Real Estate Lending (Mortgage) Director

Founded by a small group of educators, Michigan Schools & Government Credit Union (MSGCU) has been providing quality financial services to the community for 70 years and welcomes everyone in Michigan to bank with us. We are financial champions committed to helping our members achieve financial success by rallying behind them and their goals. As the sixth largest Credit Union in Michigan, MSGCU has 22 branch offices in southeast Michigan…soon to be 23! We have over 450 team members, more than 150,000 members, $3.9 billion in assets, and a 97% member satisfaction rating for two decades.

We are a caring organization that strives to ensure an equitable and inclusive culture where everyone is valued and respected. With regular coaching and continuing education, we grow champions – team members dedicated to championing the success of our members. Our commitment to team member engagement has contributed to the honor of being named a Top Workplace by The Detroit Free Press twelve years in a row.

If you have a passion for helping people and providing exceptional and dependable service, we want you on our team!

Information about our comprehensive total rewards package can be found here.

Overview of Responsibilities:Directs and oversees areas within the real estate lending area including production, underwriting, processing, closing, and servicing to support the achievement of MSGCU goals. Ensures the financial objectives, strategic goals, and MSGCU’s growth targets are achieved in accordance with our policies, state and federal government regulations, and in alignment with our desired member experience.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Understands key financial indicators and their implication to the real estate lending function. Possesses financial acumen and performs financial analysis to generate, evaluate, and act on strategic options and opportunities. Integrates quantitative and qualitative information to draw accurate conclusions.
• Delivers a superior member experience by effectively managing the real estate production, underwriting, processing, closing, and servicing while mitigating organizational risk. Promotes a collaborative team culture within the real estate team, building strong relationships (internal/external) by achieving desired service levels and delivering exceptional member service.
• Participates in planning and achievement of mortgage lending goals and assists the Chief Lending Officer in the prioritization of corporate initiatives to ensure alignment and appropriate resource allocation within the real estate lending area. Participates at a strategic policy level to support mortgage lending and growth in a positive manner.
• Serves as MSGCU’s subject matter expert regarding secondary markets, servicing, pricing, and FHA requirements.
• Maintains and applies advanced knowledge of mortgage business and the market to advance MSGCU’s position. Monitors, understands, and informs Chief Lending Officer of competitor positions within market region, including mortgage strategy, product offering and performance. Develops and implements strategies that meet desired production goals and mitigate impact from competitors. Works with the Chief Lending Officer to develop and implement new profitable mortgage loan products and promotions. Educates team regarding sales opportunities within market.
• Monitors real estate department’s effectiveness, financial results and efficiency and identifies opportunities for enhancement.
• Oversees and develops policies and procedures to ensure legal and regulatory compliance in real estate lending.
• Holds self and others accountable to meet commitments. Ensures a high level of excellence and takes responsibility for outcomes.
• Builds an effective high performing team that applies their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals and deliver a positive member and team member experience. Implements best practices to drive engagement levels. Works closely with the executive management team to identify areas to improve the member and team member experience in the mortgage lending channel.
• Oversees the development of new and enhancement of existing mortgage lending products to ensure compliance with state and federal laws/regulations, competitive positioning in the marketplace, value to MSGCU members, and product profitability including monitoring and taking action to drive product penetration and usage growth.
• Balances the interests of multiple stakeholders by anticipating and understanding requirements, expectations, and needs. Acts fairly despite conflicting demands of stakeholders. Collaborates effectively with internal and external stakeholders in order to meet shared objectives, improve relationships, develop teamwork, and deliver high quality member service.
• Plans and aligns work and enables real estate lending team’s success by setting clear objectives in alignment with broader organizational goals. Effectively removes obstacles as needed. Establishes appropriate controls related to empowerment to enable delegation of responsibility.
• Ensures accountability by holding self and others accountable for achieving performance standards and the overall quality of MSGCU’s loan portfolios.
• Effectively communicates using various forms of communication (written, verbal, presentation) and actively listens in order to accommodate the needs and abilities of different audiences.
• Gains the confidence and trust of others by modeling honesty, integrity, authenticity, and behaviors that align with organizational values. Makes responsible choices and exemplifies courageby stepping up to address difficult issues.
• Exhibits self-awareness by soliciting feedback and uses self-reflection to gain productive insight into personal strengths and weaknesses.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field required; and
• 7 years of related, progressively more responsible management experience in the mortgage services industry, including an in-depth background in mortgage lending management with documented success in growing a loan portfolio while managing risk and profitability. Preference for experience at a mid-size to large financial institution with a background in mortgage lending.
• 5 years of leadership experience.
• Experience with Encompass preferred.

Working Conditions:

• Office and branch location environment with little discomfort from noise, extreme temperature, dust, or other factors.
• Occasionally required to travel throughout MSGCU's service area as business needs require.
• Exposed to potentially hazardous conditions, such as robbery. Receives detailed instructions and security procedures on an annual basis to minimize risk.
• This work involves sitting most of the time with brief periods of walking or standing and may occasionally require lifting and/or moving up to 25 pounds.

Compensation and Benefits:

Competitive salaries are just the starting point for MSGCU team members. We also champion our team members with generous health benefits, vacation time, retirement plan contributions and discounts on loans and phone service also come with the job.

• Base salary begins at $120,000 / year
• Team members in this role are eligible to earn incentives as part of our variable compensation plan.
• Medical, dental and vision on your first day! You can choose the most generous Health Savings Account (HSA)-eligible medical plan with no monthly premium for you (and your family)
• If you are at least 21 years old, you will receive a 3% contribution from MSGCU, and a 100% match for the next 7% you contribute to your 401(k)
• You will enjoy 12 paid holidays and up to 120 hours of PTO your first year of service (pro-rated based on start date)