Loan Servicing Team Lead

About Us

First Fed is a local community bank on an exciting growth trajectory with 15 locations including 11 full-service branches in Western Washington. Recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal as a Best Workplace and a Top Corporate Philanthropist, First Fed has received awards for Best Bank in The Best of the Northwest, Best Banker in Readers’ Choice by Cascadia Daily News, and Best Bank on the Olympic Peninsula by Peninsula Daily News. Forbes also named us a Best-In-State bank. For over 100 years, First Fed has served customers and communities throughout the PNW. We’ve donated over $9 million to non-profit organizations in the past 8 years through our foundations, sponsorships, direct donations, and matched employee donations. Our team has volunteered over 25,000 hours in the past 5 years—many using our benefit of 3 paid volunteer days per year.

Our Values

• Optimism: We are positive and decisive, believing the future will be better than the past. Our attitude demonstrates persistence which leads to success.
• Initiative: We are self-starters who find innovative solutions. We are courageous, entrepreneurial, and passionate, taking action for good.
• Respect: We include individuals from diverse backgrounds and with different perspectives, committed to honoring and serving others.
• Growth: We learn and adapt to continually improve, believing in personal growth through grit and determination.
• Ownership: We are invested in our endeavors, accountable, and take responsibility for our actions and decisions.

About the Role

Organize, coordinate, and provide technical guidance and expertise in the daily servicing of commercial and/or consumer and mortgage loans. Provide guidance, training, and technical expertise to other members in the Loan Servicing Department with day-to-day activities in accordance with established guidelines and determine appropriate courses of action. Maintain positive, professional, and cooperative relationships and communication with all staff. Perform various tasks as assigned to service internal and external customers and support sales and service efforts designed to retain existing customer relationships and enable growth of new relationships. Ensure sustained profitable growth through support of the bank’s deposit, loan, and fee income goals.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day activities in Loan Servicing.
• Process assigned, complex loan boardings, quality control reviews, file maintenance requests, and payoffs accurately and efficiently within specified service level agreement timeframes.
• Process customer account requests including posting of payments, providing payoff quotes, tax and insurance payments, and releasing secured collateral.
• Process specialized loans, complex transactions, or servicing functions.
• Balance the general ledger on a daily and monthly basis.
• Provide support, guidance, and coaching to the loan servicing staff to effectively service all types of loans.
• Develop advanced-level user skills for Cleartouch and related lending interfaces for Consumer, Mortgage, and Commercial Loans.
• Direct workload assignments to direct reports with fairness and objectivity, fostering a collaborative team environment.
• Provide support to Loan Servicing Manager and perform delegated tasks on a backup basis.
• Participate in the management of project tasks and duties to support the bank’s future goals for growth.
• Perform quality control audits on newly funded loans and file maintenance.
• Assist in providing new hire and ongoing training for loan servicing staff, working closely with the Loan Servicing Manager to identify training opportunities and needs.
• Assist internal and external customers with complex inquiries via phone, email, or in person.
• Research and respond to customer inquiries or concerns in a timely manner.
• Provide outstanding customer service to internal and external customers in a courteous and professional manner by telephone, email, fax, or mail.
• Develop and maintain a working knowledge of First Fed and department policies, procedures, and systems.
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

Requirements

• Associate degree or certified equivalency, 3+ years of loan servicing experience, or equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Advanced understanding of loans and collateral types, general ledger, and suspense accounts.
• Advanced understanding of a wide range of loan products, preferably including consumer, mortgage, commercial, secondary market, SBA, and participation loans.
• Advanced understanding of loan servicing tasks including investor reporting, escrow processing, and insurance tracking.
• Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills with a focus on the needs of internal and external customers.
• Ability to effectively direct the work of others, including delegating, coaching, and motivating staff performance.
• Ability to identify individual learning needs/styles and coach/train appropriately.
• Ability to foster an environment of teamwork and cooperation in meeting customer needs and bank goals.
• Active learner with demonstrated ability to seek out resources and address own learning needs effectively.
• Experience with Fiserv products preferred.
• Strong mathematical or general accounting skills.
• Outstanding customer service focus and ability to work effectively and collaboratively with others.
• Strong organizational skills, problem-solving skills, and attention to detail.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in the use of personal computers, standard software applications including Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Proven ability to work independently.

Physical Requirements

The work requires the ability to operate office machines and equipment, such as personal computers, printers, copying machines, and telephones. The work requires the ability to communicate clearly with customers, coworkers, and others in person and on telephones. Work activities involve combinations of sitting/standing for extended periods.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $26.45 - $44.96 per hour, with a typical hiring range of $26.45 - $30.35 per hour. The incentive plan for this position is the Partnership Incentive plan, paid out quarterly with a 5% target payout.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plans (401k with company match and Employee Stock Ownership Plan)
• Gym membership reimbursement
• Discounts on banking products

Additional information on our benefits package can be viewed at https://www.ourfirstfed.com/careers.