Area Manager - Lakewood, NJ

Position SummaryThe Area Manager is responsible for the effective management of the branches within their defined area. They are responsible to lead their branches and work closely with their commercial lender in selling bank loan and deposit products and providing exceptional service. Area Managers are accountable for confirming that their operations managers are fulfilling their job responsibilities such as maintaining adequate staffing levels, providing optimal service, and adhering to all policies and procedures to ensuring audits are passed. The area manager is the liaison between the bank and the local community which requires them to make business development calls, participate in community events, and serve on local boards and committees when appropriate. The incumbent ensures that all sales and service goals are met. Essential FunctionsDevelop new and expand existing relationships with individual and commercial customers and prospects through external business development calls and site visits.Perform required site visits for assigned branches.Build productive and profitable customer relationships through friendly conversation, active listening, accurate needs assessment, and recommendation and sale of appropriate products and services.Work with commercial lender to achieve loan and deposit goals.Achieve individual and branch sales and service goals by utilizing effective sales practices to sell bank products, implementing effective customer service techniques, referring customers to appropriate business partners, and resolving customer issues as they arise.Create branch sales plans and lead sales activities including submission of weekly call reports, participating in weekly conference calls, attendance at monthly sales meetings, cold calling, promotional events, branch huddles, and daily sales coaching. Inform team members of key organization strategies and initiatives.Promote the Bank's community brand by membership in local organizations, program sponsorship, strategic advertising, and charitable donations.Maintain a strong presence in the local community by participating in community events, initiatives, and volunteerism.Manage the branch budgets by controlling expenses, overtime and avoiding losses through monitoring of expenditures and complying with bank operating policies and procedures.Ensure that assigned branches maintain a satisfactory audit rating.Evaluate staffing requirements, interview and select new employees to fill vacancies.Develop a team of high-performing sales and service members by participating in the hiring, coaching and performance management processes. Oversee that the operations manager is managing the performance of the staff, ensuring adherence to quality standards, deadlines, and proper procedures, correcting errors or problems as needed.Provide employees with guidance in handling difficult or complex problems or in resolving escalated complaints or disputes.Identify the development needs of staff members and provide coaching and training to operations managers. Work with operations managers to evaluate staff members' job performance, including personal, interpersonal, and technical knowledge, skills, abilities, on a regular basis as determined by company procedures, and recommend appropriate actions.Work with operations managers to assist them in having discussions related to job performance problems with staff members and to identify causes and issues, to work on resolving problems.Communicate with people outside the organization on a regular basis including customers, business associates, referral sources, and the general public.Maintain technical and professional knowledge by attending educational workshops and training, obtaining relevant professional certifications, reviewing professional publications and books, establishing personal networks, participating in professional associations, and staying informed of any legal, policy and procedural changes relating to banking, sales, and customer service.Keep informed of industry changes, trends, and best practices.Additional FunctionsPerform cash handling and other operation functions as necessary.Job Requirements and QualificationsJob requires strict attention to details and thoroughness in the completion of job duties.Job requires use of critical thinking and use of logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.Job requires monitoring and assessing the performance of you, others, and the organization to make improvements or take corrective action.Job requires developing constructive and cooperative relationships with others.Job requires a high level of coordination, organization, planning, and prioritization of work, and management of one's own time.Job requires honesty, integrity, and ethical behavior.Job requires a willingness to take on responsibility and challenges.Education and ExperienceBachelor's degree in business, finance, or related field.Five years of management experience in a retail banking environment.Three years of experience in a sales and customer service role.Knowledge, Skills, and AbilitiesStrong knowledge of principles and practices to ascertain and assess customer needs, meet quality standards of customer service, and evaluate customer satisfaction.Expert knowledge of banking principles and practices.Knowledge of banking products, services, and systems.Expert knowledge of selling practices and activities.Strong knowledge of business administration and management theories, principles, and practices.Excellent oral and written communication skills.Excellent computer skills in a Microsoft Windows environment including proficiency in Word and Excel.High reasoning skills including the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.Ability to apply critical thinking to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions or approaches to problems.Ability to set clear and actionable expectations; stimulate learning, growth, and performance improvement in others; empower others to contribute at increasingly higher levels; and provide candid and beneficial feedback to team members.Ability to collaborate and relate well to all kinds of people, build appropriate rapport and constructive, effective relationships, and use tact and diplomacy to handle situations comfortably.Ability to give full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, and percentages. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra.Ability to read, analyze, and interpret legal documents, governmental regulations, and professional publications.Ability to effectively present information and respond to inquiries from senior management, peers, staff members, and the general public.Ability to write reports and business correspondence.Ability to speak and write clearly in order to effectively convey information so that others understand and as appropriate for the needs of the audience.Ability to work independently.Ability to provide direct supervision to subordinate staff members.Ability to provide guidance and direction to team members.ComplianceIt is the responsibility of each bank staff member and of management to adhere to policies and procedures designed to implement compliance with the laws and regulations to which the bank is subject. Each bank staff and management member shall be accountable for understanding how compliance with laws and regulations affects the performance of their day-to-day duties, for completing compliance training as assigned and for carrying out those duties in a manner to achieve compliance with those laws and regulations. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability.This job description is not an employment agreement or contract, implied or otherwise. Unity Bank maintains "at will" employment.This document describes the position currently available. It is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position and is not an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities, or working conditions associated with it. Unity Bank reserves the right to modify duties or job descriptions at any time. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods, or otherwise balance the workload.Unity Bank is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and prohibits discrimination in hiring, promotion and terms and conditions of employment on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin/nationality, ancestry, religion/religious practices or observances, age, sex, gender identity or expression, affectional or sexual orientation, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, disability or perceived disability, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, and status as a veteran or disabled veteran of, or liability for service in, the Armed Forces of the United States.Unity Bank commits to making reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of qualified individuals with disabilities and qualified disabled veterans provided the individual is able to perform the essential functions of the job, unless such accommodation would impose an undue hardship upon Unity Bank. A qualified employee or job applicant with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting Unity Bank's human resources department.