Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. · 1 day ago
Group Manager, Originations (CA)
Lake Forest, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$140K/yr - $150K/yr
15+ years expKawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. is seeking a Group Manager, Originations to oversee origination operations, including Underwriting and Funding/Booking. This senior operations leader will manage a team, ensuring efficient and compliant execution of processes while fostering strong dealer relationships and driving continuous improvement.
AutomotiveManufacturing
Responsibilities
Lead hiring, onboarding, training, and performance management across Underwriting and Funding teams
Lead, mentor, and develop the Originations leadership team; set clear expectations and drive accountability
Create a collaborative, high-performance culture with an obsession for high quality dealer service
Manage the daily operating rhythm for Originations, including queue management, workflow distribution, and escalation paths
Establish and maintain Decision Turn Time and Funding Turnaround SLAs; monitor performance and take corrective actions
Ensure underwriting and funding activities are executed consistently and aligned to policies, procedures, and lending guidelines
Partner with senior leadership and stakeholders to operationalize credit strategies, underwriting standards, and loan program rules
Own the exception and escalation framework (approval authorities, documentation standards, and decision rationale expectations)
Ensure underwriting decisions are supported by thorough due diligence analysis and clear audit trails
Support sales department and Sales Managers in their effort to build relationships with the Kawasaki Dealer Partners
Interact with finance managers and dealer principals on individual deals to find common ground on exception requests
Build, maintain and nurture relationships with dealer partners to build their confidence in our finance programs
Oversee funding and booking to ensure timely, accurate disbursement of funds and clean loan setup
Ensure documentation completeness and compliance prior to funding; drive strong file quality and minimize rework/defects
Oversee collateral and supporting documentation review expectations to support collateral perfection readiness (as applicable)
Ensure Originations processes comply with regulatory requirements and internal policies; maintain strong internal controls
Oversee audit readiness for underwriting and funding files through proactive reviews and issue remediation
Identify operational risks and implement corrective actions to prevent repeat issues
Define, track, and report key performance indicators (KPIs) for Originations (e.g., turn times, approval rates, defect/rework rates, dealer satisfaction drivers)
Lead identification of process improvements and ensure consistent adoption of best practices across Underwriting and Funding
Prepare and present performance reporting, trend analysis, and recommendations to senior leadership
Oversee effective use of the Loan Origination System (LOS) and related tools; partner on workflow design, enhancements, training, and adoption
Collaborate with Sales, Compliance, Finance, and Servicing to ensure seamless handoffs from booking into servicing while keeping servicing execution out of scope
Serve as a senior escalation point for complex dealer, credit, or operational issues requiring judgment and cross-department coordination
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, or a related field preferred; MBA or advanced degree preferred
Minimum of 15 years of experience in retail finance originations and/or credit operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing managers or team leads
Strong understanding of underwriting operations, funding/booking workflows, loan documentation requirements, and operational controls
Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements, compliance expectations, and audit-readiness practices within financial services
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and strong familiarity with Loan Origination Systems (LOS)
Excellent analytical, decision-making, leadership, and communication skills; ability to drive alignment across teams and stakeholders
Ability to work on-site at our Foothill Ranch, CA office
Preferred
Experience in founding, co-founding, or operating in a fast-paced startup environment
Experience in the powersports finance industry (motorcycle, ATV, UTV, PWC)
Experience in a FinTech startup or technology-enabled lending environment
Benefits
Medical, Dental, Vision and Pet insurance
401(k) match
Life and Disability benefits
Generous PTO policy
Up to 12 paid company holidays
Employee discounts on Kawasaki products
Onsite fitness center
Kawasaki Kafé
Company
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
Kawasaki Motors Corp. engages in marketing and distributing motorcycles, sport bikes, side X side vehicles, cruisers, and watercraft.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Eric Postma, SHRM-CP
HR Business Partner
Recent News
2025-11-07
Kawasaki Engines
2025-10-21
2025-10-17
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