Director, Real Estate Lending

FIREFIGHTERS FIRST FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

23d

About The Position

Firefighters First Federal Credit Union has proudly been serving the firefighter community since 1935. We have built trusting relationships within the fire family as the nation’s largest exclusive firefighter credit union. Our commitment to providing our members with exceptional financial products and services, along with our legendary service, has allowed us to grow our membership nationally. Join a team that values its employees, invests in professional growth, and makes an impact in the firefighter community. Currently, we have an immediate opening for a Director, Real Estate Lending to join our team! The Director of Real Estate Lending provides strategic leadership, direction, and program development to strengthen the Credit Union’s real estate and home equity lending programs. This role is responsible for designing and executing strategies that promote growth, profitability, compliance, and member satisfaction within the real estate lending portfolio, while ensuring the effective management of all aspects of loan origination, processing, underwriting, closing, and servicing. Further, the Director will drive a member-centric sales culture that delivers exceptional service, fosters long-term relationships, and identifies opportunities to deepen member engagement.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s degree
Certification/License: National Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS)
Experience in various areas within real estate including loan servicing, collections, origination, underwriting, and processing.
Minimum 3 years’ managing employees or leading teams.
Minimum 3 years’ experience selling loans to Fannie Mae and managing secondary market transactions and related compliance.
Minimum 2 years’ of mortgage servicing, closing, and funding experience (multi-state), including managing escrow accounts.
Experience reviewing forms, contracts, disclosures, and related tools to ensure compliance
Experience developing and implementing new products and services.
Experience leading cross-organizational initiatives or project teams.
Proven sales experience, demonstrating success in member engagement, relationship building, product referrals, and revenue growth.

Responsibilities

Overseeing and leading all aspects of real estate lending including origination, processing, underwriting, closing/funding, and servicing.
Championing a member-first approach by ensuring real estate origination and servicing processes are timely, transparent, and responsive—enhancing satisfaction and trust across all member interactions.
Establishing, communicating, and monitoring key operational, production, and portfolio performance metrics—including member feedback, profitability, and efficiency measures—to identify opportunities for improvement, set organizational objectives, and evaluate overall performance.
Streamlining and optimizing processes and systems for ease-of-use for employees and members.
Leading the research and implementation of new lending systems, products and services to meet member needs with a strong focus on net income, growth, and legendary service.
Analyzing market trends, economic trends, and the secondary market to prepare budget forecasts for the portfolio and determine pricing strategies while understanding loss prevention strategies, activities and other compliance requirement.
Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, preparing responses to audits or examination findings, and implementing corrective actions as necessary.
Regularly meeting with each team member to coach and mentor to ensure alignment around FFCU’s mission, vision, and values.
Providing team members with training, tools, and resources to successfully perform their jobs.
Holding teams accountable for meeting all service level agreements, ensuring the team’s work is accurate/efficient, and providing coaching, feedback, or training as needed.
Providing and ensuring development opportunities are available for team members as part of their overall career path with the Credit Union.
Leading change by identifying opportunities that consistently raise the bar and improve service levels.
Assisting the Credit Union with executing the business plan of the organization.