AVP, Mortgage Construction Lending

At VyStar, we offer competitive pay, an excellent benefit package that includes a 401(k) Plan, an extensive paid technical and on-the-job training program, and tuition reimbursement--available to all full and part time employees.  Part time positions start at a minimum of 30 hours per week.

We encourage you to become a part of VyStar Credit Union's family of employees.

AVP, Mortgage Construction Lending

ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT
The AVP, Mortgage Construction Lending oversees loan activity for VyStar Credit Union’s construction-to-permanent lending teams. This role directs the disclosure process in compliance with regulatory requirements and manages the loan lifecycle from processing through closing and post-closing, including construction loan activity from builder approval at origination through conversion to permanent financing. The position provides direction, leadership, and goal setting while supporting the coaching and development of Real Estate Lending staff to maintain high Member Service standards. The role is also responsible for managing file flow within the Mortgage Fulfillment function.

The incumbent ensures members receive a quality loan experience consistent with VyStar’s mortgage lending policies, practices, and procedures. This role maintains a strong focus on the member experience by regularly evaluating the mortgage loan process and implementing improvements that support a first-class experience. The incumbent also hires, develops, coaches, and evaluates staff to ensure excellent member service while maintaining compliance with Credit Union policies, procedures, processes, and all applicable laws and regulations.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversee the Construction and Renovation-to-Permanent programs in their entirety, in coordination with the VP, Mortgage Fulfillment

• Directly manages and leads Construction Perm Team

• Ensures the Mortgage Lending Team is appropriately trained and maintains continuing education regarding construction products and processes

• Oversee the Construction Perm Welcome Call process to ensure members and builders are properly informed on the project process and excellent service is provided.

• Oversees builder approval process including maintaining approval expiration dates and the recertification process

• Confirm initial closing documents remain accurate and compliant

• Oversee the team’s management of builder draw requests, cost breakdowns, draw conditions, and related requirements.

• Provides oversight of the inspection process and ensures invoices are submitted for payment in accordance with established procedures.

• Ensures the team tracks member documentation and obtains required release documents for each draw.

• Oversee the team’s requests for title updates and final title policies to confirm requirement compliance.

• Ensures timely builder disbursements in accordance with established guidelines.

• Ensures the team monitors monthly interest payments to confirm loans are current and payments are posted correctly before releasing future draws, reducing risk to VyStar.

• Ensures the team monitors hazard and liability insurance expirations, requests replacement coverage, and updates coverage as needed.

• Oversee the preparation and processing of loan modification agreements for maturity date extensions, ensuring accuracy and compliance.

• Oversee the preparation and processing of closing orders to title companies for recording modification agreements and ensures receipt of applicable endorsements is tracked.

• Provides guidance to the team on questions and collaborates with Servicing Management to support resolution of construction loan issues.

• Ensures the team communicates with members regarding documentation and funds required for conversion to permanent financing.

• Ensures the approved inspector list is maintained, including current licenses.

• Provides oversight to ensure the master procedures manual for construction-to-permanent lending remains current and accurate.

• Lead and motivate teams by establishing goals, driving achievement, and supporting strategic initiatives.

• Maintains advanced knowledge of residential lending and provides guidance on complex or unusual transactions.

• Leads teams through changing business environments while supporting analysis, processing, closing, and post-closing responsibilities for a growing portfolio.

• Ensure staff properly apply procedures and policies to deliver quality member experience.

• Analyzes the financial condition and risk of financing requests within VyStar policies, procedures, and current economic and industry conditions.

• Monitors industry advancements and identifies innovative ways to keep VyStar competitive for members and builders.

• Provides oversight of builder software in coordination with the VP, Mortgage Fulfillment, including expertise on implementation, setup, process, workflow, and compliance checkpoints.

• Maintains working knowledge of the loan origination system, including how construction and renovation loan workflows, documentation, disclosures, milestones, and compliance checkpoints are managed within the system.

• Improves productivity while maintaining confidentiality and security controls to support timely, positive responses to member service requests.

• Reviews and guides staff in handling exceptional transactions and member requests that fall outside established policies and procedures.

• Resolves or escalates member issues, investigates complaints, and troubleshoots unforeseen matters to achieve appropriate outcomes.

• Overseas active pipeline management to ensure timing milestones and goals are met, supporting a strong member experience while mitigating portfolio runoff and reputational risk.

• Reviews quality control reports, recommends enhancements or training for improvement areas, and ensures teams implement identified changes.

• Monitors and evaluates employee performance, counsels employees to improve performance and resolve work-related issues, and initiates or approves written personnel action records.

• Develops, recommends, and manages the department budget while monitoring expenses to support cost-efficient operations.

• Reviews and ensures proper completion, forwarding, and retention of records.

• Works with peers across Real Estate Lending, VyStar, and member-facing areas to resolve issues; demonstrates professionalism, initiative, and strong teamwork; monitors trends and provides updates to the VP, Mortgage Fulfillment on emerging issues and opportunities.

• Develop and administer training in coordination with peers, training partners, and other Credit Union teams as needed.

• Encourages positive interactions and strong working relationships with Sales Partners and all areas of Real Estate Lending.

• Performs other duties as assigned and consistently adheres to VyStar’s core values, Code of Ethics, and corporate values.

• Consistently demonstrates VyStar Excellence when serving members, Credit Union employees, and third-party vendors.

• Identifies and recommends process improvements, service enhancements, and efficiency opportunities to Real Estate Lending Management.

