Commercial Underwriter

Location: Los Angeles, California

Department: Credit Administration

Reports to: Team Lead, New Loan Underwriting

FLSA: Exempt

Endeavor Bank’s diverse business clientele is centered in San Diego and across the greater Southern California market. The underwriting position supports the Bank’s mission to deliver tailored lending solutions with a strong emphasis on credit quality, risk management, and responsiveness, all with a consultative approach. The Underwriter is further expected to apply sound judgment, demonstrate technical competency, maintain a commitment to accuracy, sound underwriting practices, regulatory compliance, and provide quality service standards in a dynamic, deadline-driven environment.

Reporting to the Team Lead of the New Loan Underwriting Group, this Commercial Loan Underwriter position places an emphasis on underwriting new loan requests. The underwriting position also includes managing a portfolio of complex, high-balance relationships for renewal, modification, and ongoing credit monitoring. Specific responsibilities are outlined in the sections below.

This role involves underwriting a wide range of credit products offered by the Bank. These include Commercial and Industrial (C&I) loans such as lines of credit, equipment loans, working capital loans, business acquisitions, partner buyouts, and SBA 7(a). It also covers a variety of Commercial Real Estate (CRE) loans, including owner-occupied real estate, investment properties, and construction loans, consisting of commercial, retail, industrial, multifamily, and hospitality asset types.

The Bank also utilizes SBA 504 loan structures, State and Federal guaranteed loan programs, and various other loans for commercial business purposes. Understanding of loan structures, repayment sources, collateral, industry/market detail, and regulatory guidelines is essential to underwrite each transaction effectively.

The Underwriter is responsible for preparing detailed spreads of borrower and guarantor financial statements, tax returns, and related financial data. All spreads must be accurate, fully reconciled, and comply with Bank standards. Close attention and careful consideration must be given to the treatment of particular financial accounting practices to ensure adherence to Bank spreading guidelines to accurately present spreads and financial analysis.

The Underwriter must validate the financial integrity of borrower entities, consolidate affiliated entities when appropriate, and analyze guarantor tax returns and personal financial statements. Spreading should support both historical performance evaluation and forward-looking projections.

Using the financial spreads and other relevant information, the Underwriter performs comprehensive credit and risk analyses. This includes evaluating liquidity, leverage, profitability, and debt service coverage ratios. Global cash flow analyses are performed for guarantor-backed credits or multi-entity borrowers. The Underwriter also examines business models, industry trends, customer concentrations, ownership structures, succession plans, and any known legal or reputational risks. Each analysis must be objective and well-documented, reflecting the Underwriter's independent judgment and consistent alignment with the Bank's credit policy and risk profile.

For new loan requests, the Underwriter prepares the Loan Approval Memorandum (LAM). This includes synthesizing financial analysis of borrower(s) and guarantor(s), business background, industry/market research, collateral assessment, loan structure, covenant recommendations, and summary of risks and mitigants. The Underwriter is expected to collaborate with the relationship manager and borrower to understand the business need and ensure all documentation and due diligence is collected.

By signing the LAM, the Underwriter affirms their endorsement of the proposed credit, making them accountable for the analysis and structure.

Upon assignment of new loan requests, the Underwriter is responsible for ensuring a complete underwriting package is received…