Custom Lending Strategist

Job Description

Design, develop, and maintain a “customized credit” approach to lending within the Wealth Management Group (WMG).  Act as primary liaison with Credit/Counterparty Risk, Compliance, Legal, Operations, NFG/DLD, Mortgage, Documentation and Funding teams to create a process that ensures compliance with all regulatory guidance (Dodd Frank, Consumer Finance Protection Bureau) in underwriting, consumer disclosures, etc.  Monitors adherence with internal risk and compliance requirements, and assumes responsibilities for carrying out operations in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations, securing professional counsel when necessary.  Develop deep partnership with WMG’s Credit Team Leader and Product Manager to maximize comprehensive product offering to meet WMG clients’ needs.

Position Accountabilities:

1.         Collaborate with other bank stakeholders to ensure a seamless, comprehensive approach to customized consumer lending that bridges the gap between standardized consumer lending packages/products and our clients’ unique needs.

2.         Develop customized lending consumer disclosure process and ensure continuous adherence to established practices and ongoing compliance with changes in regulations.

3.         Define and drive “program” lending capabilities such as partner loan programs (Accounting and Legal partnerships).  Works through sales force, and occasionally may act independently, to source and develop opportunities to drive loan outstandings through such programs that leverage partnership interests and/or public/private stock ownership.

4.         Keep updated on all regulatory guidance/changes, and ensure that Bank of the West’s customized lending approach meets all regulations for Fair Lending, Reg Z, Qualified Mortgage/Ability to Repay guidelines.

5.         Partner with other WMG Lending team members and the Wealth Management University Group to develop training curriculums for the Field Private Client Advisors to understand the parameters around customized lending, how to spot opportunities, set client expectations, and manage the overall process.

6.         Initiate and implement a pricing strategy to maximize BoW’s profitability while adhering to BoW’s Fair Lending guidance.

7.         Identify enhanced reporting capabilities to ensure, with Credit and Risk partners, robust tracking mechanisms and portfolio monitoring that result in well-managed risk, compliance with any ongoing financial reporting expectations of clients, and annual reviews of outstanding loans per policy.

8.         Incorporates compliance activities into a broader enterprise risk management approach at the Group and bank level.    

9.         Keeps informed of all regulatory guidance, pronouncements, regulations and share with Senior Credit Officer and others concerned.

10.        Supports WMG’s Regional Managers, Market Leaders and Private Client Advisors efforts to acquire and support WMG clients’ credit needs.

11.        Demonstrates and shares thorough knowledge of products and service needs of the high-net worth client segment, including regulatory/legal issues.

12.        Conducts meetings as appropriate with WMG line and lenders/analysts/underwriters to communicate information, discuss problems, train staff on any procedure changes, and provide forum for staff to discuss pertinent issues.  Maintains internal system resources and/or sites that provide credit reference materials to the WMG team engaged in the credit function.

13.        Performs other duties as assigned.