Senior Loan Operations Specialist

About the role

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.

Responsibilities

• 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 before 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 enforceability.
• Maintain a strong understanding of commercial, agricultural, residential, and consumer lending products.
• Aid in loan onboarding, maintenance, and 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.
• Aid in preparing collateral release documentation and paid loan file reviews.
• Support loan imaging, document retention, and electronic file management processes.
• 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.
• 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 filings.
• Assist with vendor management activities.
• Analyze lien priority issues and assist in resolving collateral documentation concerns and/or questions.
• Serve as a lending operations subject matter expert and resource for department staff.
• Aid in onboarding, training, and cross-training of loan operations personnel.
• Provide guidance and support to the loan operations team members.
• Absorb 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.
• Participate in core system upgrades, lending system implementations, conversions, testing, and process enhancements.
• Aid in 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 impacting loan operations.
• Handle inquiries from customers and internal team members with professionalism and responsiveness.
• Support loan officers throughout the loan origination and servicing process.
• Compose letters, reports, procedures, and internal correspondence as requested.
• Exercise sound judgment when handling confidential customer and bank information.
• Recognize suspicious activity and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Assist with departmental reporting and administrative functions.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of lending operations, loan documentation, collateral perfection, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Strong analytical skills, independent judgment, leadership capabilities, and a commitment to operational excellence.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining exceptional accuracy and service levels.
• Strong understanding of electronic records management, digital collaboration platforms, and technology-enabled workflow processes.
• Ability to effectively utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and automation tools approved by the Bank to improve efficiency, enhance accuracy, support research, assist with document review, and streamline administrative tasks while maintaining appropriate confidentiality, security, and legal & regulatory compliance standards, including Microsoft CoPilot and any other emerging tools.
• Ability to evaluate information generated by AI tools using professional judgment and appropriate verification procedures to ensure accuracy, compliance, and adherence to Bank policies & laws.

Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications including Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, PowerPoint, and other business productivity tools.
• Experience with loan origination systems (prefer experience with LaserPro).
• Experience with reporting tools, document management systems, and electronic loan file systems is preferred.
• Strong understanding of electronic records management, digital collaboration platforms, and technology-enabled workflow processes.
• Ability to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and automation tools approved by the Bank to improve efficiency, enhance accuracy, support research, assist with document review, and streamline administrative tasks while maintaining appropriate confidentiality, security, and legal & regulatory compliance standards, including Microsoft CoPilot and any other emerging tools.
• Ability to evaluate information generated by AI tools using professional judgment and appropriate verification procedures to ensure accuracy, compliance, and adherence to Bank policies & laws.