Closing Specialist

The Role 

The Closing Specialist is responsible for managing the final stages of the loan closing and funding process, ensuring each transaction is accurate, complete, and ready to fund on schedule. This role serves as a key point of coordination among internal Credit and Underwriting, Treasury, and Loan Officer teams, as well as borrowers, title and escrow companies, closing attorneys, and other third-party partners. The Closing Specialist owns the transaction from clear-to-close through funding and disbursement, including reviewing closing documentation, balancing settlement statements, confirming satisfaction of funding conditions, coordinating funding authorization, and ensuring the accurate and timely disbursement of loan proceeds. Success in this role requires exceptional attention to detail, sound judgment, a strong sense of urgency, and the ability to manage multiple transactions and deadlines while delivering a seamless closing experience. 

The Work 

• Manage loans from clear-to-close through funding and disbursement, ensuring all closing and funding requirements are satisfied before funds are released. 

• Review closing packages, including promissory notes, deeds of trust/mortgages, settlement statements, closing instructions, title documentation, and other required loan documents for accuracy and completeness. 

• Coordinate with internal teams and closing partners to ensure loan documents are prepared and executed in accordance with approved loan terms. 

• Review and balance settlement statements and funding figures, confirming loan proceeds, verifying borrower funds-to-close, fees, payoffs, escrows, and wire disbursements are accurate. 

• Verify that all underwriting, credit, title, insurance, legal, and funding conditions have been satisfied prior to funding. 

• Review title for required lien clearance and confirm appropriate documentation is in place to establish Ascent's required lien position. 

• Coordinate with title companies, escrow agents, closing attorneys, borrowers, and internal stakeholders to resolve closing or funding discrepancies quickly. 

• Confirm borrower funds-to-close and other required funds have been received by the appropriate settlement or escrow party. 

• Partner closely with Treasury to coordinate loan funding, validate wire amounts and instructions, and ensure funds are available and released accurately and on schedule; promptly resolve any discrepancies or last-minute changes that could impact disbursement. 

• Prepare and communicate final funding and wire/disbursement instructions in accordance with company controls and approved loan terms. 

• Verify final wire amounts and funding instructions prior to release and coordinate the timely disbursement of loan proceeds. 

• Identify and escalate documentation, title, settlement, fraud-prevention, or funding issues that could create financial or operational risk. 

• Maintain clear, timely, and professional communication with borrowers, Loan Officers, Credit, Underwriting, and third-party closing partners throughout the process. 

• Ensure closing and funding data is accurately entered and maintained in company systems and maintain compliance within company policies, and internal closing and funding controls.  

Your Skills & Experience 

• High school diploma or equivalent required; Bachelor's degree preferred. 

• 2+ years of experience in private lending, commercial real estate lending, mortgage closing, or loan funding; experience with residential investment or construction loans preferred. 

• Strong understanding of real estate loan closing and funding processes, including title, escrow, lien position, loan documentation, funding conditions and wire disbursement. 

• Ability to interpret approved loan terms and identify discrepancies between loan approvals, closing documents, and settlement statements. 

• Exceptional attention to detail and a high degree of accuracy when reviewing documentation and funding figures. 

• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple closings and competing funding deadlines simultaneously. 

• Sound judgment and the ability to identify, investigate, and escalate potential closing or funding risks. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively with borrowers, internal teams, and external closing partners. 

• Proficiency with loan origination and mortgage lending systems and Microsoft Office. 

• Working knowledge of applicable compliance requirements and closing/funding controls. 

The Pay 

The pay range for this position is $36.00–$42.00 per hour, + overtime, depending on experience with eligibility for a discretionary annual bonus of up to 15%. 

The Work Environment 

• This role works on-site at Ascent's Encino office Monday through Thursday, with Fridays designated as work-from-home. 

• This is a full-time position, 40 hours per week, with availability for occasional overtime required. 

• Some nights and weekends may be required based on business and closing needs. 

What Success Looks Like 

Loans close and fund accurately, on time, and in accordance with approved terms. Closing packages are complete, settlement statements balance, funding conditions are satisfied, lien position is protected, and discrepancies are resolved before funds are released. Borrowers and internal partners experience a responsive, organized, and dependable closing process.