Director of Mortgage Lending

COMMUNITY BANK•Washington, PA

About The Position

The Director of Mortgage Lending is responsible for overseeing the Bank’s residential mortgage lending activities, including 1-4 family, multifamily, and acquisition, development, and construction loans. This role develops mortgage lending policies and procedures for approval by loan committee, managing officer, and directors to ensure compliance with regulatory standards, drive sales performance, and foster strong client and community relationships. The Director of Mortgage Lending will lead the mortgage loan officer team, manage the origination process, and implement strategies to grow the Bank’s mortgage portfolio while maintaining high service and compliance standards.

Requirements

Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or related field required; master’s degree or equivalent preferred.
Minimum of seven years of experience in mortgage lending, with at least five years in a leadership role required.
Registration with Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) required.
Experience in sales leadership and staff development.
In-depth knowledge of mortgage products, underwriting standards, and regulatory requirements.
Complete understanding of mortgage programs and agency requirements.
Excellent communication, sales strategy, and relationship-building skills.
Proficient in mortgage origination systems, data analysis tools, and Microsoft Office Suite.
Comfort with working in a dynamic environment where priorities can shift quickly.
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with colleagues across various departments maintaining a professional demeanor.
Efficiently perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the position.
Consistently attend work, meetings, and required training or staff events.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage the end-to-end residential mortgage loan origination process, including application intake, pre-qualification, underwriting, processing, closing, and post-closing review.
Ensure strict compliance with Bank policies and agency guidelines, including those established by the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Veterans Affairs (VA), and other secondary market investors.
Monitor and manage the mortgage loan pipeline to ensure timely progression of files through each stage of the origination cycle to identify and resolve bottlenecks, delays, or compliance issues that may impact closing timelines or client satisfaction.
Partner with the Mortgage Loan Operations Manager to ensure processing, underwriting and closing standards adhere to internal service level agreements and meet regulatory requirements.
Maintain and enforce internal lending policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with regulatory standards and risk management practices.
Regularly review and update policies to reflect changes in laws, market conditions, and operational needs.
Provide guidance and support to loan officers and operational staff, ensuring consistent application of lending criteria and best practices across all mortgage products.
Develop and execute comprehensive sales strategies aimed at expanding the Bank’s residential mortgage portfolio, including identifying target markets, recruiting new loan officers, optimizing product offerings, and leveraging referral networks.
Train and mentor new loan officers of the Bank.
Conduct competitive analysis and market segmentation to identify growth opportunities, assess pricing strategies, and position the Bank’s mortgage products effectively against competitors.
Set clear, measurable performance goals for the mortgage team, including application volume, conversion rates, closing timelines, and client satisfaction benchmarks.
Monitor individual and team performance metrics regularly, using dashboards and reporting tools to track progress, identify trends, and address underperformance through coaching and corrective action plans.
Collaborate with marketing and business development teams to design and implement promotional campaigns, digital outreach, and community engagement initiatives that drive mortgage inquiries and applications.
Adjust sales strategies proactively based on evolving market conditions, interest rate environments, regulatory changes, and consumer behavior trends to maintain competitiveness and profitability.
Cultivate and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with a diverse network of clients, realtors, builders, financial advisors, and other referral sources to drive consistent mortgage application volume and long-term business growth.
Serve as a visible ambassador of the Bank’s residential mortgage services by actively participating in networking events, community involvement, and marketing initiatives.
Promote the Bank’s full suite of mortgage products and services, tailoring recommendations to meet the unique needs of each client and partner, and positioning the Bank as a trusted advisor in the home financing process.
Ensure client-centric experiences by overseeing the delivery of timely, accurate, and personalized service throughout the loan lifecycle.
Resolve escalated client concerns or issues with professionalism and urgency, maintaining the Bank’s reputation for excellence and integrity in mortgage lending.
Stay current on changes to underwriting criteria, loan delivery standards, and quality control requirements.
Ensure staff adherence to lending standards, disclosure laws, and regulatory requirements.
Maintain complete and accurate documentation.
Conduct performance evaluations for staff and provide recommendations for salary adjustments, internal transfers, and promotional opportunities, ensuring alignment with employee performance, organizational goals, and personnel policies.
Identify and implement process improvements to enhance operational efficiencies and risk mitigation.
Comply with employment, government, regulatory, and Bank policies and procedures.
Monitor and report on mortgage performance metrics, pipeline activity, and operational key performance indicators (KPIs).
Perform other duties assigned, in support of departmental goals and organizational priorities.