Director of Lending

Director of Lending

Classification: Exempt

Department: Lending

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Work Location: Hybrid Role with Primary Office in Renton, WA.

About Denkyem

Founded in 2018, Denkyem Co-op is a Social Purpose Corporation (SPC) and Certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Loan Fund dedicated to advancing economic mobility through entrepreneurship. We create safe and sustainable pathways for Black business owners and innovators by investing in a thriving business community that serves as an anchor for long-term prosperity. Our work centers on three core conditions: providing access to affordable capital, delivering personalized business education, and fostering meaningful networking opportunities. As a growing organization, we are seeking team members who are passionate about equity, innovation, and community impact, and who want to contribute their skills to building inclusive ecosystems where entrepreneurs can thrive.

Summary

The Director of Lending is a senior leader within Denkyem responsible for managing the full lending cycle—from origination and borrower qualification through underwriting, closing, disbursement, servicing, and portfolio management. This role stewards an approximately $4M loan portfolio, manages contractors, and ensures that loan products and processes advance Denkyem’s mission of community impact. The Director is accountable for day-to-day lending operations, portfolio health, risk management, and departmental reporting, while collaborating cross-functionally with Marketing, Finance, and Operations to ensure a seamless borrower experience.

Key Responsibilities

Origination & Execution

• Manage the end-to-end lending workflow, including origination, borrower qualification, underwriting, documentation, and disbursement.
• Partner with Marketing to support outreach and deal-sourcing strategies.
• Track and report pipeline performance across lending channels.
• Conduct due diligence on credit, finance, and community impact to guide lending decisions.
• Implement culturally responsive, non-traditional lending approaches that align with Denkyem’s mission.
• Ensure loans close accurately, timely, and in compliance with policies and regulations.
• Oversee servicing, monthly invoicing, monitoring, and borrower communications.
• Monitor portfolio quality and implement corrective actions when needed.
• Maintain and improve use of loan management systems and vendor relationships.

Strategy & Leadership

• Translate organizational strategy into actionable annual objectives for the lending team.
• Support the Loan Committee with analysis and recommendations; provide input to leadership on lending policy and practices.
• Manage the lending department budget and cash flow in partnership with Finance.
• Contribute to evolving lending programs and services to meet community and organizational needs.

Data, Reporting & Compliance

• Foster a data-informed culture, ensuring accurate tracking of lending and portfolio metrics.
• Prepare timely, accurate reports on loan performance, portfolio health, and departmental budgets.
• Support funder and investor reporting requirements; ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and agreements.
• Maintain quality controls for data integrity across loan management and CRM tools.
• Provide regular performance metrics and operational insights to senior leadership.

Partnerships & Communication

• Collaborate with Marketing to align outreach activities with lending criteria and deployment goals.
• Build and sustain partnerships with community organizations and referral sources.
• Represent Denkyem externally with borrowers, funders, and community partners.
• Share insights, stories, and impact examples to support organizational communications.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong background in mission-driven lending; experience with CDFIs, impact funds, or community-based financial institutions preferred.
• Demonstrated excellence in borrower engagement, balancing empathy with sound judgment.
• Skilled in credit risk analysis, loan underwriting, and portfolio management.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and multi-tasking abilities.
• Proficiency in loan management systems, CRM tools, and data analytics.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including reporting and presentations
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to work across departments and with external stakeholders.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, public policy, or organizational leadership—or equivalent experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing a loan fund and portfolio (current portfolio ~ $4M).
• Experience hiring, training, and developing junior team members and building scalable systems.

Company Culture & Values

• Embrace a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Uphold the company's values of integrity, diversity, and social responsibility.

Work Environment

• Hybrid: Primarily remote with occasional on-site work and events.
• Time will be divided between meetings with staff and administrative work.

• Health, vision, dental benefits for employees and dependents
• Flexible hybrid work built on trust and autonomy
• Unlimited PTO plus 11 paid holidays
• Seattle Paid Sick & Safe Time (PSST)
• Paid Family & Medical Leave (WPFML)
• A culture of care, equity, and continuous learning
• Commitment to pay equity and transparency