Agency Financing Group Head

Fifth Third Bank•Cincinnati, OH

About The Position

The Agency Financing Group Head will serve as the senior leader responsible for building, leading, and expanding Fifth Third’s multifamily agency lending platform, which currently includes Fannie Mae DUS. This leader will also provide strategic direction for potential future expansions, such as Freddie Mac Optigo and FHA/HUD MAP/HAP capabilities. In this role, the incumbent will drive the comprehensive build-out of the agency lending ecosystem including production, underwriting, capital markets, servicing, and all supporting functional areas. As the platform grows, the Head of Agency Financing will be accountable for delivering sustainable business growth, operational excellence, and strong financial performance. Please see below for specific responsibilities and requirements for this role.

Requirements

Undergraduate degree required; graduate degree preferred.
15+ years of experience in banking, multifamily finance, or related field.
10+ years of experience in multifamily agency lending, including DUS, Optigo, or FHA programs.
Proven experience leading production and underwriting teams in a national or multi‑market platform.
Strong credit, capital markets, and underwriting expertise across Fannie, Freddie, and FHA products.
Experience with bridge lending preferred.
Demonstrated ability to attract, retain, and develop high‑performing talent.
Strong executive presence and relationship‑building skills with agencies, investors, and internal stakeholders.
Expertise in Fannie Mae DUS program guidelines and agency lending processes.
Strong credit analysis and underwriting capabilities for multifamily transactions.
Ability to manage complex integration initiatives and large loan portfolios.
Leadership and team development skills.

Nice To Haves

Strategic thinker with ability to influence corporate outcomes and lead through significant organizational build‑out.
Deep understanding of agency lending economics, capital markets execution, and risk frameworks.
Ability to balance growth and P&L performance with disciplined credit and operational controls.
Skilled at building scalable infrastructure, technology, and processes to support national expansion.
Proven ability to manage competing priorities in a complex, fast‑paced environment.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Platform Build‑Out Lead the integration of the newly acquired Fannie Mae DUS platform while designing a scalable infrastructure for future Freddie Mac and FHA lines of business.
Develop the business operating model, including governance, reporting structure, financial transparency, and audit readiness.
Evaluate and determine organizational redesign, enhancement, and expansion needed to establish a national, multi‑license agency lending platform.
Establish production, underwriting, closing, capital markets, asset management, and servicing functions sized appropriately for a national footprint.
Business Development & Growth Lead the national originations strategy across Fannie and any future-acquired bridge‑to‑agency businesses.
Build and maintain relationships with Fannie Mae and potential future partners, such as Freddie Mac and HUD.
Pursue external production partnerships with institutional firms lacking agency licenses to supplement internal production and improve ROE.
Represent Fifth Third at key industry events to establish credibility as a growing national agency platform.
Operational Oversight & Specialized Team Development Build dedicated teams for each agency product line to ensure expertise and execution excellence.
Oversee all phases of the loan lifecycle: origination, underwriting, credit approval, closing, delivery, servicing, and asset management.
Recruit and develop high‑performing teams across all agency product lines.
Foster a culture emphasizing accountability, technical excellence, client focus, and continuous improvement.
Capital Markets & Rate Lock Management Build a specialized capital markets group responsible for rate lock strategy, best execution, and revenue optimization.
Manage external capital markets relationships with major Wall Street counterparties for Fannie rate risk management.
Oversee Freddie Mac rate lock strategy coordinated directly with Freddie’s internal capital markets desk.
Bridge-to-Agency Lending Platform Develop and manage a balance sheet bridge lending business designed to feed long‑term agency production.
Establish underwriting, credit, monitoring, and risk frameworks tailored to bridge lending’s distinct risk profile.
Cross-Bank Integration & Partnerships Align closely with CRE Relationship Managers to ensure seamless referral flow and integrated solutions.
Partner with the Affordable Housing, Construction, and Middle Market verticals to strengthen end-to-end client coverage and maximize agency takeouts.
Develop third‑party partnerships to generate incremental deal flow without adding human capital expense.
Supporting Functions (Finance, Legal, Technology, Data) Build dedicated, specialized infrastructure across supporting functions, including:
Finance (loan accounting, pricing, P&L, budgeting, forecasting)
Legal (transactional, regulatory, agency‑required documentation)
Technology & Data (LOS enhancements, pipeline reporting, data integrations, regulatory reporting)
Oversee integration of these teams into Fifth Third’s enterprise environment, ensuring compliance and operational stability.