Manager, Risk, Credit & Lending Operations

Wintrust provides community and commercial banking, specialty finance and wealth management services through its 16 bank charters and nine non-bank businesses. Wintrust delivers the sophisticated solutions of a large bank while staying true to the relationship-focused, personalized service of our community banking roots. We serve clients in all 50 states with more than 200 branch banking locations in Illinois, southwestern Florida, northwestern Indiana, west Michigan and southern Wisconsin and commercial banking offices in Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Mich., and in key branch banking locations throughout Illinois. Our people are the heart of our business and we are proud to rank consistently as a top place to work. Wintrust is a $66 billion financial institution based in Rosemont, Illinois, and listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “WTFC.”

Why join us?

• An award-winning culture! We are rated a Top Workplace by the Chicago Tribune (past 10 years) and Employee Recommended award by the Globe & Mail (past 6 years)

• Competitive pay and discretionary or incentive bonus eligible

• Comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, vision, life, a 401k plan with a generous company match and tuition reimbursement to name a few.

• Family-friendly work hours

• With 175+ community bank locations, we offer opportunities to grow and develop in your career.

• Promote from within culture.

Why join this team?

• We have a culture that encourages an entrepreneurial spirit.

• We offer multiple opportunities for development and upward mobility.

What You’ll Do:

The Risk Manager, Credit & Lending Operations, will lead the continuous development of our operational risk and compliance oversight. Develop and oversee new centralized, enterprise quality control functions including migration from existing/legacy functions.  While aligning practices to Wintrust enterprise risk and compliance framework, develop process and controls to proactively identify, manage, monitor, report and mitigate risks and issues.  Lead and manage reviews, periodic risk assessments and regulatory exams and manage all issues/findings including coordination of remediation/action plans.

Risk Management and Oversight

• Risk assessment, identification, remediation

• Lead RCSA’s, the BSA/AML risk assessment, SOX control validation/testing, and third-party risk reviews for Credit & Lending Operations

• Lead Compliance/Fair Banking, Internal Audit, regulatory and similar reviews

• Act as single point of contact for all issues including Compliance, Risk Management, ICFR/SOX, self-identified issues and others.  Coordinate and manage action plans, remediation and escalations as needed.

• Lead for regulatory changes and management for Credit & Lending Operations

• Act as main point of contact for advising changes to regulation applicability, risk policies and procedures

• Develop strong working relationships with the second and third lines of defense.

• Take ownership of and refine business continuity and business recovery plans spanning Credit & Lending Operations.

• Manage complaints and all other risk, compliance, regulatory issues for Credit & Lending Operations

Quality Control

• Develop and maintain loan sampling methodology to drive review population.  Adjust as needed for new or amended products, business lines or other material changes impacting the loan setup workflow

• In partnership with Business, Credit, Risk and Finance partners, develop and execute checklists that appropriately capture operational risk

• Validate completeness of exception tracking for missing/incomplete documents, and collateral documentation, including lien verification and/or tickler setup for trailing documents

• Produce and distribute quality control reports for management and/or applicable risk committees

• Analyze and provide feedback to key stakeholders on defects, exceptions and potential procedure or control breakdowns

Controls and Reporting

• Own existing RCSA’s, key compliance controls, ICFR/SOX and other controls. Design appropriate controls to mitigate risk, ensuring effectiveness through periodic annual testing and review

• Conduct control effectiveness reviews/testing and recommendation changes as needed

• Maintain inventory of compliance and risk controls, mapped to appropriate policies and procedures

• Manage compliance and risk review and approval prior to implementing changes in controls, policies or procedures

• Manage periodic policy and procedure review and approval

• Report to various committees on Risk, Compliance, and Oversight for Credit & Lending Operations

• Manage Credit & Lending Operations Policy and Procedures within established Wintrust standards.

• Develop, own, enhance and report on KRIs and KPIs

Training and Risk Awareness

• Promotes risk and compliance culture by educating Credit & Lending Operations team members, at all levels, on risk and control responsibilities; leveraging management tools including training, communication and continuous feedback

• Follows up on missing training and escalates as necessary.

Qualifications:

• 7-10 years’ experience prior management experience in risk management, credit & lending operations.

• Familiarity with lending and related operations and associated banking regulatory environment.  Cross functional stakeholder influence and cross functional people management

• Strong leadership and managerial skills to build the team including creating the department vision, talent development plans, and coaching strategies for team success

• Strong enterprise awareness and alignment, including governance, planning, delivery, and change management processes for operating in an evolving environment

• Tenacity and inclination to seek out and implement procedural / process improvements in maturing the department

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent

• Advanced Computer Skills.

Benefits:

Medical Insurance • Dental • Vision • Life insurance • Accidental death and dismemberment • Short-term and long-term Disability Insurance • Parental Leave • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) • Traditional and Roth 401(k) with company match • Flexible Spending Account (FSA) • Employee Stock Purchase Plan at 5% discount • Critical Illness Insurance • Accident Insurance • Transportation and Commuting Benefits • Banking Benefits • Pet Insurance

Compensation:

The estimated salary range for this role is $117,000 - $158,000, along with eligibility to earn an annual bonus. Actual salaries may vary based on several factors, such as a candidate’s qualifications, skills and experience.

From our first day in business, Wintrust has been proud to serve a variety of unique communities and people from all walks of life.  To build a company that reflects the communities we serve, we believe that fostering a unique and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed will support our ongoing success.  Wintrust Financial Corporation, including community banking and financial services subsidiaries, is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.