Regional Director, F&I and Lender Relations

ZT Auto•Houston, TX

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Regional Director, F&I and Lender Relations is a full-time role based in Houston, TX. This position oversees Finance and Insurance performance across ZT Automotive Group dealerships, ensuring compliance, profitability, and alignment with company standards. The role manages and strengthens relationships with lenders and financial partners, negotiates programs, and resolves issues to support dealership finance operations. The primary function of this role is relationship-based. The person in this seat maintains lender relationships of sufficient depth that difficult transactions can be resolved directly, and ensures the group captures available lender program and volume income. Day-to-day activities include monitoring finance approval performance by store and lender, developing relationships with lender representatives, buyers, and regional management across all markets in which the group operates, identifying and pursuing lender volume, tier, and matrix programs for which the group qualifies, overseeing product performance and provider relationships including product packs, penetration by store, reserve structure, and chargeback trends, conducting store visits, reviewing F&I processes and metrics, collaborating with senior leadership on strategy, and maintaining compliance standards including completeness of documentation, consistency of menu presentation, and accuracy of required disclosures. The role works in partnership with the Corporate Manager of New Vehicle Operations on captive penetration, with the Regional Pre-Owned Manager on deal structure and approvals, and with the Corporate Trainer, who is responsible for store-level F&I training and development and who supports this position in an advisory capacity. This position has no direct reports and works through General Managers, Market Directors, and F&I management.

Requirements

Demonstrated expertise in automotive F&I operations, including deal structure, compliance, and process optimization.
Established lender relationships and a demonstrated record of securing approval on complex transactions.
Comprehensive understanding of lender programs, reserve structure, and lender-based program income.
Solid understanding of automotive retail operations, customer experience standards, and relevant regulatory and compliance requirements.
Strong analytical and financial acumen, including the ability to interpret performance reports and implement data-driven improvements.
Ability to coach, influence, and build collaborative relationships across multiple locations without direct supervisory authority, working cross-functionally with sales, service, and executive leadership.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, with professional presence appropriate for lender and executive-level interaction.
Proven organizational and time-management abilities to manage regional responsibilities and competing priorities.
Proficiency with dealership management systems, F&I menu and reporting tools, CRM tools, and common office software applications.
An ownership mentality and the ability to build trust with experienced operators.
Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and automotive leadership experience.
Based in Houston, Texas. Candidates must live in or be willing to relocate to the Houston area.
Willing to travel to dealership locations across the group’s markets, approximately 50% to 65%, including air travel to markets outside Texas.
Valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record.

Nice To Haves

Prior multi-store, corporate, or lender-side experience in the automotive industry strongly preferred.
Experienced F&I Regional Directors and lender representatives seeking a dealer-side role are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

Oversees Finance and Insurance performance across ZT Automotive Group dealerships, ensuring compliance, profitability, and alignment with company standards.
Manages and strengthens relationships with lenders and financial partners, negotiates programs, and resolves issues to support dealership finance operations.
Maintains lender relationships of sufficient depth that difficult transactions can be resolved directly.
Ensures the group captures available lender program and volume income.
Monitors finance approval performance by store and lender.
Develops relationships with lender representatives, buyers, and regional management across all markets in which the group operates.
Identifies and pursues lender volume, tier, and matrix programs for which the group qualifies.
Oversees product performance and provider relationships including product packs, penetration by store, reserve structure, and chargeback trends.
Conducts store visits, reviews F&I processes and metrics.
Collaborates with senior leadership on strategy.
Maintains compliance standards including completeness of documentation, consistency of menu presentation, and accuracy of required disclosures.
Works in partnership with the Corporate Manager of New Vehicle Operations on captive penetration.
Works in partnership with the Regional Pre-Owned Manager on deal structure and approvals.
Supports the Corporate Trainer, who is responsible for store-level F&I training and development, in an advisory capacity.