Leading through change: Radian’s Justin Foster on people experience and the future of housing finance

HousingWire

Change is constant in housing, but few leaders navigate it as strategically as Justin Foster, Radian’s Senior Vice President of People Experience. In this conversation with HousingWire, Justin shares how his leadership philosophy balances the evolving workforce, AI adoption, and customer trust to create long-term impact. From generational shifts to automation, Radian’s people strategies are designed to deliver measurable results for customers.   Justin dives deep into Radian’s approach to building high-performing teams that adapt and thrive under pressure. Discover how investing in culture, retention, and upskilling not only strengthens internal collaboration but also directly improves the mortgage experience for clients.    #PeopleStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment #MortgageInsurance #Radian

Transcript

00:00Our people strategy is central to Radian's continued ability to sustain and scale housing

00:06access over the long term. No matter how the market changes, our ability to deliver depends

00:12on our people's ability to adapt and stay aligned with our mission. I'm Justin Foster,

00:17Radian Senior Vice President of People Experience. My path to this role hasn't been a straight line.

00:26I've worked in multiple industries before joining the housing and mortgage insurance space.

00:31And one thing that I've observed or noticed is that the core tenets of leadership are pretty

00:36consistent across industries. You know, the context changes, the products, the customers,

00:42the market cycles, but the fundamentals of good leadership really remain the same. You know,

00:47one thing I've learned over my career working across industries like financial services to

00:53academia to nonprofits is that change is the only constant, but how you lead through it will define

01:00your credibility. And I think that teams look to their leaders on how to react. Not every shift

01:06requires a dramatic reaction. Sometimes it's about keeping perspective, communicating clearly,

01:11and making sure that our people know what's important and really what isn't. You know,

01:16when I joined the housing and mortgage insurance industry, I learned how deeply our work is connected

01:22to people's lives. You know, what we do helps families achieve and sustain home ownership. And

01:27that change gives a different weight to every decision we make and about how we lead our teams.

01:34That ultimately impacts how well we're going to serve our customers. Generally speaking, overall,

01:40I believe that people strategy is business strategy, especially in a business like ours. If our teams are

01:45engaged, well-led, and equipped with the right tools, they will naturally deliver better results for our

01:51customers. And so my role at Radian is to help find those opportunities to remove friction to our

01:57people so that they can remove friction from the customers we serve. You know, we're seeing multiple

02:02currents moving at once. Workforce expectations are evolving, technology is changing, and how work

02:08gets done is changing also. And just overall, the normal market cycles of our industry. I think the pace

02:14is faster, which makes adaptability more important than ever. One of the strengths that we have at Radian is

02:20that we've built a reputation as a trusted provider and partner over decades. And in 2027, we're going to

02:27celebrate 50 years in business. That kind of longevity only happens if you're both dependable and

02:33forward-looking. Our customers know that we're going to be there for them through every market cycle with the

02:39talent and solutions they need to be successful. For Radian and our family of companies, the way we serve

02:45customers through this is by being consistent where it matters most. Reliability, expertise, responsiveness,

02:51while also being bold enough to evolve. That means modernizing our processes, being thoughtful about

02:58experimentation, and developing new capabilities and making sure our people are ready for whatever comes

03:04next. From a talent perspective, we're using this moment not just to respond to the market, but to build

03:11capability. That's going to matter in the next chapter. Deeper orchestration across teams, sharper

03:17operational discipline, and stronger cross-functional skills that will allow us to pivot quickly without

03:23losing consistency.

03:29It's a fascinating time. We're watching interest rates, inventory levels, affordability challenge,

03:35all of which affect our customer strategy. But we're also seeing a shift in how talent works in this

03:41industry. So from that perspective, I think there's a generational change underway with newer entrants

03:47into the industry bringing different expectations about technology, flexibility, and development. At the

03:54same time, we have deeply experienced professionals whose knowledge is critical to run our business.

04:01And I think the opportunity and the challenge is to blend that deep expertise with fresh

04:07perspectives. So at Radian, we've been intentional about honoring the expertise of our long-tenured

04:13people while accelerating the development of newer talent. We see that in intergenerational mentoring

04:18programs. We see that in how we staff different projects and initiatives. And I believe that when

04:23people feel seen and supported for the strengths they bring, they deliver, and they deliver in outsized ways.

04:29So oftentimes I think our generational shifts are divided, our frame doesn't divide. And I don't

04:34really see it that way. I see a spectrum of strengths. Experienced team members bring judgment and insight

04:40that you can't speed train. And newer members bring adaptability, digital fluency, and a different

04:46way of thinking about opportunities. We create intentional overlap, generational mentorship mixed with project

04:52teams, shared learning experiences, so that strengths meet instead of miss each other.

