The word ‘credit’ is derived from the latin verb meaning, “one believes”. Underwriting is not merely a science of risk scoring and algorithms, but also an art of unearthing hidden variables, and of subtle pattern recognition; bridging the gap between that of real and perceived risk. The established lending frameworks shun the intrepid entrepreneur, deeming them too risky, and lacking certain credibility. Fortunate for them, Mercury provides banking* for these ambitious startups, and they are in need of believers. 

As a Senior Credit Underwriter, you will be joining a team of lending experts with experience spanning unsecured cards to secured commercial credit. You will help shape our Working Capital loan product designed for eCommerce, software and managed services companies with a vision to extend to all small businesses. You will work directly with prospective borrowers to assess creditworthiness and structure creative lending solutions to support their growth. You will also partner with sales and product teams to innovate the go to market process, underwriting, and portfolio management needs of the rapidly scaling loan program. 

*Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.

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As part of the journey, we would expect you to: 

• Underwrite loan application independently: Analyze quantitative and qualitative data across ecommerce, SaaS, and SMB borrowers. Structure, price, and propose loan terms that balance repayment capacity and Mercury’s risk posture.
• Own the customer-facing deal motion: Lead diligence calls with prospective borrowers, co-pilot active negotiations with AEs, provide real-time eligibility and structuring guidance, and support the sales team on complex or competitive applications from first touch through close.
• Monitor portfolio health: Support ongoing covenant monitoring, delinquency tracking, and portfolio review processes. Contribute to monthly portfolio reviews with early warning signal identification.
• Contribute to credit standards: Support drafting and refinement of underwriting guidelines, risk rating frameworks, and policy documentation.
• Work cross-functionally: Partner with Sales, Product, Engineering, and Data Science to improve the underwriting process, customer experience, and credit infrastructure.

What we are looking for:

• 5+ years of credit or underwriting experience in Fintech, SMB, or commercial lending, with meaningful customer-facing experience
• Strong credit fundamentals: financial statement analysis, risk rating, cash flow assessment, and identification of structural mitigants across diverse business models.
• Direct deal experience: has been in the room with customers during negotiations, underwriting calls, and structuring conversations — not just behind the analysis.
• Builder mindset: comfortable operating in a high-growth environment where process, tooling, and infrastructure are still being defined. 
• Cross-functional fluency: experience working alongside Sales, Legal, Product, and Engineering. Able to translate credit requirements into language that lands across teams.
• Exposure to regulated lending or institutional credit frameworks is a plus. Familiarity with credit file standards, lending policy documentation, and examination-ready governance practices is helpful as Mercury approaches bank charter, not a hard requirement.

The total rewards package at Mercury includes base salary, equity (stock options), and benefits.

Our salary and equity ranges are highly competitive within the SaaS and fintech industry and are updated regularly using the most reliable compensation survey data for our industry. New hire offers are made based on a candidate’s experience, expertise, geographic location, and internal pay equity relative to peers.

Our target new hire base salary ranges for this role are the following:

• US employees located in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, or the San Francisco Bay Area: $142,900 - $160,700
• US employees located outside of New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle or the San Francisco Bay Area: $128,600 - $144,600
• Canadian employees (any location): CAD $135,000 - $151,900

Mercury values diversity & belonging and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All individuals seeking employment at Mercury are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process for applicants with disabilities or special needs. If you need assistance, or an accommodation, please let your recruiter know once you are contacted about a role.

We use Covey as part of our hiring and / or promotional process for jobs in NYC and certain features may qualify it as an AEDT. As part of the evaluation process we provide Covey with job requirements and candidate submitted applications. We began using Covey Scout for Inbound on January 22, 2024.

[Please see the independent bias audit report covering our use of Covey for more information.] 

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What you will do as a Middle Market Underwriter US:

• Bring established broker relationships to Cowbell in support of Cowbell’s goals.
• Maintain profitability across the middle market book through appropriate risk selection, analysis and servicing of accounts based on Cowbell Cyber Insurance guidelines
• Manage renewal business while maintaining our customer service standards to keep retention high and customers happy 
• Collaborate with team members to support the region’s goals and strengthen our partnerships with broker partners
• Maintain expansive knowledge of the cyber insurance marketplace, current trends in the industry, as well as the threat environment
• Identify areas where our unique capabilities provide us with a competitive advantage and build out processes that support these
• Partner with the Cyber Risk Services and Data Science teams to continually improve our technology and deliverables to the policyholder
• Serve as a subject matter expert for the broader team on coverage questions
• Collaborate with a passionate team, have fun, grow, learn, and teach the company along the way

What Cowbell needs from you:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience
• Minimum 5+ years of underwriting experience in Cyber/Tech E&O with a focus on Middle Market business (over 250M in revenues)
• Technical expertise and product knowledge specific to the lines of business that will be underwritten
• Demonstrated ability to produce new renewable Cyber/Tech/Excess business profitably over a significant period of time
• Superb production underwriting skills; must be able to demonstrate successful broker management including building, maintaining, and managing broker relationships
• Proven ability to successfully negotiate deals, while maintaining an appropriate level of discipline to keep the book profitable
• Strong track record of teamwork and collaboration. This role will interact across sales and underwriting teams, requiring training and mentorship at times.
• Desire to win!

Pay Transparency:

The annual base salary range for this position based in the United States is listed below. This salary range is an estimate , and the actual salary may vary based on Cowbell’s compensation practices, job related skills, depth of experience, relevant certifications and trainings, in addition to geographic location. Based on the factors above, Cowbell utilizes the full width of the range. 

Annual base salary range for this role: $130k-$230k + bonus