Underwriting & Quality Control Manager

About us

Since its inception, TAO Solutions has established itself as a boutique software provider specializing in the design and delivery of advanced securitization and structured finance technologies. The company’s mission is to be the global leader in proven, niche solutions that bring transparency, flexibility, automation, robustness, and analytical rigour to the administration of complex financial programs - including securitization, Asset-Backed Commercial Paper (ABCP) conduits, and covered bond structures.

Our headquarters are in Toronto, with additional offices in Sydney, Australia and San Diego, USA. We operate with an entrepreneurial, forward-thinking mindset, where innovation is encouraged and initiative is valued. This is an environment where talented, driven individuals have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact and help shape the future of our company.

Position Summary

The Mortgage Underwriting & Quality Control Manager leads residential mortgage file quality control and due diligence. The role combines hands-on review of Canadian residential mortgage files, leadership of the QC team, and ongoing development of the risk analytics and AI tooling that supports manual review. As the firm's go-to expert on underwriting, documentation and regulatory compliance, the Manager sets grading standards, carries their own review workload, handles escalations and client rebuttals, and signs off on findings that lenders, investors, rating agencies and regulators rely on.

They also manage the team's workload and training, and lead how AI-assisted review is designed and governed, defining what the technology can determine versus what a reviewer must confirm, so review capacity grows without weakening the final opinions. The role reports to the COO and supports the business through client relationships, engagement scoping and business development.

Responsibilities

• Perform hands-on quality control and due diligence reviews of closed, in-process and pre-funding residential mortgage files across credit, income, asset, collateral and valuation, compliance, etc. while managing team file load
• Review insured mortgage files against CMHC, Sagen and Canada Guaranty program policies and specific insurance product requirements
• Test AML/ATF and KYC compliance under FINTRAC and PCMLTFA obligations applicable to mortgage lenders, brokers and administrators
• Validate income documentation and calculation methodologies, and conduct or coordinate reverifications and third-party validations, including document authentication against originating sources, where the engagement scope requires.

• Identify and escalate fraud and misrepresentation indicators, with particular attention to first-party fraud, alongside third-party identity, title and valuation fraud.
• Design, document, and execute sampling methodology and defend the methodology's statistical basis and coverage to clients, auditors and rating agencies.
• Manage the exception, rebuttal and cure lifecycle end-to-end and report residual open exceptions.
• Produce loan and portfolio-level findings reports for stakeholders such as the lender credit committee, investors, and auditors.
• Own final review sign-off and manage complex files, policy interpretation questions, disputed gradings and inter-reviewer disagreements.
• Stay current with market trends and regulatory changes in the Canadian residential mortgage market, translating changes into review criteria within the cycle in which they take effect, and maintain the underlying reference documentation: regulatory instruments, insurer program requirements, lender policy versions, review checklists, scope documents, grading rubrics, standard operating procedures and audit work programs, with a documented change history.
• Manage client lifecycle support, including, but not limited to: new client onboarding, scope definition, audit appeals, escalations, complaints, SLA and turn-time agreements, etc.
• Identify and pursue new client and engagement opportunities within the Canadian mortgage lending, insurer and investor community, including shaping proposals, pricing and scope for new mandates and responding to RFPs
• Act as a subject-matter representative with prospective and existing clients, industry associations and at conferences to build market profile and pipeline
• Partner with existing clients to identify opportunities to expand engagement scope: additional portfolios, products or geographies, etc.
• Lead team and support recruitment and succession planning as needed, training and performance management, etc. Driving adoption of AI-assisted workflow improvements and review across the team under the TSI’s internal AI initiatives
• Support cost management, revenue forecasting and strategy for the business line internally
• Ensure the review environment meets information security, privacy, data residency and retention requirements, including PIPEDA, Quebec Law 25 and client-imposed controls.

• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications & Experience

Core Experience & Credentials

• 8-12 years of progressive experience in Canadian residential mortgage underwriting, adjudication, funding, quality control, audit or due diligence, including at least 3 years leading, supervising or formally coaching a review or underwriting team, and experience designing or operating a formal QC/loan review program (sampling methodology, defect taxonomy, severity grading, rebuttal and remediation workflow, management reporting)
• Background in a client-facing, outsourced or third-party review environment, or in a lender's internal audit, credit risk review or compliance function
• Degree in commerce, business administration, finance, economics or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant residential mortgage experience
• Completion of Ontario mortgage agent/broker licensing education (Level 1, Level 2, Private Mortgages) or the equivalent BCFSA, AMF or RECA program

