LOAN ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT - REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST

Job DetailsJob Location: Pigeon, MI 48755Position Type: Full TimeJob Category: BankingSummary: The Loan Administration Assistant – Real Estate Specialist prepares, coordinates, and reviews documentation for commercial and agricultural loans, with a primary emphasis on loans secured by real estate. The position supports an accurate and efficient closing process by reviewing title evidence, satisfying documentation requirements, completing pre-closing controls, and maintaining electronic loan files. The specialist also performs UCC and credit-report functions and works closely with lenders, title companies, attorneys, customers, and other service providers. Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Prepare and assemble commercial and agricultural loan documents for real estate-secured transactions in accordance with approved loan terms, bank policy, applicable procedures, and closing instructions. Review loan approvals and supporting documentation to identify required documents, collateral, lien positions, guaranties, entity authority, insurance, title, appraisal or evaluation, environmental, flood, and other closing conditions. Coordinate outstanding items with lenders, loan administration personnel, title companies, attorneys, insurance agents, customers, and other parties, and promptly communicate exceptions or unresolved conditions. Complete and document pre-closing checklists before documents are released for execution or funding; escalate missing, inconsistent, or unacceptable items. Confirm that borrower, guarantor, collateral, vesting, loan amount, legal description, and other material information are consistent across approvals, title work, and loan documents. Assist with scheduling and closing preparation, including execution packages, recording documents, filing instructions, and post-closing follow-up items. Read and understand title commitments for commercial and agricultural real estate, including fee simple ownership, proposed insureds, estate or interest in land, legal descriptions, requirements, stipulations, exceptions, easements, restrictions, taxes, mortgages, liens, and other matters affecting title. Compare the title commitment to the approved collateral and requested lien position; identify ownership, legal description, vesting, priority, exception, and coverage concerns for resolution before closing. Track and obtain required satisfactions, releases, affidavits, endorsements, gap coverage, survey-related items, recording items, and other title conditions applicable to the transaction. Review final title policies and endorsements against the commitment and closing requirements to verify the correct insured party, policy amount, effective date, legal description, lien priority, endorsements, and disposition of prior requirements and exceptions. Document discrepancies and route legal, underwriting, coverage, or policy exceptions to the appropriate lender, supervisor, title company, or legal counsel rather than independently providing a legal opinion. Prepare and file UCC financing statements with the appropriate filing office in accordance with authorized instructions and established procedures. Perform UCC searches and review search results for debtor-name accuracy, filing jurisdiction, existing liens, collateral descriptions, lapse dates, and potential priority issues; communicate findings for resolution. Pull consumer and commercial credit reports from approved providers when authorized and permissible, protect confidential information, and upload reports to the designated loan file. Scan, index, quality-check, and upload supporting documentation to the bank's cold-storage or imaging system using established naming, retention, and access standards. Maintain ticklers or follow-up records for pending title policies, recorded documents, UCC continuations, exceptions, and other trailing documentation. Perform quality-control review of electronic files for completeness, legibility, correct indexing, and consistency with the final transaction. Follow bank policies, internal controls, approved procedures, and applicable consumer, commercial, agricultural, privacy, information-security, record-retention, and lending requirements. Protect confidential customer and bank information and use systems, reports, and documents only for authorized business purposes. Meet established documentation and closing timelines while maintaining accuracy and a clear audit trail. Provide responsive, professional service and communicate documentation needs in a clear and constructive manner. Participate in cross-training, procedure updates, audits, examinations, system testing, and process-improvement initiatives. Perform other related duties as assigned. Duties may be modified based on business needs and applicable requirements. Supervisory Responsibilities: None.QualificationsRequired Qualifications in order to perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  Education and/or Experience: High school diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor's degree in business, finance, accounting, real estate, agriculture, paralegal studies, or a related field preferred. Two or more years of experience in loan documentation, loan operations, title, legal, banking, real estate closing, or a related field preferred. Experience with commercial or agricultural lending and real estate-secured transactions strongly preferred.Equivalent combination of education and experience.  Skills and Competencies: Working knowledge of commercial and agricultural loan documentation, with demonstrated ability to support real estate-secured transactions. Ability to read and understand title commitments and final title policies, including fee simple ownership, vesting, legal descriptions, requirements, stipulations, exceptions, liens, easements, restrictions, endorsements, and lien-priority matters. Ability to read metes-and-bounds, platted, parcel, and other legal descriptions sufficiently to compare documents and identify inconsistencies for escalation. Knowledge of UCC filing and search concepts, including debtor-name requirements, filing jurisdictions, collateral descriptions, amendments, continuations, terminations, and lapse dates. Ability to interpret loan approvals and translate approved terms and conditions into an accurate documentation and closing checklist. Strong attention to detail, organization, prioritization, follow-through, and problem-solving skills. Professional written and verbal communication skills and the ability to coordinate effectively with internal and external parties. Ability to handle confidential information, exercise sound judgment within assigned authority, and escalate legal, credit, compliance, or policy questions. Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and the ability to learn loan documentation, imaging, core, title, UCC, credit-reporting, and workflow systems. Overtime may be required during high volume periods as determined by Bank Management Work Environment the characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. This is not an exhaustive list of all possible work conditions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  Work is primarily performed in a professional office environment with a moderate noise level typical of banking operations. Ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods while reviewing loan files, title documents, legal descriptions, and electronic records. Ability to move throughout the office to access files, equipment, and collaborate with staff. Ability to use manual dexterity to operate computers, telephones, scanners, printers, and other standard office equipment. Visual ability to review detailed loan documentation, title commitments, legal descriptions, credit reports, and computer screens for extended periods. Hearing and speaking ability to communicate effectively with customers, lenders, attorneys, title companies, and other service providers. Ability to occasionally lift or move items such as files, records, and office supplies, generally up to 20 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation. Ability to work standard business hours, with flexibility for overtime during high-volume periods, audits, examinations, or special projects. Occasional travel may be required. Reliable transportation is required.  Thumb Bank & Trust offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life, 401k, Employer Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), and more.  EEO Employer/Vet/Disabled