Full-Time

Lead Consumer Underwriter

WATERCRESS FINANCIAL

WATERCRESS FINANCIAL

51-200 employees

Financing solutions for home improvement contractors

Compensation Overview

$35 - $40/hr

West Des Moines, IA, USA

Hybrid

Hybrid work environment available.

Bachelor's

Category
Finance & Banking (1)
Required Skills
Microsoft Office
Quality Assurance (QA)
Data Analysis
Excel/Numbers/Sheets

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Requirements
  • A Bachelor's degree or equivalent is required; backgrounds in finance, business, or related fields are preferred.
  • At least 7 years of experience in underwriting is required, preferably in home improvement or residential lending.
  • At least 2 years of leadership or supervisory experience is required, including the ability to train, mentor, and improve team performance.
  • Knowledge of lending regulations, compliance standards, and industry trends in home financing is required.
  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications is required.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, organizational, and time-management abilities are required.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
  • Ability to manage high-volume workloads in a fast-paced environment and work independently and collaboratively is required.
Responsibilities
  • Perform in-depth credit analysis and adjudication for consumer credit applications in compliance with company policies.
  • Handle complex cases and provide guidance on escalated issues from team members.
  • Mentor and coach underwriting and contractor support teams in credit analysis, risk assessment, and policy compliance.
  • Act in a supervisory capacity and promote continuous performance improvement.
  • Lead quality assurance efforts to ensure the accuracy and integrity of underwritten loans.
  • Participate in creating and maintaining underwriting procedures and documentation.
  • Contribute to system testing and enhancements.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify risk trends, participate in audits, and support system and process improvements.
  • Provide strategic input on credit policies and practices to adapt to changing market conditions.
Desired Qualifications
  • Expertise in the home improvement or residential lending sector.
  • Background in finance, business, or a related field.

Watercress Financial provides payment and financing options for residential home improvement projects. It partners with contractors to support the sales process and offers flexible payment solutions that help homeowners budget projects. A team-based service model emphasizes expertise and responsiveness from sales, operations, contractor, and support staff, making it more than a financing provider. Its goal is to help contractors close more projects, streamline sales, and grow their business while giving homeowners affordable and responsible payment choices.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Debt Financing

Total Funding

$100M

Headquarters

West Des Moines, Iowa

Founded

N/A

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • The $550 million 26North partnership expands lending capacity and supports faster origination growth.
  • VersaBank funding started immediately, signaling external confidence in Watercress's underwriting and servicing.
  • Homeowners keep financing renovations, and Watercress's network broadens contractor sales conversions.

What critics are saying

  • Consumer fraud suits against contractors can drag Watercress into repayment disputes and collections backlash.
  • Dependence on bank and forward-flow partners creates renewal risk if credit performance weakens.
  • A contractor-dependent originator faces existential collapse if receivable buyers retreat after losses.

What makes WATERCRESS FINANCIAL unique

  • Watercress specializes in contractor-led home improvement lending nationwide since 2021.
  • DZ BANK and VersaBank funding diversify liquidity across warehouse and receivables programs.
  • 26North's $550 million forward flow backs originations without Watercress holding every loan.

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Benefits

Hybrid Work Options

Flexible Work Hours

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

14%

1 year growth

14%

2 year growth

14%
Business Wire
Jun 26th, 2024
Watercress Financial Group LLC Closes $100 Million Revolving Credit Partnership With DZ BANK

Watercress Financial Group LLC, announced the closing of a $100 million revolving credit warehouse facility with DZ BANK.

Business Wire
Jun 25th, 2024
Watercress Financial Group LLC Closes $100 Million Revolving Credit Partnership With DZ BANK

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Watercress Financial Group LLC, a point-of-sale originator of home improvement loans to consumers through a broad network of high-quality contractors across the U.S., announced the closing of a $100 million revolving credit warehouse facility with DZ BANK.