Residential Lending Operations Manager

Job Title

Manage the daily operational flow of the Mortgage Underwriting and Processing staff, for secondary market, correspondent investor and residential portfolio lending within established Bank objectives, policies, and procedures. Provide daily direction to Department Managers and staff. Is responsible for ensuring mortgage underwriting policies, procedures, operational, and compliance processes are sound and effective. Coordinate all compliance related underwriting reports, documentation, and verifications. Resolve daily underwriting issues and recommend efficiency improvements, within scope of authority. Support department managers with research into new product roll out, and investor relations. Work collaboratively with Sales and Production Management to ensure a positive customer experience with the entire mortgage process.

Essential Job Functions / Responsibilities

Management of Mortgage Underwriters and Underwriting Assistants

1. Daily management of Mortgage, Home Equity and Consumer Lending pipelines to ensure all loans are processed and underwritten to meet critical closing dates, ECOA requirements, rate lock commitments, and secondary market loan sale deadlines.
2. Ensures conformance with established Bank policies and procedures as well as compliance with federal, state, and investor regulations and requirements.
3. Trains, supervises, and motivates department managers that directly report to the Residential Lending Operations Manager and oversee various areas of the Residential and Consumer Lending department.
4. Prepares and delivers performance appraisals to direct reports.
5. Works in conjunction with the Quality Control Department to disseminate procedural updates to mortgage and home equity colleagues to ensure compliance with all federal, states and investor regulations and requirements.

Underwriting

1. Provides a lending decision for all mortgage loans up to specified level.
2. Has authorization to approve guideline waivers within scope of authority and make recommendations to senior management for exceptions and restructuring of loans beyond authority.
3. Partners with Origination staff using product and underwriting knowledge to find all legitimate ways of approving loans through counter offers if necessary.
4. Resolves conflicts between production staff and underwriting staff regarding loan acceptability when needed.

Customer Service

1. Assists Mortgage and Home Equity department managers by offering advice and council on loan products, underwriting, and compliance issues.
2. Handles customer requests in a timely fashion without sacrificing underwriting standards.
3. Communicates with mortgage customers when needed to obtain information and documentation.

Department Operations

1. Provides training and support to Mortgage, Home Equity and Consumer Lending production staff.
2. Assists Director of Residential Lending Operations in the roll out of new loan programs and introduction of new secondary market investors.
3. Provides comprehensive training and skill development in support of new residential lending products and new product processes.
4. Ensures that the current technology is providing a strong system to meet the needs of the underwriting area. Keeps current on new and upcoming technology that may benefit the Bank. Makes recommendations and assists in the implementation of new technology.
5. Assists the Director of Residential Lending Operations in the performance of daily operational tasks including, but not limited to, monthly meetings with underwriting staff to inform and update any new products or changes in current guidelines.
6. Acts as liaison on behalf of Mortgage Operations Officer with Bank's mortgage investors, mortgage insurance companies, and service vendors.
7. Represents the Director of Residential Lending Operations as a designee on various Bank-wide committees and coordinates special projects.

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.

Experience:

• At least five (5) years' underwriting experience, with broad knowledge and understanding of all aspects of mortgage lending and the ability to work with and understand a variety of concepts, practices, and procedures that underwriters and sales staff face on a daily basis.
• Three (3) or more years' experience in a managerial/supervisory role in a high-volume mortgage underwriting environment.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Extensive knowledge of underwriting, secondary market guidelines, and regulatory guidelines.
• Strong communication skills.
• Advanced computer knowledge and skills.
• Demonstrated experience of managing a pipeline and staff during times of high production volume.
• Thorough knowledge of mortgage products and the ability to stay abreast of changes.
• Fluent in use of automated underwriting systems, documentation requirements, bank portfolio, and secondary market investor requirements.
• Ability to manage a team and ensure consistent delivery of high-quality service to both internal and external customers in a high-volume, deadline driven environment.
• Demonstrated ability to use critical thinking skills and creativity to develop and implement solutions to unique issues/problems as they arise.

Competencies:

• Must have cyber security awareness to protect the digital environment, the Bank, and customers.

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