• As the first line of defense, all employees and business units are expected to proactively identify, assess, manage, and report risks within their areas of responsibility. To support a healthy risk culture and VyStar’s Growth for Good pillar, employees must remain vigilant in safeguarding operations and maintaining regulatory compliance. The Risk team serves as the second line of defense by providing oversight and credible challenge, while the Audit team serves as the third line of defense by providing risk assurance.

Incumbent is expected to demonstrate each of the following VyStar Excellence behaviors in performing the duties and responsibilities of their job:

• Focus - Focus your full attention by carefully listening to and observing client or member.
• Connect - Consistently be friendly and approachable. Demonstrate your care.
• Understand - Listen empathetically and ask questions (70%/30% rule).
• Counsel - Recommend solutions based on your member’s needs and objectives.
• Advance - Ensure that member’s expectations were exceeded.
• Verify necessary follow-up actions.

JUDGMENT

The incumbent is expected to take independent action to ensure that satisfactory services are provided to members. Immediate decisions are routinely made for exceptional handling of members’ requests for services. Judgment is required in anticipating Mortgage Construction Lending team requirements to develop the annual budget which includes staffing and salary levels as well as facility and equipment needs. Judgments are made on loans within authority. The AVP, Mortgage Construction Lending at times determines handling of large or unusual transactions and must use discretion and judgment in advising member in financial matters.

EFFECT OF ERROR

Errors in judgment can have a significant impact to the Credit Union. Poor planning and use of resources could result in increased operating costs and deficiencies in member services, both actual and perceived. Failure to properly train and educate staff could result in not only ineffective operations, but also in violation of regulations and could possibly subject the credit union to class action or individual lawsuit. In addition, it could impact employee morale and the ability to provide members with quality service. Failure to handle or improper handling of staff grievances could result in claims of unfair labor practices and subject the credit union to time consuming investigations and expensive legal actions. Errors would be difficult to detect in most instances and are likely to cause irreparable damage. Errors would cause damage to the professional image of VyStar as perceived by members, businesses and the community and could result in loss of deposits or income producing business if members are dissatisfied with services. Errors could subject VyStar to fines for non-compliance with regulations or secondary market. If errors were not corrected in a timely manner VyStar’s seller/servicer ID for secondary market transactions could be revoked, thus suspending all loan sales to FNMA/FHLMC and could result in substantial losses of revenues.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

The incumbent has daily personal contact with members and with employees directly supervised. The AVP, Mortgage Construction Lending is responsible to maintain harmonious relationships between the Real Estate Lending Department and other VyStar staff, members, vendors, service bureaus, officials, government agencies, servicing banks, and other businesses or persons which may have contact with the incumbent, or the mortgage loan staff.

The successful candidate for this job must have excellent leadership and communication skills for developing their team. Incumbent should have the ability to interface effectively with members, realtors, builders, and potential clients to ensure smooth workflow and provide efficient service to members while staying abreast of changing policies and procedures. Continuing education via local conferences and workshops and membership in affiliated builder associations should be established as time and resources allow for updates on federal regulations and secondary market requirements.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• High School Diploma is required.

• Bachelor’s degree in a business-related field is preferred.

CERTIFICATIONS

• The employee must meet and maintain all the requirements as a registered mortgage loan originator employed by a federally regulated Institution with the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry (NMLS). The employee must comply with all provisions of the Act as defined in the Secure and Fair Enforcement of Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 (S.A.F.E. Act) and credit union S.A.F.E. Act Procedures.

EXPERIENCE

• 6+ years of experience is required in the mortgage industry.

• 3+ years of management experience is required.

• 2+ years of construction to perm experience is required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• The incumbent must understand all applicable mortgage loan products and related requirements, including processing, quality control, documentation, and procedures. This includes familiarity with standard mortgage products such as conforming, jumbo fixed and adjustable-rate mortgages, construction loans, and renovation loans.

• The role also requires current knowledge of relevant mortgage laws, regulations, and secondary market requirements, including processing standards, quality expectations, documentation, and procedures within mortgage lending.

• Ability to interface effectively with members, realtors, builders, and potential clients to ensure smooth workflow and provide efficient service to members while staying abreast of changing policies and procedures.

• Must be self-disciplined and goal-oriented with a demonstrated ability to work independently as well as coach and develop others to achieve their goals.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, analytical and organizational skills combined with the ability to condense technical subject matter into clear and effective communications

• Strong attention to detail

• Ability to create, compose and edit written materials

• Demonstrate sound judgment and decision making

• Ability to effectively interact and communicate verbally and in written form.

• Ability to handle multiple priorities.

DISCLAIMERS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

Nothing in this position description is an implied contract for employment. The position description is intended to be an accurate account of the essential functions. The functions are not all encompassing and are subject to change at any time by management. The work environment characteristics described are representative of those that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. As required or requested, may exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

VyStar Credit Union is not seeking outside assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from staffing agencies or search firms for employment or contractor opportunities. Any resumes submitted by an outside vendor to any employee at VyStar via e-mail, internet, or directly to hiring managers without a valid written search agreement with the Talent Acquisition / HR department will be deemed the sole property of VyStar Credit Union.

No placement fee will be paid if a candidate is hired as a result of the referral, or through other means.

Thank you for your inquiry regarding our current job opening.  Your resume will be carefully reviewed against the position requirements. Should your experience and skills match, you will be contacted by one of our Human Resources department staff members.

Thank you again for your interest in this position!

VyStar Credit Union Human Resources