update policies, procedures, and practices to align with evolving laws and regulations.
• Oversee internal and external audits, including Federal and State examinations.

Risk Assessment and Mitigation

• Identify, evaluate, and implement compliance strategies for newly enacted laws and regulations.
• Perform internal AML assessments and ensure compliance with fraud prevention standards.
• Conduct two separate risk assessments for regulatory and fair lending.
• Oversee compliance testing, reporting, and the preparation of Compliance Committee decks.

Regulatory and Vendor Oversight

• Manage relationships with regulatory bodies and ensure timely responses to inquiries.
• Oversee and review Fair Lending, HMDA, NMLS, and state-specific reporting.
• Manage vendor compliance, including testing plans for subservicers and review of policies and disaster recovery plans.

Training and Communication

• Develop and deliver compliance training for employees, emphasizing mortgage-specific regulations and best practices.
• Establish employee compliance training initiatives and maintain a schedule for periodic reviews and updates.

Audit and Reporting

• Perform internal compliance audits and identify areas for improvement.
• Maintain consistent policy and audit schedules, ensuring timely resolution of identified risks.
• Oversee and review branch annual audits and internal audit policy testing.

About you:

• Minimum of 8 years in core compliance and 10–15 years of progressively responsible experience in mortgage or consumer lending, mortgage origination, and servicing loan portfolios.
• Strong background in mortgage banking, including pipeline management, risk analysis, and operational compliance.
• Working knowledge of mortgage lending, underwriting, and servicing processes, with an ability to identify risk factors.
• Expertise in mortgage regulations, including Regulation Z, TRID, ATR, RESPA, AML, UDAAP, and vendor management.
• Experience building a compliance framework in a startup environment.
• Proven leadership skills with a track record of building and managing high-performing teams.
• Strong strategic and tactical planning capabilities.
• High-level communication skills with the ability to engage external regulators and stakeholders.

It’s a Bonus If You Have:

• Certified Mortgage Compliance Professional (CMCP) designation.

We recognize that people come with experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and excellence. Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process.

Why join us?

The Unison team draws on a deep and wide range of talent across several disciplines. Visionaries in investment management, product development, and financial technology are joined by innovative real estate and consumer finance experts creating a unique culture.

Perks of the Unison employee include: competitive salaries - the base salary range for this role is $185,000 to $220,000, bonus and equity potential, 100% paid medical and dental benefits, generous PTO policy, paid parental leave program, and fantastic downtown SF and Omaha locations, as well as being an integral part of a well-funded market leader with incredible momentum.

About us:

Unison is a San Francisco-based company that is pioneering a smarter, better way to own your home. Until now, the only way to finance a home was by taking on debt. Through the Unison Agreement, we help homeowners access their equity flexibly with no monthly payments or interest. We enhance home affordability, reduce debt, and deliver a less risky way for homeowners, investors, and society to think about their most important asset - the home. For additional information, visit www.unison.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

The last few years have been record breaking for Unison. We expanded our offering to 30 states, surpassed the $5B mark in real estate investments and partnered with over 7K customers through our HomeBuyer and HomeOwner programs. This tremendous growth was recognized by the Deloitte Technology Fast500 awards two years in a row as well as being included in the most recent Forbes Fintech50.

Unison provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.