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Nelnet · 1 day ago

VP/ Director, Investments Underwriting (Lincoln, NE or Chicago, IL)

Illinois, United States

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

5+ years exp

Nelnet is a financial services company focused on specialty finance underwriting and asset management. The VP/Director of Investments Underwriting will lead investment evaluations, underwriting frameworks, and portfolio management while ensuring effective communication and process optimization within the team.

Financial ServicesInformation TechnologyPayments

No H1B

Responsibilities

New investments: evaluate, and execute on third-party purchasing and investment opportunities (e.g., forward flows, discrete pool purchases, unitranche/mezzanine ABL, non-recourse financings, and other structured cash-flow investments)

Underwriting: Help facilitate detailed underwriting frameworks, credit memos, and analytical assessment for new opportunities—including asset-level due diligence, stratification, tape analysis, cohort modeling, and stress testing

Investment risk assessment: clearly identify knowns/unknowns and assess comfort relative to expected return; define KRIs, scenarios, and mitigants

Process optimization: refine investment and underwriting processes, templates, and standards to improve speed, quality, and repeatability

Execution: negotiate, assess and coordinate documentation, closing checklists, and internal/external workstreams with legal, finance, and counterparties

Financing strategy: as applicable negotiate, and document financing agreements (e.g., warehouses, term ABS) and consider bond issuance and capital markets alternatives

Portfolio management & oversight: stay on top of ongoing relationships – e.g. monitoring cadences, variance analysis, and early-warning indicators - to proactively surface trends and inform decision making

Market intelligence: stay apprised of relevant market developments (origination volumes, spreads, performance trends) and incorporate insights into recommendations

Capital markets and strategic financing support: assist with capital markets and strategic financing functions across Nelnet, including work related to Nelnet Bank where appropriate

Internal communication: ensure stakeholders are informed with clear, timely updates; produce concise summaries, dashboards, and recommendations

Culture & philosophy: model Performance Based Organization (PBO) and Easy to Do Business With (ETDBW) principles in daily execution and partner interactions

Continuous improvement: identify process enhancements, standardize playbooks, and invest in continual self-improvement and team development

Prioritization: manage multiple, conflicting priorities and consistently meet deadlines in a dynamic environment

Leadership: act in place of manager in their absence; mentor junior associates and underwriters; contribute to recruiting and onboarding

Qualification

Structured finance expertiseUnderwriting judgmentCash-flow modelingPortfolio managementCapital markets acumenSecuritization knowledgeAnalytical skillsProject managementInterpersonal skillsCommunication skillsTeam playerProblem solving

Required

Bachelor's degree required

5+ years of relevant experience in structured finance across banking, capital markets, or investment roles

Hands-on underwriting experience in specialty finance assets (e.g., consumer, SMB, fintech, collateralized loan pools) and related financing structures

Proven proficiency in cash-flow modeling, scenario analysis, and portfolio monitoring (advanced Excel; SQL or Python a plus)

Exposure to securitization/ABS, warehouses, and documentation/closing processes

Track record of cross-functional coordination (legal, finance, risk) and external counterparty management

Capital markets acumen

Structured finance / securitization / fixed income expertise

Underwriting judgment and investment decisioning

Project management and execution rigor

Intellectual curiosity and learning agility

Critical thinking and decision quality

Analytical depth and quantitative skills

Legal documentation literacy

Strong EQ and interpersonal skills