VICE PRESIDENT OF RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LENDING

Vice President of Residential Mortgage Lending

The Vice President of Residential Mortgage Lending provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Credit Union’s residential mortgage and home equity origination functions. This role is responsible for driving sustainable loan growth, streamlining the lending workflow, and delivering exceptional member experience, all while maintaining strict adherence to regulatory compliance and risk management standards.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Strategic Leadership & Team Development
   • Team Leadership: Lead the mortgage lending team and oversee all functional areas (origination, underwriting, processing, and servicing) to optimize operational efficiency, profitability, and loan turnaround times.
   • Talent Management: Lead and develop mortgage staff by managing recruitment, scheduling, and performance evaluations.
   • Culture & Coaching: Foster a culture of accountability through continuous coaching and performance management to deliver exceptional member service.
   • Alignment & Communication: Lead structured team meetings—including production strategies, pipeline reviews, and operational updates—to ensure cross-departmental alignment, identify and resolve loan processing bottlenecks, and drive production goals.
2. Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management
   • Compliance Authority: Serve as the primary authority for mortgage regulatory compliance; safeguard the credit union against risk by maintaining strict adherence to TILA/Reg Z, RESPA, HMDA, and Fair Lending standards through routine file audits and process reviews.
   • Policy Enforcement: Maintain comprehensive expertise in mortgage lending compliance. Ensure all credit union mortgage policies, procedures, products, and documentation strictly adhere to federal and state regulations.
   • Staff Training: Ensure staff training and compliance.
   • Vendor Oversight: Oversee and maintain accurate mortgage vendor management processes; routinely evaluate third‑party performance, service level agreements, and regulatory compliance to mitigate risk and ensure seamless service delivery.
3. Operational Excellence & Technology Innovation
   • Process Improvement: Identify and implement continuous process improvements and technology enhancements to maximize departmental efficiency.
   • Documentation Management: Formulate and maintain a loan procedure manual for the Mortgage Loan department, keeping it up-to-date with all regulations and requirements.
   • Policy Reviews: Conduct routine reviews of all pertinent loan policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) throughout the year, ensuring continuous accuracy, internal consistency, and seamless integration across all lending functions.
4. Secondary Market & Portfolio Management
   • Secondary Market Strategy: Manage and execute the strategic sale of residential mortgage loans on the secondary market to maximize profitability, optimize liquidity, and mitigate portfolio risk in accordance with Credit Union goals.
   • Credit Decisions: Possess deep, specialized knowledge of residential mortgage and home equity underwriting guidelines; exercise delegated loan approval authority to review complex files and make sound, risk-balanced credit decisions.
   • Loss Mitigation: Provide oversight and direction for all mortgage and home equity collections and forbearance activities, ensuring loss mitigation workflows are executed accurately, timely, and in strict compliance with investor and regulatory guidelines.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in mortgage lending, with at least 3 years in a dedicated supervisory or leadership role within a bank or credit union environment.
• Requires expert-level knowledge of both residential mortgage and home equity (HELOC/Second Mortgage) underwriting guidelines, with a proven track record of exercising delegated loan approval authority.
• Advanced knowledge of secondary market operations, including investor guidelines (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac), loan pricing strategies, rate locks, commitment tracking, and liquidity optimization.
• Active NMLS (Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System) registration is required, or the ability to become immediately registered upon hire.
• Direct experience with Encompass is highly preferred but not required, along with the ability to leverage all platforms to maximize departmental efficiency.
• Exceptional interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills required for conducting productive team pipeline meetings, coaching staff, and effectively presenting strategic lending data to senior leadership and executive management.
• Professional, well‑developed interpersonal and communication skills are essential for projecting a positive image of Sunbelt FCU with management, employees, members, vendors, visitors, etc.
• The position requires the ability to read, analyze, and interpret financial reports, procedures, legal documents and external regulations; ability to respond professionally to varied inquiries or complaints from members; ability to influence subordinates; and ability to effectively communicate and present information to a wide range of audiences including senior management.
• Outstanding communication, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.
• Working knowledge of artificial intelligence tools and a demonstrated willingness to evaluate and apply emerging technologies to improve efficiency, reporting, and operational effectiveness.

EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

• U.S. Citizenship
• Successfully passing a background investigation

BENEFITS

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Profit sharing
• Training & development
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• Tuition assistance
• 401(k) with matching
• Competitive salary
• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance
• Life, STD, LTD, Accidental D&D
• Aflac insurance products
• Paid holidays
• Education assistance program
• PTO that begins accruing day one (usable after 90 days)
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

DECLARATION

This job description is designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Sunbelt FCU is an Equal Opportunity Employer.