Managing Director, Lender Finance Underwriting

Position Summary Pinnacle Financial Partners is seeking a Managing Director, Lender Finance Underwriting to serve as a senior credit leader and underwriter for lender finance and specialty finance credit facilities ranging from $10MM to $150MM. This role is responsible for end-to-end credit underwriting, structuring, and approval of complex specialty finance transactions and sits at the center of a relationship-driven, credit-focused platform. The Managing Director will partner closely with originations to deliver tailored financing solutions to non-bank lenders, specialty finance companies, and asset-based lenders, while ensuring disciplined risk management aligned with growth objectives. In addition, this individual will oversee underwriting standards, mentor junior professionals, and play a central role in credit committee presentations and approvals. Key Responsibilities - Credit Underwriting & Structuring - Underwriting of lender finance facilities, including warehouse facilities (consumer, commercial, fintech assets), asset-backed revolvers and other structured credit solutions. - Perform detailed analysis of: - Borrower financial performance and liquidity - Collateral quality, dilution, and performance trends - Advance rates, borrowing base mechanics, eligibility criteria, and concentration limits - Structure credit facilities to optimize risk-adjusted returns, including covenants, reporting requirements, and control mechanisms - Own preparation of clear, decision-oriented credit memos and present transactions to credit committee in partnership with the originations team - Partnership with Originations & Clients - Act as a strategic credit partner to deal teams (not a gatekeeper) - Engage early in deal screening, structuring, and term sheet development - Provide pragmatic solutions to support execution within defined risk tolerance - Interface directly with clients, sponsors, management teams and intermediaries as a senior credit representative - Credit Risk Leadership, Governance & Portfolio Transition - Ensure alignment with firm-wide credit culture, policies and risk appetite - Identify and mitigate key risks, including collateral volatility, concentration exposure, operational risk, and counterparty risk - Partner with portfolio management to ensure effective transition from underwriting to ongoing monitoring - Maintain high-quality underwriting standards across the platform - Serve as a senior voice in credit committee discussions and decisions - Cross-Functional Execution - Collaborate closely with originations, legal, portfolio management, and operations to execute transactions efficiently - Support negotiation of loan documentation and closing conditions - Provide structuring guidance throughout transaction lifecycle, from deal screening to term sheet development and through closing - Strategic & Platform Development - Help build and scale Pinnacle’s lender finance platform, including credit frameworks, underwriting guidelines, and product capabilities - Contribute to portfolio construction strategy, including industry focus and concentration limits - Provide market insights on specialty finance trends, structures, and competitive dynamics - Assist with hiring, development and mentoring of junior underwriters and analysts - Deliver training on structuring, collateral analysis, and credit judgment and promote best practices in credit writing and presentation - Foster a high-performance, collaborative underwriting culture while supporting scalable growth Technical & Soft Skills - Expertise in collateral-based lending, borrowing base mechanics, and advance rate analysis - Strong financial modeling, structuring and risk assessment capabilities - Deep understanding of legal documentation and intercreditor dynamics - Excellent written and verbal communication skills - Ability to balance risk discipline with commercial pragmatism - Strong judgment in complex and ambiguous situations - Comfortable operating on a lean, high-accountability team - High ownership mindset with end-to-end accountability Preferred Qualifications - Experience in lender finance, fund finance, or structured finance platforms - Background working with non-bank lenders, fintechs, or specialty finance companies - Prior experience building or scaling an underwriting function

Qualifications

Minimum Experience 10–15+ years in Asset-based finance, Lender finance / specialty finance, and/ or Structured or private credit - Deep experience underwriting and structuring collateral-based credit facilities in the $10MM–$100MM+ range - Proven experience presenting to and interacting with senior leadership and credit committees