Upward On is Hiring a Director of Lending Near New York, NY
About The OpportunityThis is an opportunity for a Director of Lending to join a non-profit dedicated to affordable home ownership. Reporting to the Vice President of Lending and Servicing, the Director of Lending will be responsible for the successful operation of lending programs and a team of 13 staff. The Director of Lending must be a flexible, proactive, and initiative-taking professional with substantial experience in successfully facilitating the operation of residential lending programs and managing a team. The Director of Lending must also have a proven track record of playing an integral role in the implementation of systems, policies, and strategies on a departmental level. The Director of Lending will work with the senior management team in supporting existing lending programs. The Director of Lending will have a strong emphasis on staff development, including building strong managers within the team and providing training opportunities for the full team. The Director of Lending will also manage internal and external compliance and vendors and serve as the manager of all aspects of existing and new loan products and programs. About The OrganizationOur client is a non-profit organization that promotes and protects affordable homeownership in New York so that distressed homeowners and working-class families are able to build strong, thriving communities. Established by public and private partners, the Organization meets the diverse needs of homeowners throughout New York State by offering free, high-quality housing services. The Organization's current projects support their policy goals and help to keep homeownership affordable by responding to the ongoing effects to avoid foreclosure, the rising cost of homeownership, predatory scams, rising sea levels, and more extreme weather. The Organization also makes residential loans that other NYS licensed lenders are often unwilling or unable to originate to qualified individuals and families to support these goals. The Organization's Lending team operates a statewide portfolio of low- and no-cost lending programs on behalf of vulnerable homeowners, particularly BIPOC and senior homeowners underserved by traditional credit providers and disproportionately affected by predatory scams. The organization’s programs are responsive to threats to homeownership caused by the 2008 financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change. Role And Responsibilties
Provide oversight of loan intake, origination, processing, underwriting, closing and servicing activities
Collaborate with senior managers about staff hiring and personnel issues as needed
Track deliverables and prepare dashboards and reports for internal and external needs
Continuously improve policies and practices to meet program goals and deliverables and deliver positive outcomes for homeowners
Manage successful completion of state and federal compliance, licensing, reporting, and certification processes
Lead the implementation of new residential 1-4 family lending programs as opportunities arise or are presented
Manage procedures, loan documentation, and outreach materials for all lending programs to ensure continuity, transfer of knowledge, and accuracy
Learn from peer institutions and adopt best practices for lending operations
Identify areas for improvement and/or innovation pertaining to current lending operations
Management oversight of the lending team
Serve as BytePro Administrator
Key Responsibilities Include
Directly supervise the lending team staff
Provide oversight, direction, and support to the underwriting team while adhering to loan origination - underwriting compliance barriers
Supervise all application and lending compliance activities of internal staff and managers
Manage implementation and updates of loan program and loan product policies and procedures
Manage any outside consultants and third-party vendors providing online application, underwriting, loan closing, and other program services
Responsible for quality control of the lending programs
Lead and support LOS platform updates and LOS administration
Lead efforts to secure a new LOS system that better supports the loan origination process and is compatible with the other related technology used throughout the agency
Assist the Vice President with the application and activation of secondary market outlets for loan products as needed
Skills & Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree preferred
Minimum five (5) years of verifiable experience in the business of making residential mortgage loans and credit evaluation experience, or equivalent educational or work experience
Possess qualifications of at least 5 years underwriting experience and clearance of personal and financial questionnaire, and willing to immediately submit an application to request approval to become a Qualified Individual for NYS Department of Financial Services
Preferred to currently possess or have the qualifications and ability to immediately apply for a Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) license
Significant (at least three years) staff management and supervisory responsibilities and a proven ability to lead
Experience working with origination and/or servicing CRMs
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Demonstrated success in innovative leadership, project planning and implementation, problem-solving, judgment, and decision‐making
Understanding of various alternative loan and grant funds preferred
Familiarity with issues related to foreclosure and the subprime/credit crisis
An energetic and flexible team player
Experience with Google and Microsoft Office suites required. Experience with Salesforce.com or other CRM platform preferred
Demonstrate Ownership by showing initiative, acting conscientiously, and putting team results above individual accomplishments;
Demonstrate a Growth Mindset through resilience, engaging in expansive thinking, and showing curiosity
Works collaboratively by demonstrating the ability to work in teams, exhibiting emotional intelligence, and having positive energy