Lead Indirect Credit Officer (Underwriter)

SkyOne Federal Credit Union is seeking an experienced and strategic Lead Indirect Credit Officer (Underwriter) to help establish and grow our indirect auto lending program. This is a unique opportunity for a lending professional who combines strong underwriting expertise with an entrepreneurial mindset and a passion for relationship building. As a foundational member of the team, you will play a pivotal role in developing underwriting strategies, building dealer partnerships, creating scalable processes, and helping shape the future of indirect lending at SkyOne. This role offers the opportunity to grow into a formal leadership position as the program and team expand..

What You'll Do

In this role, you will serve as the primary decision-maker for indirect auto loan applications, evaluating creditworthiness, deal structure, collateral quality, and overall risk while maintaining a balance between portfolio growth and sound lending practices. You will exercise independent judgment in making credit decisions and ensure compliance with all applicable regulations, including ECOA, Fair Lending, BSA, and OFAC requirements. Just as importantly, you will communicate credit decisions effectively and professionally with dealer partners to foster trust and strong working relationships.

Beyond underwriting, you will help design and implement SkyOne's indirect lending strategy. Working closely with executive leadership, you will develop underwriting guidelines, credit policies, risk frameworks, workflows, and operational procedures that support long-term growth and scalability. Your expertise will help identify opportunities to improve efficiency, optimize portfolio performance, and strengthen the overall lending process. As the subject matter expert for indirect lending, you will play an instrumental role in building the foundation for a successful and sustainable program.

You will also serve as a key relationship manager for automotive dealer partners. This includes developing new dealer relationships, supporting onboarding efforts, providing guidance on loan submissions, and helping dealers understand performance expectations and program standards. Whether structuring complex transactions or resolving escalated situations, you will act as a trusted partner focused on delivering exceptional service and driving mutually beneficial results.

Additionally, you will collaborate closely with processing, funding, and servicing teams to ensure a seamless experience throughout the loan lifecycle. By monitoring loan pipelines, funding conditions, dealer performance, and portfolio trends, you will help drive operational excellence while building the infrastructure needed to support future team growth, training, and leadership development.

Are You a Good Fit?

You may be an excellent fit for this opportunity if you are a confident credit professional who enjoys building something from the ground up. You are comfortable making sound, independent lending decisions, yet understand the importance of balancing risk management with business growth objectives. You approach challenges strategically, thrive in evolving environments, and are motivated by the opportunity to influence both operational and business outcomes.

The ideal candidate is a relationship builder who can establish credibility with dealers, executive leadership, and internal stakeholders alike. You are proactive, resourceful, and collaborative, with a strong desire to improve processes, create innovative solutions, and contribute to organizational success. If you enjoy combining analytical thinking with business development and are excited by the prospect of helping shape a growing lending program, this role may be the perfect next step in your career.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of indirect auto lending or consumer lending underwriting experience.
• Strong expertise in credit analysis, risk assessment, and deal structuring.
• Experience working with dealer networks and indirect lending channels.
• Proven ability to make independent credit decisions and manage risk effectively.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements (ECOA, Fair Lending, etc.).
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills.
• Experience launching or building an indirect lending program or function preferred.
• Background in both underwriting and remote dealer relationship management preferred.
• Experience developing credit policies, guidelines, or operational workflows preferred.
• Familiarity with LOS platforms and indirect lending systems- MeridianLink, RouteOne, DealerTrack, CUDL, preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of management, staff, and members.
• Well-developed time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment.
• Must have a high level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations. Position requires demonstrated poise, tact, and diplomacy.
• Proficient knowledge of all Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook).

If you're ready to leverage your underwriting expertise, build meaningful dealer relationships, and play a key role in creating the future of indirect lending at SkyOne, we encourage you to apply today. Join us and be part of a team dedicated to delivering exceptional financial solutions while making a difference in the lives of our members.