Description

Title: Loan Project Specialist

Department: Consumer Lending

Reports to: Director of Consumer Lending

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Job Grade: 10

Job Purpose: To assist and provide support to all strategic objectives related to Consumer Lending project implementations and initiatives. Works with the Consumer Lending management team and CU stakeholders to ensure the business needs related to Consumer Lending are understood and addressed when developing new solutions. Works with Consumer Lending management to identify opportunities for process improvements within the Consumer Lending departments. Oversees quality control throughout the lending initiatives lifecycle by providing testing and systems expertise in order to facilitate the successful implementation of new and enhanced products and services.

This position serves as a point of contact for stakeholders regarding product/service delivery that is core lending or lending specialized and requires system and compliance expertise. In addition, this position supports Consumer Lending by reviewing, analyzing, validating, and managing the needs to achieve the Consumer Lending business requirements.

Essential Job Results:

JOB SPECIFIC RESULTS

• Support lending initiatives by working with projects, lending teams, project department and CU stakeholders to develop milestones, costs, required testing, ensure proper training and adhere to timelines to deliver a quality implementation.
• Supports Consumer Lending projects by providing improvement expertise and defining as-is and future state processes within Symitar Quest, MeridianLink and other platforms to accommodate and meet lending objectives.
• Test ending product or process from the perspective of functionality, usability, reliability, integration, and performance. Share results with and provide documentation of QA activities as assigned through collaboration with business unit subject matter experts.
• Write and disseminate test plans, including procedures, proposals, progress reports and presentations. Assist with testing new products and systems.
• Ensure quality assurance best practices are implemented by collaborating with Consumer Lending management to develop test cases and plans. Schedule testing utilizing resources from impacted areas.
• Assists with remediation and corrective action of compliance deficiencies identified through internal and external compliance reviews, audits, and examinations.
• Review system release updates on Consumer Lending systems for upgrades and/or enhancements. 
• Identify Consumer Lending projects that require IT input. Work with business owners, project team and vendors to assist with identifying scope (when necessary).
• Recommend technical, process, and behavioral solutions to problems based upon business requirements. These solutions should reduce costs, drive efficiency, improve member experience, or coincide with the Credit Union’s strategic plan.
• Manage relationships with service providers when outsourcing services or procuring technical solutions to ensure the deliverables achieve desired goals and objectives.
• Serve as a conduit between Consumer Lending and other departments within the Credit Union. Work closely with Risk Management to ensure compliance and risk issues related to projects that are implemented.
• Develop and present workflow diagrams, process maps, and recommendations identifying current and future state for stakeholders. Utilize communication tools to update stakeholders on current project status, project roadblocks, and present clear options for management decision-making.
• Work with HR training team to facilitate training plans and communicate to all impacted areas well in advance of changes being implemented.

GENERAL STAFF RESULTS

• Protects both members and staff by keeping information confidential, sharing on a business- related as-needed basis only.
• Engages in problem resolution by clarifying the member and/or employee issues; determining the cause of the problem; selecting and explaining the best solution to solve the problem; expediting correction or adjustment; following up to ensure resolution; and keeping the supervisor informed of problems and solutions.
• Complies with UKFCU policies and procedures by enforcing and adhering to internal UKFCU procedures and board-established policies.
• Complies with federal, state, and local regulations and legal requirements by enforcing and adhering to requirements.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by maintaining an awareness of competitors’ rates and terms, industry trends and technology; attending staff meetings; identifying opportunities to attend seminars that enhance skills and maintain knowledge of new products that could assist in improving operational effectiveness; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; benchmarking state-of-the-art practices; and participating in professional societies.
• Contributes to a team effort by accomplishing corporate and individual goals and other related results as needed.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Professionalism in all communications.
• Commitment to the Credit Union movement and philosophy.
• Integrity in all actions.
• Ability to identify the needs of the member and provide services to meet those needs.
• Accountability to established metrics and performance goals.

Qualifications

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in business or related field, or equivalent related work experience.
• Three or more years of similar or related experience in an equivalent role.
• Advanced PC and general computer experience including PowerPoint, Excel and Visio.
• Ability to communicate with others individually and in groups, fielding questions, responding to complaints, and negotiating to desired outcomes.
• Attention to Detail: Follows detailed procedures; ensures accuracy in documentation and details; and all components/details.
• Troubleshooting: Effectively uses a systematic approach to problem-solving in an effort to find and correct issues. Consistently seeks the most effective and efficient way to solve problems.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw conclusions while dealing with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to understand business practices to identify process improvement opportunities.
• Ability to complete assigned project tasks within established schedule.
• Ability to travel to branch locations to facilitate project activities.
• Ability to write reports, correspondence, policies, procedures, and work instructions.
• Ability to work independently.
• Previous financial institution experience preferred.
• Smartsheet and MeridianLink experience preferred.

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 accommodations 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 sit and stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to walk and stand. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee will be required to work indoors in a climate-controlled office setting. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

MENTAL DEMANDS:

The mental characteristics necessary to competently perform this job include the occasional need to be persuasive, use good judgment; and the continuous need to use auditory perception, memory, and reasoning ability.

*The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the types of results that will be required of the positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the specific responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically outlined in this description.

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UKFCU is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, females, veterans, and disabled individuals. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran. UKFCU invites you to review the current "EEO Is the Law" poster as part of the application process. A link to the most current posters is here. Please also see the 2015 Supplemental EEO Poster here.

The Credit Union leadership recognizes that to achieve its vision and mission, it must embed the values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in all aspects of the Credit Union’s work. Together, the staff, membership and communities are diverse and as such, the Credit Union must reflect and respect that diversity. The Credit Union’s leadership recognizes and believes when an organization’s leadership and staff are representative of the people that it serves, it can better meet its vision and mission. Further, the Credit Union leadership believes that it benefits when diverse perspectives are represented, respected and included among the discourse and decision-making that takes place at the Credit Union, and with and among its staff, membership and communities.

Applications are only accepted through our online application system. However, if you need assistance with any part of the application process or are unable to apply online because of a medical condition or disability and need an accommodation, please contact recruiting@ukfcu.orgto let us know the nature of your request. Please note, UKFCU accepts only employment applications that are complete and received by the Office of Human Resources by the specified deadline for each opening.

This position allows for an optional hybrid work arrangement which includes a combination of both in-office and remote work arrangements. (Maximum of two days remote, three days in-office). To be eligible for the program, employees must complete a minimum of 6 months of continuous, regular employment, be in good standing, and submit a formal hybrid work application prior to being eligible for hybrid work, pending supervisor approval. Work schedules will be established by the employee's supervisor according to business needs. Working locations and schedules may be altered at management discretion.