This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a VP/SVP, Lending Operations - CanWise Financial based in Canada.
This executive leadership role will build, launch, and operate a lending operations function for a Canadian mortgage lender.
You’ll have end-to-end ownership of underwriting and servicing operations, from operating model design and technology implementation through scaling and continuous improvement.
The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution across people, processes, technology, compliance, risk, and financial performance.
You’ll build high-performing teams, establish operational controls, and create the infrastructure needed to support significant lending growth.
Working closely with executive leaders and cross-functional partners, you’ll shape how the lending business manages performance, customer service, regulatory obligations, and risk.
The position also involves developing funder relationships, default-management capabilities, operational reporting, and scalable service standards.
This is an opportunity to build a critical financial-services operation from the ground up within a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment.
Accountabilities
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Build and lead the end-to-end lending operations function, establishing the operating model for underwriting and servicing from initial design and implementation through ongoing optimization.
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Develop and own underwriting and servicing policies, workflows, controls, procedures, and service standards that support consistent, efficient, and compliant operations.
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Evaluate, select, and implement lending technology platforms supporting underwriting, servicing, workflow management, reporting, and operational controls.
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Define the organizational structure, capabilities, roles, and operating rhythms required to support the lending function.
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Recruit, develop, and lead high-performing underwriting, servicing, and operational teams, including workforce planning and performance management.
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Establish the operational infrastructure required for provincial licensing, mortgage administrator registrations, and other applicable Canadian regulatory requirements.
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Own compliance and risk controls across lending operations, including FINTRAC/AML, KYC, documentation, monitoring, policies, and procedures.
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Establish and manage operational relationships with funders and lending partners, including onboarding, service-level expectations, reporting, issue resolution, and ongoing performance management.
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Build default-management capabilities covering arrears, collections, workouts, escalation procedures, controls, and third-party relationships.
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Establish KPIs, SLAs, dashboards, and reporting frameworks to monitor underwriting and servicing performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
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Identify operational bottlenecks and drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, service quality, scalability, and risk management.
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Maintain accountability for the operational P&L, including staffing, operating costs, third-party expenses, productivity, and other financial drivers.
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Partner with Product, Technology, Finance, Risk, Compliance, Legal, Sales, Marketing, and other senior stakeholders to align the lending operating model with broader business objectives.
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Develop scalable processes and infrastructure capable of supporting substantial growth in lending volumes while maintaining service levels, regulatory compliance, risk controls, and sustainable unit economics.
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Provide executive-level reporting and recommendations on operational performance, financial results, risks, opportunities, and strategic priorities.
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Act as the senior operational leader for the lending function, balancing long-term strategy with hands-on involvement in complex operational challenges and new-function development.
Requirements
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15+ years of progressive experience in lending, mortgage operations, banking, financial services, or a closely related field, including significant leadership responsibility.
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Demonstrated experience building and scaling lending operations, ideally within a mortgage lender, financial institution, fintech, or high-growth financial-services environment.
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Proven ability to take end-to-end ownership of an operating function, from strategy and operating-model design through implementation, launch, optimization, and scale.
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Deep understanding of mortgage underwriting and servicing, including credit policies, adjudication, funding, administration, servicing, arrears, collections, and default management.
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Experience evaluating lending technology vendors, selecting technology solutions, and leading complex platform implementations.
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Demonstrated success building and leading operational teams, including organizational design, executive hiring, workforce planning, performance management, and talent development.
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Strong knowledge of the Canadian mortgage regulatory environment, including provincial licensing and mortgage administrator requirements.
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Experience managing FINTRAC/AML and KYC requirements in a lending or financial-services environment, with a strong understanding of the operational controls required for compliance.
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Experience establishing and managing relationships with funders, lenders, institutional partners, or other financial counterparties, including onboarding and service-level agreements.
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Strong understanding of lending economics and P&L management, with the ability to balance costs, productivity, service levels, risk, and growth.
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Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, including experience using operational and financial data to identify opportunities and improve performance.
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Ability to operate effectively in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment while maintaining appropriate governance, regulatory discipline, and risk management.
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Excellent executive communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to collaborate across business, technology, product, finance, risk, compliance, and legal functions.
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Strategic and hands-on leadership approach, with the ability to establish overall direction while also engaging deeply in operational details and complex problems.
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Undergraduate degree in business, finance, economics, or a related discipline.
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Relevant professional designations or graduate-level education are considered an asset.
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Experience in fintech, private-equity-backed, or entrepreneurial environments is considered an asset.
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Strong alignment with a culture centered on customer needs, continuous learning, accountability, collaboration, problem-solving, measurement, iteration, and innovation.
Benefits
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Competitive executive-level compensation aligned with experience and the Canadian market.
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Fully remote, Canada-based working environment.
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Flexible working hours and autonomy over your schedule.
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Occasional in-person team gatherings to support collaboration and relationship building.
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Individual training allowance for professional development and career growth.
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Regular remote and in-person team social events.
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Opportunity to build and lead a lending operations function with broad executive-level ownership.
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Significant influence over operational strategy, technology, team structure, processes, and scalability.
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Opportunity to work across mortgage lending, fintech, technology, risk, compliance, and financial operations.
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Accommodation available throughout the selection process for candidates with disabilities.