Assistant Vice President Mortgage Lending

Assistant Vice President Of Mortgage Lending

The Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Mortgage Lending is responsible for the cultivation and maintenance of mortgage loan production from origination through funding, utilizing a variety of internal and external resources. This role provides leadership to the mortgage loan manager, loan officers and support staff, oversees workflow processes, ensures high-quality member service, and contributes to strategic initiatives that drive production and operational excellence. The AVP oversees the daily operations of the mortgage department, ensuring that policies and procedures are implemented, maintained, and optimized to achieve goals in volume, revenue, loan quality, and compliance. This includes responsibility for underwriting mortgage files in accordance with FNMA guidelines and internal portfolio lending standards, as well as supporting the development and implementation of new loan products and services. This role fosters a high-performing sales culture while enhancing operational efficiency, loan quality, and strategic growth initiatives across the organization. In addition, the AVP oversees staff and activities throughout the application, approval, underwriting, and funding stages, providing guidance and timely information to ensure a smooth lending experience. The AVP serves as a key partner to the Vice President of Lending, stepping in as needed to lead department operations and maintain alignment with organizational goals.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Sales Leadership & Performance Management : Manage the daily operations of the mortgage department to ensure optimal workflow, loan quality, and operational efficiency. Assign, direct, coordinate, and review the work of staff. Champion a member-first mindset, ensuring members receive timely and professional communication throughout the loan process. Work with mortgage loan manager to improve service standards and member satisfaction. Recommends individual production goals, performance expectations, and appropriate staffing levels to VP of Lending. Track agent production, including originations, funded loans, and conversion metrics. Establish monthly call-queue performance standards and monitor adherence. Implement ongoing optimization of inside sales processes, systems, and performance metrics. Review and monitor the quality of loan production volume for processing and origination.
• Talent Management & Employee Development : Lead hiring, onboarding, and training of high-performing mortgage sales and operational staff. Supports Mortgage Loan Manager with evaluation of team performance and contributing to coaching, mentoring, and development for the team. Recommend salary adjustments, promotions, disciplinary actions, and discharges as needed. Address employee relations issues and execute all administrative management functions. Promote professional development and support career progression for team members. Create and maintain a culture of success, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Strategic Growth, Product Development, Branch Engagement & Relationship Building : Assist senior management with the development and implementation of new loan products. Make recommendations to VP of Lending regarding loan policy, underwriting guidelines, and interest rates. Develop and execute strategies to achieve mortgage loan growth and profitability targets aligned with the organization's strategic plan. Identify and expand revenue generating products, and services, and proactively pursue cost-reduction strategies to enhance overall efficiency. Collaborate with marketing team to initiate and implement promotions and campaigns to boost sales and awareness of credit unions mortgage loan products and services as needed. Cultivate branch awareness of mortgage products and services through frequent coaching and interaction with branch staff. Provide guidance to ensure effective referrals, member engagement, and product alignment. Support strong relationship development across the branch network to grow mortgage lending opportunities. Participate in community outreach and business partnerships to enhance the organization's visibility and market presence.
• Process, Compliance, & Service Enhancement : Ensure all mortgage loans are underwritten to FNMA guidelines and internal portfolio lending standards. Identify opportunities to streamline processes, enhance service delivery, and increase operational efficiency. Lead or support process-improvement initiatives aligned with organizational goals. Manages projects or assignments pertaining to mortgage loan products or process as needed or directed by upper management. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deploy new programs and process enhancements. Monitor loan pipelines and workflow to prevent bottlenecks and maintain strong turn times.
• Regulatory, Industry, Competitive Intelligence, Reporting & Data Integrity : Monitor industry regulations, FNMA and agency updates, market trends, and competitive landscape. Advise senior management regarding regulatory changes and industry best practices.
• Ensure lending practices comply with all applicable laws, policies, guidelines, and investor requirements. Manages requests from auditors and examiners as needed. Maintain oversight of monthly production reports. Directs the management of accurate and timely HMDA reporting to meet the annual submission deadline. Monitors the collection of 3rdparty vendor documents and ensures that 3rd party due diligence is completed on an annual basis. Ensure data accuracy and integrity across LOS, CRM, and reporting systems.

Knowledge and Skills

Experience : 5 - 7+ years of mortgage lending or mortgage sales experience 3+ years of experience leading a lending or sales team, preferably in mortgage or financial services Proven record of achieving production goals and developing high-performing teams

Education / Certifications / Licenses : Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or related field preferred (or equivalent experience).

Interpersonal Skills : Strong understanding of mortgage products, pricing, underwriting, FNMA guidelines, portfolio lending standards, and regulatory compliance. Demonstrated ability to plan, execute, and monitor sales strategies and performance metrics. Excellent leadership, communication, coaching, and interpersonal skills. Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and recommend solutions. Proficiency with mortgage LOS systems, CRM tools, HMDA reporting systems, and sales performance platforms.