Director OF Operations

Arkadelphia Main, 601 Main St, Arkadelphia, Arkansas, United States of America • LR HQ, 400 Hardin Rd, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America • Springfield, MO, USA Job Description Posted Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at 6:00 AM Southern Bancorp is more than a bank. As a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), a special certificate on designated for institutions that serve predominantly underserved communities, Southern Bancorp combines traditional banking and lending services with financial development tools and public policy advocacy to help families and communities grow stronger. Inspired by the principle that building net worth drives economic opportunity, our mission is to be wealth builders for everyone in the communities we serve, with a focus on low-wealth and un(der)banked populations, as well as an emphasis on Black and Brown individuals. This role provides strategic leadership to the loan operations team, setting clear priorities and translating business objectives into actionable plans, expectations, and measurable outcomes for the managers and their teams. This position directs the loan origination and administration sub-departments across a geographically dispersed team. This role is expected to demonstrate the following Director leadership competencies: Empowering Leadership, Business and Financial Acumen, Information Decision Making and Problem Solving, Managing Talent, Strategic Execution and Direction, and Owning Results. Key Responsibilities Provides strategic leadership to a geographically dispersed team across multiple locations by establishing a culture of trust, accountability, collaboration, operational excellence, and continuous improvement while ensuring employees remain engaged, connected, and aligned with organizational goals. Creates consistency in communication, performance expectations, and employee experience regardless of work location Focuses on building strong, collaborative relationships between departments and specifically lending teams to ensure effective communication and alignment on loan-related processes Lead, coach, and develop managers responsible for day-to-day administration, employee performance and team development. Model and reinforce effective delegation by ensuring work is assigned at the appropriate level, decision rights are clear and managers and empowered to lead independently Build team capability through regular coaching, feedback, and leadership development Effectively manages differing priorities while maintaining positive working relationships across departments. Leads change management efforts including mergers and acquisitions for smooth integration of new products, processes and systems Enables loan origination to effectively support lenders and assistants. Enables loan administration to effectively board, service, maintain and close loans efficiently and accurately. Enables loan operations and processes to ensure compliance with banking regulations and internal policies Directs the establishment and monitoring of KPIs for loan origination and administration, including loan processing time, error rates, servicing efficiency and trends, and customer/lender satisfaction Partners with Risk, Compliance, Product Management, and Project Management to understand impact of initiatives on operational functionality Works closely with relevant vendors to deliver collaborative mutually beneficial features and functions to loan operations and lending teams. Finds and implements efficiency gains across the department to manage more loans through the lending lifecycle without proportional growth in expenses Communicates organizational priorities, operational changes, and strategic initiatives clearly and consistently across multiple locations and employee groups. Performs other duties as assigned Requirements Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, or Economics with eight to ten years in bank lending, including progressive leadership roles, including leading managers and multi-layered teams Proven experience in vendor management, integration and project management Demonstrated success building leadership capability, improving team performance and developing talent pipelines Strong understanding of bank lending regulations, compliance requirements and industry best practices including deep understanding of consumer, commercial, real estate and mortgage (with Escrow) loans. Proficiency in banking lending origination and core lending or servicing systems Relevant experience managing teams of people towards customer service goals, including internal customers. Excellent communication, coaching, and interpersonal skills to effectively work with internal teams and external partners Demonstrated success leading large, geographically dispersed teams across multiple locations. Experience leading organizations through significant operational change, including mergers, acquisitions, conversions, or large-scale process transformations Demonstrated emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and the ability to influence without direct authority Ability to analyze complex issues and provide innovative solutions Detail-oriented with a focus on delivering high quality results Willingness to adapt to new technologies Must be able to operate a motor vehicle and maintain a valid driver’s license and auto insurance What we offer our employees: A positive impact on Your Future: 401(k)/Roth plan with immediate eligibility and employer match up to 6% Employee stock ownership plan Discounted rate on primary home mortgage Credit and housing counseling as well as free financial education tools available to customers and employees Benefits to improve your health: Two medical plans available – low-deductible PPO plan or HDHP with Health Savings Account Dental and vision insurance Employer paid life insurance, and short- and long-term disability coverage Retirement plan with generous company match and employee stock purchase option Voluntary life insurance options for employee, spouse, and children The opportunity to nurture your well-being: Paid holidays and paid time off Opportunity for merit raises Employee reward and recognition programs Community service opportunities Southern Bancorp is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. As a Community Development Financial Institution, Southern Bancorp desires its workforce to reflect the diversity of the customers and communities that we serve. Racial and ethnic minorities, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people are often underrepresented in many financial service industry professions. #J-18808-Ljbffr