04:58And when that happens, I think you get better decisions, more innovation, and a steadier experience

05:03for our customers. As it relates to AI, the first thing is remembering that technology doesn't replace

05:10trust. It should reinforce it. Customers trust us because we deliver. We keep our commitments and we

05:16know our business deeply. We see AI and automation as tools to help our people do their jobs better,

05:22not as a replacement for the relationships and expertise that make us valuable. And that means

05:27being thoughtful in how we introduce new technology, ensuring our teams are trained, and making sure

05:32that the human element stays front and center. I think with a multi-generational workforce, communication

05:39is going to be key. We can't assume one message works for everyone. We have to meet people where they

05:44are, whether that's through mentoring, upskilling, or rethinking workflows almost entirely. And customers will benefit

05:50from that because we're getting the best of both worlds. Retention and engagement are outcomes of

05:56culture where people know they matter and see where they're going. Retention and engagement,

06:01they start with leadership. People don't just work for companies, they work for leaders that they can

06:06trust. At Radian, we focus on leadership development at every single level. We have an in-house facilitator-led

06:12executive development program for senior leaders and a leadership program for middle managers. And

06:17they're both designed to make sure our leaders are equipped to inspire, guide, and support their

06:22teams. We've built programs that help people see a path forward and understand what skills they need

06:28and get the tools to get there. And we pair that with genuine recognition. Our programs are two parts

06:34education, one part recognition. And so when you come to a Radian-built leadership development program,

06:40we're showing an intentional investment by the company in our leaders and a recognition that drives

06:46performance. When people feel invested in, they invest back, both in each other, in their performance,

06:52and in the customers that we serve.

06:58So a high-performing team isn't just a group of talented individuals. It's a team that knows how to work

07:03together towards a shared goal. You know, my philosophy is that you hire for competence and

07:09chemistry. You need the right skills, but you also need people who understand the value of collaboration,

07:14who can think laterally across the enterprise, and who have a deep respect for the contribution and

07:19experiences of others. You know, at Radian, we invest in people from day one. That means thoughtful

07:24onboarding, targeted development, and opportunities to work cross-functionally to stretch their capabilities.

07:31We want people to leave an opportunity to collaborate thinking, that was time well spent. Because that's

07:36how you know you're building something that matters. High-performing teams are also multifaceted

07:41teams in background, perspective, and experience. That range leads to better decisions, which leads to

07:48better outcomes for customers. One thing leaders can take away from Radian's approach is that hiring is the

07:54start of the relationship, not the end. We've evolved our process to focus on both

08:00immediate capability, but also long-term potential. We're looking for people who can grow with us,

08:06because in a market that's constantly changing, you need people who can adapt. We also need to invest,

08:12I think, in the next generation of managers and leaders. I'm especially passionate about the

08:17development side, because at Radian we've built programs that meet people where they are. Our leadership

08:22and development programs are built in-house, designed around our culture, our business, and our

08:27customers' expectations of us. Not everyone needs the same thing at the same time, so our programs are

08:33flexible and personalized. So when we hire people at Radian, the goal is to invest in them early and often.

08:39That means structured career exploration and key functions, rotational programs, and opportunities to

08:45broaden experience. You know, mentoring relationships, skill building, that's tied to real business need.

08:51And over time, that has created a workforce that's not only high-performing today,

08:55but also prepared for the roles and challenges we can't fully see yet in the future.

09:05Every year, hundreds of thousands of people become homeowners through low down payment options backed by

09:11private mortgage insurance. And a strong majority of those are first-time home buyers, and a significant

09:17share or moderate income families. So that tells us that the need for housing access isn't going away,

09:23it's evolving. Our industry could not be more important to the success of the American economy.

09:28So for Radian and our family of companies, nearly every part of the mortgage life cycle touches our

09:34team at some point. And that means the people serving customers at Radian have a direct impact on

09:40making home ownership possible for those hundreds of thousands of households each year. So that's why

09:45we're so intentional about hiring, developing, and retention. We take pride in ensuring that

09:51regardless of the market dynamics, our team is aligned with our mission and ready to anticipate

09:56and meet the needs of our customers. What's key here is that people strategy is business strategy,

10:01especially in a business like ours. It starts with clarity. Everyone in the organization should know

10:06how their work connects to the customer experience. Culture is foundation. Without a strong culture,

10:11even talented people default to silos. And at Radian, our culture is anchored in our values and

10:18reinforced in how we hire, develop, and lead. Upskilling built confidence and connection. When

10:23people feel capable and better connected across the company, they're more willing to step into projects

10:28that stretch them and work with peers in other areas. And retention matters because collaboration improves

10:34when you have stable teams who know and trust each other. High turnover, I think, erodes trust. Customers

10:41feel the difference when they work with teams that operate as one, not as many. And big picture,

10:46when you invest in culture, capability, and continuity, you get collaboration that's natural,

10:52consistent, and focused on what matters most.

10:54Our people strategy is central to Radian's continued ability to sustain and scale housing access over

11:06the long term. No matter how the market changes, our ability to deliver depends on our people's

11:12ability to adapt and stay aligned with our mission. The way we sustain and scale is by making sure we have

11:18the leadership, the talent, and the culture to deliver consistently over time. So that means attracting

11:25the right people, developing them, keeping them engaged, and aligning their work to our mission.

11:30When we do that, we're not just responding to the market, we're helping shape it. And as we approach

11:36our 50th year in 2027, we're doing it with the confidence of an organization that has been proven to

11:42adapt, evolve, and lead for the long haul.

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