Senior CRE Originator

CRE Originator Sr
The CRE Senior Originator is responsible for sourcing, structuring, and executing CRE lending opportunities by building and expanding relationships with clients, real estate professionals, sponsors, intermediaries, and key market participants. This role drives portfolio growth through disciplined origination, thoughtful transaction screening, and collaborative execution with Credit, Underwriting, and Closing teams. The Sr Originator brings strong market expertise, contributes to strategic pipeline development, and plays a key role in negotiating new proposals/term sheets and guiding transactions from opportunity through closing and into early lifecycle monitoring.
Key Responsibilities and Duties

• Origination & Business Development: Develops and manages a robust CRE origination pipeline through direct sourcing, targeted outreach, and relationship development. Actively markets lending products through networking, conferences, and CRE industry events to build brand awareness and expand market presence. Deepens existing relationships to grow repeat business and expand penetration in priority markets and asset classes.
• Transaction Screening, Structuring & Negotiation: Performs preliminary credit assessment and deal screening to evaluate sponsor strength, property fundamentals, business plan viability, and alignment with investment parameters and credit appetite. Prepares and presents proposals and pricing, negotiates final terms directly with company officials based upon credit and real estate factors and ensures the transactions meet CREF investment parameters. Leads and/or directly participates in drafting, negotiating, and executing term sheets/LOIs, ensuring terms reflect appropriate risk/return objectives and credit discipline. Supports active bidding and negotiation processes to secure attractive loan opportunities while maintaining underwriting standards and policy alignment.
• Execution Ownership & Cross-Functional Coordination: Assembles and submits complete, high-quality underwriting packages and due diligence materials required for loan evaluation, approval, and processing by the Credit Department. Coordinates across Credit, Underwriting, Legal, Closing, and (as applicable) Portfolio/Asset Management to ensure efficient execution from screening through closing. Maintains ongoing involvement through closing and transition into the portfolio, supporting handoff and early lifecycle monitoring as needed through repayment.
• Risk Management & Credit Discipline: Utilizes market and property insights to assess transaction risk and recommend risk mitigation through structure, covenants, and credit enhancement strategies consistent with policy and risk tolerance. Ensures transactions adhere to internal credit policies, regulatory expectations, and portfolio concentration guidelines. Partners closely with credit team members to foster a disciplined, collaborative approach that supports growth while maintaining sound credit principles.
• Market Expertise & Strategic Contribution: Maintains expertise across CRE asset classes and develops strong working knowledge of U.S. property markets, including key drivers and submarket trends. Develops a researched perspective on market conditions and industry trends; share insights that inform pipeline focus, pricing, and origination strategy. Contributes ideas to product evolution by providing competitive observations and recommending adjustments aligned with market opportunities and risk appetite.
• Leadership & Mentorship: Serves as a senior resource to junior originators and internal partners by sharing best practices in sourcing, structuring, and execution; may mentor others informally and help elevate team performance (without direct people management responsibility).

Minimum Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in commercial real estate (CRE) finance, lending, or originations with a proven track record of business development and deal execution.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 40% of the time

Role Specific Work Experience

• 5+ Years Required; 7+ Years Preferred

Educational Requirements

• University (Degree) Preferred

Physical Requirements

• Physical Requirements: Sedentary Work

Career Level
9IC

Posting End Date: 7/22/26