Allison Martin
Montreal,QC
Summary
Dynamic senior mortgage underwriting and credit risk leader with over 20 years of experience in residential lending at a Tier-1 Canadian financial institution. Proven track record in managing high-volume underwriting operations across Branch and Mortgage Advisor channels, effectively leading teams with delegated lending authorities of up to $2.5 million. Expertise in complex credit adjudication, rental income assessment, exception mitigation, mortgage controls, and regulatory compliance ensures robust decision-making. Recognized for exercising strong credit judgment while fostering a customer-centric approach that enhances operational efficiency and maintains consistent credit quality in highly regulated environments.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Mortgage Advisor
CIBC
Chateauguay, QC
01.2025 - Current
- Deliver high-quality customer service throughout the end-to-end mortgage journey, from initial consultation to funding
- Gather, review, and validate application documentation to ensure completeness, accuracy, and policy adherence
- Conduct comprehensive financial assessments to determine suitability, affordability, and risk alignment
- Collaborate with underwriting and operations teams to facilitate timely and compliant mortgage approvals
Operations Manager - Mortgage Controls
CIBC
Montreal, QC
01.2024 - 01.2025
- Managed end-to-end mortgage underwriting operations across multiple channel
- Led and developed underwriting team to achieve service, quality, and risk targets
- Provided final adjudication on complex, high-risk, and exception mortgage files
- Supported portfolio growth while maintaining strong credit quality and regulatory compliance
- Drove productivity, workflow efficiency, and turnaround-time improvements
Mortgage Underwriting Manager
CIBC
Montreal, QC
01.2020 - 01.2024
- Managed end-to-end mortgage underwriting operations across Branch and Mortgage Advisor channels
- Led, coached, and developed a team of 9-12 underwriters, overseeing delegated lending authorities ranging from $1.5M to $2.5M
- Provided final adjudication on complex, high-risk, and exception mortgage files, exercising sound credit judgment within risk appetite
- Supported portfolio growth while maintaining strong credit quality, regulatory compliance, and audit readiness
Mortgage Underwriting Manager
CIBC
Montreal, QC
01.2008 - 01.2024
- Led and developed underwriting team to achieve service, quality, and risk targets
- Provided final adjudication on complex, high-risk, and exception mortgage files
- Supported portfolio growth while maintaining strong credit quality and regulatory compliance
- Drove productivity, workflow efficiency, and turnaround-time improvements
- Mentored junior underwriters, fostering skill development and adherence to best practices.
Manager - Associate Underwriting Team
CIBC
Montreal, QC
01.2017 - 01.2020
- Managed and mentored associate underwriters tasked with document fulfillment, ensuring strong credit fundamentals and policy adherence
- Supported onboarding, training, and performance management initiatives
Senior Underwriter
CIBC
Montreal, QC
01.2014 - 01.2017
- Adjudicated complex residential mortgage applications (1-4 units) with elevated risk profiles, within delegated lending limits up to $2.5M
- Analyzed borrower capacity using detailed income, rental cash flow, and debt servicing metrics
- Assessed property risk including valuation, marketability, rental viability, and LTV positioning.
- Applied independent credit judgment on exception and layered-risk files, with appropriate risk mitigation
Underwriter
CIBC
Montreal, QC
01.2008 - 01.2014
- Progressive responsibility across credit adjudication, mortgage funding, and consumer credit counselling
- Built strong foundational expertise in credit risk, documentation, and compliance
Education
Certificate - Management
McGill University
Montreal01-2027
A.E.C. - Real Estate
Champlain College
St. Lambert01-2009
No Degree - Political Science
Concordia University
Montreal01-1999
D.E.C. - Liberal Arts
Champlain College
St. Lambert01-1999
Skills
- Mortgage underwriting expertise
- Balanced decision-making within program and product requirements with mitigation of risks within risk appetite
- Mortgage process controls
- Team-oriented approach to success
- Effective team leadership
- Real estate market awareness
LANGUAGES
English - Advanced
French - Fluent
Timeline
Mortgage Advisor
CIBC
01.2025 - Current
Operations Manager - Mortgage Controls
CIBC
01.2024 - 01.2025
Mortgage Underwriting Manager
CIBC
01.2020 - 01.2024
Manager - Associate Underwriting Team
CIBC
01.2017 - 01.2020
Senior Underwriter
CIBC
01.2014 - 01.2017
Mortgage Underwriting Manager
CIBC
01.2008 - 01.2024
Underwriter
CIBC
01.2008 - 01.2014
Certificate - Management
McGill University
A.E.C. - Real Estate
Champlain College
No Degree - Political Science
Concordia University
D.E.C. - Liberal Arts
Champlain College
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- One for Change Ambassador | 2022 - 2024
- Increased employee participation across Mortgage & Risk teams to 51%, driving higher donations and community engagement
- Annual Achievers Award Recipient | 2013
- Helped raise $10,000+ through CIBC Run for the Cure ambassador initiatives
- Led cross-training for 14+ unsecured lending new-hire underwriters
- Acted as Subject Matter Expert for new underwriting platform implementation
- Contributed to the creation of a property appraisal training course