Director / VP of Credit

Job description

For over a decade PACE Equity has funded commercial real estate projects in innovative ways, with better financing for better buildings. We’ve funded projects across the U.S. and enabled the energy efficient commercial development of over $2.7 billion while eliminating over 1.2 million metric tons of carbon emissions. PACE Equity offers the capital funding and project support that allow customers to improve returns while they lower carbon emissions, intelligently meeting the demands of today's consumer and tomorrow's building requirements. We put the customer at the center of all that we do.

What's the Role

This hire will lead the underwriting efforts for PACE Equity with a focus on ensuring the highest credit quality, underwriting standards, and investment committee governance. This role serves as the firm’s internal authority on credit‑driven structuring and underwriting strategy, partnering closely with Originations, Capital Markets, and Executive Leadership.

This individual will lead credit review at the Investment Committee level, to Committee members, oversee portfolio performance and emerging risks, and mentor and develop a growing team of underwriters. The role requires deep experience in underwriting complex, non‑standard commercial real estate debt and navigating sophisticated capital structures. This individual will have the ability to expand responsibilities, including a potential seat on Investment Committee, subject to credit and team performance.

This role is ideal for a candidate with deep commercial real estate experience, strong analytical rigor, and the leadership presence to shape credit culture in a fast-growing, mission-driven organization.

Key Responsibilities

Credit Leadership & Governance

Own and uphold credit integrity, risk governance, and overall investment quality across the portfolios

Lead credit review and present loan proposals to the Investment Committee, recommending structures, terms, and pricing to mitigate credit risk.

Provide independent approval, conditional approval, or decline recommendations consistent with credit policy and approval limits

Ensure accurate risk ratings for individual transactions during committee reviews

Create, update, communicate and enforce lending and credit policies and procedures to improve efficiency and minimize risk

Serve as the internal authority on credit‑driven structuring solutions and risk mitigants

Maintain deep awareness of industry trends, economic conditions, regulatory considerations, and competitive factors.

Utilize excellent credit analysis and financial modeling skills to structure new transactions

Underwrite complex, non‑standard CRE transactions including CPACE, mezzanine, bridge, construction, preferred equity, and specialty finance

Analyze and structure transactions involving complex capital stacks (e.g., HTC, STC, NMTC, TIFs, layered incentives)

Clearly articulate risks, mitigants, downside scenarios, and stress outcomes to internal and external stakeholders

Partner proactively with Originations Team to balance risk, reward, and execution certainty

Monitor portfolio performance, concentration exposure, and emerging credit risks

Prepare and share reporting on credit trends, loan quality, and growth patterns with senior leadership and stakeholders

Identify early warning indicators and recommend proactive risk mitigation strategies

Support portfolio surveillance, amendments, waivers, and restructurings as needed

Take on special projects, gather data, and prepare ad hoc and recurring reports for senior management and other stakeholders

Leadership & Talent Development

Mentor, develop, and coach credit and underwriting professionals

Provide leadership through strong communication, delegation, and decision‑making

Foster a culture of accountability, analytical rigor, and continuous improvement

Act as a senior thought partner to leadership on credit strategy, product evolution, and risk appetite

Qualifications

Experience & Expertise

6+ years of experience in commercial real estate credit and underwriting

Extensive experience underwriting complex, non‑standard CRE debt structures

Proven ability to lead credit decisions and provide independent, well‑defended viewpoints

Strong working knowledge of credit agreements, loan documentation, and negotiated deal structures

Demonstrated experience creating and enforcing credit policy and risk frameworks

Skills & Capabilities

Excellent credit analysis and financial modeling skills

Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities

Ability to clearly communicate complex risks, structures, and mitigants in a concise, executive‑level manner

Exceptional verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills for effective training, document interpretation, and stakeholder interactions

Proficient in standard business software including word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation tools

Strong judgment, intellectual curiosity, and comfort operating in ambiguous, fast‑moving environments

Capable of resolving complex problems in non‑standard situations

Proven ability to mentor, train, and develop less experienced team members while ensuring quality control and optimal resource allocation

Experience with planning, staffing, training, and performance monitoring responsibilities

Education

Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field required

Advanced certifications (MBA,) a plus but not required

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Health Spending Account with employer contribution

Life Insurance and Short‑Term and Long‑Term Disability Insurance

401(k) eligibility on first day of month following date of hire – 100% match up to 5%

Parental leave for all parents

11 paid company holidays

Paid time off

Free parking at our downtown Milwaukee office

Inclusiveness is important to us. PACE Equity is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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Worksite address

milwaukee, WI, 53244, US

Who can apply

Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.