Homeowners Assistance Counselor-3

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About the Role

Under moderate supervision, the Homeowner's Assistance Department Counselor initiates contact and provides assistance to consumer and mortgage loan customers who are in default. Counsels and guides the customer in order to achieve workout alternatives based upon the customer's circumstances while complying with all investor, company, federal, and insurer guidelines. The counselor works to minimize potential losses on delinquent loans by contacting borrowers and/or their agents, mortgage brokers, real estate agents, title companies, attorneys, investors, and insurers to work toward resolution of the delinquency in accordance with departmental and legal guidelines.

Responsible and accountable for risk by openly exchanging ideas and opinions, elevating concerns, and personally following policies and procedures as defined. Accountable for always doing the right thing for customers and colleagues, ensuring actions and behaviors drive a positive customer experience. While operating within the Bank’s risk appetite, achieves results by consistently identifying, assessing, managing, monitoring, and reporting risks of all types.

Responsibilities

• Pursues communication with defaulted customers utilizing manual dialing to offer potential workout alternatives.
• Contacts delinquent customers to obtain payment commitments.
• Makes collection/demand calls with an account load defined by applicable capacity model.
• Analyzes customer's situation and collateral risk to present alternative solutions including Forbearance Plans, Repayment Plans, Modifications, Assumptions, Pre-foreclosure/Short Sales, and Deed in Lieu.
• Assists in identifying, negotiating, and pursuing the appropriate loss mitigation option that best maximizes customer satisfaction and investor return.
• Reviews, negotiates, and recommends action on requests for proposed foreclosure or repossession alternatives within the timeframes established by management.
• Identifies, evaluates, and resolves reasons for delinquency.
• Explains all workout options within company/investor/insurer guidelines and knows the requirements of each.
• Performs skip tracing on accounts for possible leads to find customer information to contact them.
• Quotes reinstatement amounts, payoffs, and sets up repayment plans within the system.
• Pursues resolution on referrals of non-delinquent customers who request alternatives to allow ownership retention.
• Ensures all requested documentation has been requested and received from the customer.
• Monitors all accounts associated with the Soldiers and Sailors Act to ensure compliance with all required guidelines.
• Records all collection efforts via the collection system.
• Recommends additional actions with management assistance on delinquent accounts.
• Escalates calls and/or problem accounts to supervisor, repossession, legal, or collection agencies as appropriate.
• Provides feedback to management for ideas on process improvement and suggestions for the specialty collections unit.
• Provides administrative support as directed by management.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum two years of collection, support, or related customer service experience; Loss Mitigation experience is preferable but not required.
• Knowledge of basic mortgage default timelines/procedures (bankruptcy/escrow/foreclosure).
• Knowledge of bank-owned, investor, and insurer guidelines for mortgage and consumer companies.
• Required to know and adhere to FDCPA/Privacy Act/state laws as well as other bank policies regarding collection guidelines.
• Excellence in consulting and advising customers via telephone and written communication.
• Excellent customer service skills with both external and internal customers.
• Excellent communication, comprehension, listening, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to meet deadlines and work independently with a medium level of supervision.
• Ability to analyze and suggest resolution to problems.
• Understanding of debt collections in any stage of delinquency (up to 180 days, charge off, and bankruptcy).
• Foreclosure, bankruptcy, and REO experience preferred.
• Familiarity with financial statements, tax returns, credit reports, home appraisals, title searches, and other documents used to evaluate a pre-foreclosure remedy.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and mathematical skills to be used in financial counseling and evaluation and interpretation of complex information.
• Basic understanding of mortgage lending and servicing.
• Must be able to work in a team environment to interact well with employees and all levels of the organization.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Access, and Excel with a minimum intermediate level.

Benefits

At Fifth Third, we understand the importance of recognizing our employees for the role they play in improving the lives of our customers, communities, and each other. Our Total Rewards include comprehensive benefits and differentiated compensation offerings to give each employee the opportunity to be their best every day.

• The base salary for this position is reflective of the range of salary levels for all roles within this pay grade across the U.S. Individual salaries within this range will vary based on factors such as role, relevant skillset, relevant experience, education, and geographic location.
• In addition to the base salary, this role is eligible to participate in an incentive compensation plan, with any such payment based upon company, line of business, and/or individual performance.
• Our extensive benefits programs are designed to support the individual needs of our employees and their families, encompassing physical, financial, emotional, and social well-being. Learn more about those programs.

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio 45227