Credit Underwriter

SMBC Group Job Opportunity

SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group headquartered in Tokyo with a 400-year history. It offers a diverse range of financial services including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has over 130 offices and 80,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, which is one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG's shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York stock exchanges. The Group's operating companies in the Americas include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SMBC Capital Markets, Inc., SMBC MANUBANK, JRI America, Inc., SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., Banco Sumitomo Mitsui Brasileiro S.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd. The anticipated salary range for this role is between $90,000.00 and $110,000.00. The specific salary offered to an applicant will be based on their individual qualifications, experiences, and an analysis of the current compensation paid in their geography and the market for similar roles at the time of hire. The role may also be eligible for an annual discretionary incentive award. In addition to cash compensation, SMBC offers a competitive portfolio of benefits to its employees.

Role Description

Underwrite lease and loan equipment finance transactions. The ideal candidate will have experience underwriting direct origination and syndicated loans and leases for commercial vehicle, construction, and machine tool transactions. Responsible for managing competing priorities and constantly maintaining excellent communication with all key stakeholders throughout the underwriting process. Implementation of the credit policy and flow of incoming requests. Additionally, this role will also provide appropriate credit risk analysis for ongoing portfolio management related items.

Role Objectives

• Coordinate with Sales to ensure the pipeline flow for credit deals are assigned to underwriters and track the progress until the approval obtained.
• Underwrite credit lease and loan transactions including complex lease, loan, factoring, Japan Direct and any other new product transactions as a preparer to support the pipeline flow and turnover time.
• Ensure that all Underwriting Policy and RAC exceptions are identified, tracked and monitored during the credit risk management process.
• Participate in Annual Review monitoring and Self-Assessment process per schedule and plan in advance with the team to complete the reviews in timely manner for all business segments and ensure accurate risk rating and classification (JP and US) are determined.
• Assist efforts to work towards reducing the credit losses by having quality underwriting practices and credit monitoring practices.
• Assign internal Risk rating / JP and US Reg classification ratings, update applicable scorecards, monitor limits, oversee data accuracy to ensure compliance with business and institutional guidelines and ensure data integrity in the credit systems.
• Assist in the credit approval process for deal post-closing amendment / modifications, consent, waiver requests and comply with the SMFL policy and procedure.
• Maintain organized credit files for credit, regulatory, and compliance purposes.
• Assist Managers who handle lease portfolios regarding credit maturities and manages all requests for extensions. Gathers documentation and / or perform due diligence required to approve leases.
• Assist in the credit approval process for deal post-closing amendment / modifications, consent, waiver requests and comply with the SMFL policy and procedure.
• Assist Manager to monitor and manage delinquencies with collaboration with Collection team and Sales team using Power BI tools.
• Assist in preparing monthly and quarterly reports as required by Senior Management.
• Submit credit underwriting approval packages at SMFL Credit Managers / Committee Meetings for all leasing requests.
• Develops close working partnerships with the Leasing sales team, operations and other internal company staff to ensure open communication channels are available to handle issues associated with all lease requests. Responds to calls and requests for information from the team.
• Carry out any other duties that management assigned in addition to what is allocated above.
• Comply with SMFL internal control standards and compliance at all times.

Qualifications and Skills

Undergraduate degree in finance or a related field or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Two or more years of relevant equipment finance underwriting experience. Preferred qualifications include strong working knowledge and understanding of traditional financial analysis, strong understanding of bank regulatory topics with a focus on compliance to all relevant policies and procedures, strong organizational, time management and prioritization skills to meet deadlines, excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills with strong presentation skills, team player able to work effectively in a team fostered, multi-tasking environment, excellent time management skills and ability to prioritize, ability to read and understand financial statements and tax returns, proficient in Microsoft Office suite, e.g. Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and Power BI, experience working with Salesforce and Aspire systems, experience underwriting Aviation or Project Finance transactions will be considered a plus.

Additional Requirements

SMBC's employees participate in a Hybrid workforce model that provides employees with an opportunity to work from home, as well as, from an SMBC office. SMBC requires that employees live within a reasonable commuting distance of their office location. Prospective candidates will learn more about their specific hybrid work schedule during their interview process. Hybrid work may not be permitted for certain roles, including, for example, certain FINRA-registered roles for which in-office attendance for the entire workweek is required. SMBC provides reasonable accommodations during candidacy for applicants with disabilities consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please let us know at accommodations@smbcgroup.com . EOE, including Disability / veterans