SUMMARY:

The purpose of this position is to support the credit union's residential and consumer real estate lending goals by assisting members referred through retail branches, credit union employees, digital channels, marketing efforts, and other internal sources. The Mortgage Loan Specialist is responsible for consulting with potential borrowers, identifying the appropriate lending solution, originating loan applications, managing an active loan pipeline, and advising members throughout the lending process.

The Mortgage Loan Specialist serves as an internal subject matter expert for mortgage and real estate-secured lending products and is responsible for promptly following up on assigned referrals and opportunities, converting qualified referrals into applications and funded loans, and achieving established production, service, and referral goals. This position provides prompt, professional, and courteous support and assistance to internal departments, retail branches, and members.

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Originates first mortgage, home equity loan, HELOC, land loan, and other real estate-secured loan applications, including:
• Interviewing loan applicants and providing the necessary counseling regarding loan options, rates, terms, underwriting criteria, collateral requirements, and the overall lending process.
• Evaluating the applicant's financial information and stated needs to identify appropriate lending solutions and submitting complete and accurate loan applications.
• Working closely with Mortgage Processors and Underwriters to ensure all loan conditions are satisfied and files are prepared for closing.
• Managing an active pipeline of loan applications to ensure timely movement from application through closing.
• Communicating loan decisions, conditions, next steps, and status updates to members in a timely and professional manner.
• Proactively following up with members throughout the lending process to obtain required information, answer questions, and facilitate timely loan completion.
• Participating in loan closings as required to support the member experience and successful loan completion.
• Provides friendly, responsive, and professional service to all members while adhering to UT Federal Credit Union's service standards.
• Serves as a primary point of contact for assigned mortgage and real estate lending referrals received from retail branches, credit union employees, digital channels, marketing campaigns, the contact center, and other internal sources.
• Responds promptly to assigned referrals and inquiries and maintains consistent follow-up with prospective borrowers to maximize referral-to-application and application-to-closing conversion.
• Achieves established production, referral conversion, sales, service, and other performance goals set forth by the credit union.
• Serves as a primary point of contact for members throughout the mortgage and real estate lending process, responding to inquiries and resolving issues as they arise.
• Maintains the highest level of confidentiality with all member information and loan documentation.
• Maintains a thorough understanding of UT Federal Credit Union's first mortgage, home equity, HELOC, land loan, and other real estate-secured lending products to ensure members are placed in the product that best fits their financial situation.
• Maintains a thorough knowledge of other credit union products and services to identify appropriate cross-sell opportunities that benefit the member and deepen the overall member relationship.
• Partners with retail member-facing staff to support referral activity, training, mortgage and home equity product education, and awareness of current lending programs and promotions.
• Serves as a resource to branch and member-facing employees by answering questions regarding mortgage products, home equity products, land loans, lending guidelines, application processes, and general qualification requirements.
• Maintains accurate records of member contacts, referrals, applications, pipeline activity, and follow-up activities within applicable credit union systems.
• Actively participates in department, branch, and all-staff meetings to maintain awareness of organizational issues and promotional campaigns and stays current on policies, procedures, products, and applicable regulations.
• Attends training classes to continuously increase job knowledge and overall job performance in order to provide exceptional service to members. Takes initiative for personal career development and seeks opportunities to learn new skills.
• Any other duties and/or projects as assigned by manager.

 

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

Exhibit excellent communication skills by listening to members' needs and providing knowledgeable guidance regarding lending products and services in a positive, friendly, and professional manner. They demonstrate patience, empathy, responsiveness, and a commitment to creating an exceptional member experience.

Focused, organized, responsive, and able to effectively manage a high volume of member inquiries, referrals, applications, and follow-up activities. They demonstrate a sense of urgency in responding to member and employee referrals and take ownership of opportunities from initial contact through loan closing.

Comfortable in a sales and service environment and demonstrate strong consultative sales abilities by identifying lending solutions and other credit union products and services that appropriately meet member needs. They consistently work toward established production, referral conversion, sales, service, and pipeline management goals.

Develop strong working relationships with branch employees and other internal referral partners and establish themselves as trusted resources for mortgage and real estate lending needs. They are team-oriented, adaptable, and comfortable working in a dynamic, member-focused environment.

 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

No supervisory responsibilities required.

 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Maintains the highest standards of ethical behavior.
• Maintains a positive attitude with employees and members and remains flexible while focused on accepted practices, policy, productivity, and effectiveness.
• Promotes awareness of the credit union's mission and brand statement to the credit union membership.
• Abides by the Service Standards established by the credit union.
• Knowledge of financial products and services.
• Knowledge of mortgage, home equity, HELOC, land loan, and other real estate lending products and processes preferred.
• Compliance with the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act (SAFE Act), requiring registration through the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry (NMLS).
• Demonstrated consultative sales skills and ability to meet established production, conversion, service, and sales goals.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple member referrals, applications, deadlines, and follow-up activities simultaneously.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with demonstrated attention to detail.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with retail branches and other internal departments.
• Has regular, predictable attendance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to communicate professionally with members and employees.
• Maintains a professional appearance in accordance with established dress code.
• Technological skills and knowledge, including computer literacy and the ability to effectively utilize loan origination, communication, and member relationship management systems.

 

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

Associates degree preferred; plus one to three years' related experience in sales and lending

services; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

 

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Ability to accurately process account entries and transactions, write routine reports and construct basic correspondence to communicate professionally with members. Ability to speak effectively to members and employees of the organization. Ability to read and interpret basic forms, credit union documents, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.

 

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percentages.

 

 

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving variables in situations. In certain circumstances, problem resolution may require considerable diplomacy while dealing with difficult people.

 

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

A Notary Public certification may be required.

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand for extended periods; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee must be able to speak and hear distinctly. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

 

The employee is required to stand, sit and walk; sometimes to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 lbs.

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. All essential functions are performed in an office setting. Temperatures in the climate-controlled office may fluctuate. Work area is sometimes noisy due to multiple member interactions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Employee may not be able to easily leave work area unless for a scheduled break.

 

MENTAL DEMANDS:

The mental demands for this position include: the need to be alert to member needs, to be resourceful in solving member problems, and to be precise when updating member accounts. The employee must be able to deal with people effectively under adverse and/or stressful conditions, occasionally be persuasive, use judgment, and exhibit patience.