Regulatory & Industry Knowledge

• Deep working knowledge of OSFI Guideline B-20 and B-21, the minimum qualifying rate, portfolio loan-to-income limits, and the direction of OSFI's consolidated Credit Risk Management guidance
• Working knowledge of CMHC, Sagen and Canada Guaranty underwriting program requirements and bulletin history
• Working knowledge of FINTRAC/PCMLTFA obligations for mortgage lenders, brokers and administrators, including reporting-entity designation and the current administrative penalty regime
• Familiarity with provincial mortgage brokerage regimes - Ontario's MBLAA/FSRA, BC's BCFSA and the incoming Mortgage Services Act, Quebec's AMF, and Alberta's RECA - plus FCAC guidance, the Canadian Mortgage Charter, and lender obligations to borrowers in exceptional circumstances
• Working knowledge of PIPEDA and Quebec Law 25 as they apply to handling borrower files and reporting findings

Analytical & Technical Skills

• Demonstrated ability to read a lender's underwriting policy and identify where it is silent, internally inconsistent, or out of step with regulator and insurer expectations
• Ability to write findings that withstand challenge - concise, evidence-led and defensible to a client, an auditor or a regulator
• Advanced proficiency with mortgage origination and document management systems, Excel and reporting tools, and comfort working with structured data and review platforms

Professional Attributes

• Ability to work autonomously within a team environment, maintaining communication with multiple levels of management and senior leadership
• Uses AI as a force multiplier to accelerate thinking, speed and scale while ensuring human judgment owns the outcome, and stays current on AI/technology developments relevant to the role and industry
• Discretion and sound judgment in handling confidential borrower, lender and commercial information

Qualifications that will set you apart from other applicants:

• An active or previously held mortgage agent or mortgage broker lisence is strongly preferred, and an accredited mortgage designation through Mortgage Professionals Canada (AMP / AMPC / PMPC), held or in progress
• CAMS or equivalent AML certification, CPA, CFA, FRM, CIA, or Lean / Six Sigma, accreditations
• Demonstrated hands-on underwriting or file review authority on prime and alternative / near-prime residential mortgages; exposure to private, MIC, construction, commercial-residential or securitized portfolios
• Experience in financial services, fintech, or other regulated industries, especially experience within the structured finance space
• Experience with whole-loan sale, portfolio insurance, securitization or investor due diligence
• Bilingual in French is considered an asset given file volume originating in Quebec

Base Compensation: $110,000 - $145,000

Placement within the range is determined through the interview process and is based on a candidate's knowledge skills and qualifications for the role. Additional opportunities for compensation include, but are not limited to: 3 weeks base vacation, employer paid benefits, profit sharing and bonus program participation.

What you can expect from us

Our passionate and performance-driven team that cares about fostering an environment where each team member can thrive and grow in their career. We invest time and resources to ensure TAO Solutions is as good as the people we hire. Here are some of the perks and benefits you can expect working at TAO Solutions.

• Competitive compensation package
• Participation in TAO's bonus program
• Employee Profit-Sharing Program
• Hybrid & flexible work arrangements
• Employer paid benefits including: vision, medical, and dental
• Yearly professional development allowance
• Team socials: Halloween, Jays games, etc.
• Internal team recognition platform (Bonusly)

Applicant Screening Notice

At TAO, we leverage artificial intelligence (AI) technology to enhance our recruitment process. These tools assist with tasks such as resume screening, drafting preliminary job descriptions, generating initial interview questions, and occasionally sourcing prospective candidates. However, AI is never used to make final hiring decisions; our use of AI serves to support repetitive and administrative tasks in order to streamline our hiring and recruitment workflows. We are committed to the responsible use of AI in our hiring practices, prioritizing both an improved candidate experience and operational efficiency. Our standardized hiring practices remain focused on reducing biases, with all key hiring decisions solely made by our team. We continuously review and refine our hiring practices to align with industry best practices and evolving legal guidelines.

***PDF RESUMES PREFERRED - ENSURE YOUR APPLICATION IS OCR (Optical Character Recognition) ENABLED***

Your interview may be recorded and/or transcribed using Metaview.ai for recruitment record-keeping purposes and to help improve TAO’s recruitment processes. Please note you are free to request that the interview not be recorded or transcribed.

TAO Solutions Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusion and diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability or any other basis forbidden under federal, provincial, or local law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment process.

This posting is for an newvacancy on our Mortgage & Quality Control / Researchteam.TAO Solutions Inc. will communicate with you only through official email addresses and connected LinkedIn profiles. We do not use WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc. Our team will not ask you to send us money or technology through our processes.

RECRUITERS PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT