Senior Loan Operations Specialist

JOB TITLE: SENIOR LOAN OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

DEPARTMENT: CREDIT

REPORTS TO: LOAN OPERATIONS OFFICER

FLSA STATUS: NON-EXEMPT

TYPE OF POSITION: FULL TIME – HYBRID OR REMOTE

JOB SUMMARY

The Senior Loan Operations Specialist serves as a senior-level lending operations resource responsible for supporting commercial, consumer, agricultural, and residential lending activities. This position performs advanced loan processing, documentation preparation, collateral management, quality control, and regulatory compliance activities.

The Senior Loan Operations Specialist serves as a subject matter expert within the lending operations space and works closely with Loan Officers, Credit Administration, Loan Operations, Compliance, and Senior Management to ensure lending transactions are processed accurately, timely, and in accordance with bank policy and regulatory requirements.

In addition to performing complex loan documentation and processing functions, this position assists the Loan Operations Officer with workflow coordination, employee training, process improvement initiatives, procedure development, system implementations, audit preparation, and special projects. The individual is expected to provide leadership and operational support across the loan operations department and serve as a backup resource for critical loan operations functions.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (Other duties may be assigned.)

Advanced Loan Documentation and Processing

• Prepare complex commercial, consumer, agricultural, and real estate loan documents supporting loan requests approved by loan committee and the board as needed.
• Verify loan terms against approved loan presentations and ensure all covenants, conditions precedent, collateral requirements, and loan structure requirements are accurately documented.
• Review loan files for completeness and accuracy prior to closing.
• Identify documentation deficiencies and resolve issues with lenders, attorneys, title companies, and third-party vendors.
• Coordinate on complex loan modifications, renewals, extensions, assumptions, and participation loans.
• Review executed loan documents to ensure proper completion and enforce ability.
• Maintain a strong understanding of commercial, agricultural, residential, and consumer lending products.

Loan Operations Support

• Assist with loan onboarding, maintenance, and coordinate servicing functions to loan accounting.
• Support collateral tracking and perfection activities, including vehicle titles, equipment liens, real estate collateral, and UCC filings.
• Review loan maintenance requests for accuracy and policy compliance.
• Assist in preparing collateral release documentation and paid loan file reviews.
• Support loan imaging, document retention, and electronic file management processes.

Regulatory Compliance and Quality Control

• Ensure adherence to the Bank’s Loan Policy and all applicable federal and state regulations.
• Maintain advanced knowledge of Truth in Lending, RESPA, TRID, HMDA, Flood regulations, Fair Lending, ECOA, Fair Housing, Fair Credit Reporting Act, and other applicable lending regulations.
• Assist with documentation requests and questions deriving from internal audits, regulatory examinations, and external loan reviews, as needed.
• Monitor loan documentation standards and recommend corrective actions when necessary.

Entity and Collateral Expertise

• Maintain advanced knowledge of business entities including LLCs, corporations, partnerships, non-profits, trusts, and governmental entities.
• Review organizational documents to determine legal authority and signing capacity.
• Review title commitments, title policies, lien searches, and collateral perfection requirements, including mortgage filing sequence and UCC filing.
• Assist with vendor management activities.
• Analyze lien priority issues and assist in resolving collateral documentation concerns and/or questions.

Leadership and Department Support

• Serve as a lending operations subject matter expert and resource for department staff.
• Assist with onboarding, training, and cross-training of loan operations personnel.
• Provide guidance and support to the loan operations team members.
• Assist with workload balancing and coverage during staff absences or periods of increased volume.
• Participate in developing and updating department procedures and job aids.
• Recommend process improvements that enhance efficiency, accuracy, customer service, and risk management.
• Before execution, review loan documentation received from attorneys or processed by loan operations personnel to ensure accuracy and verify all prior to close items have been met.

Project and Strategic Support

• Participate in core system upgrades, lending system implementations, conversions, testing, and process enhancements.
• Assist management with special projects, process reviews, remediation activities, and strategic initiatives.
• Maintain departmental reports and assist in identifying trends, operational risks, or opportunities for improvement.
• Keep current on industry best practices and regulatory changes…