VP Mortgage & Real Estate

Job DetailsJob Location: Sugar Land, TX 77479VP Mortgage and Real Estate Lending Location: Sugar Land Branch, Houston, TX 77479 Employment Type: Full Time Work Hours: Branch Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 5:00 pm Role: Leads the accounting oversight, financial reporting, and strategic management of the Credit Union's Mortgage and Real Estate Lending portfolio. Provides governance and performance management for mortgage loan officers, processors, underwriters, and closers, ensuring compliance, operational efficiency, and financial accuracy. Oversee vendor relationships and legal partners in the preparation and review of loan documentation to ensure regulatory adherence and risk mitigation. Manages escalated member and internal stakeholder matters with a focus on financial impact and resolution. Partners with the Chief Lending Officer to support lending strategy development, portfolio analytics, performance reporting, HMDA reporting, and execution of key strategic initiatives. Essential Functions & Responsibilities: Provides comprehensive oversight of mortgage lending operations, including leadership of mortgage loan officers, processors, underwriters, closers. Ensures operational effectiveness through strong internal controls, performance monitoring, and the timely, accurate processing and closing of loans in alignment with regulatory, compliance, and financial reporting standards. Serves as a subject matter expert to credit union staff on complex mortgage lending matters, supporting sound risk management and informed decision-making. Oversees administration and data governance of the Loan Origination System (LOS) mortgage Click, conducting daily/weekly/monthly/quarterly reporting reviews to ensure data integrity, HMDA compliance, timely regulatory disclosures, and accurate completion of required mortgage lending reports to support audit, examination, and strategic reporting needs. Evaluates mortgage products, pricing structures, and operational procedures in collaboration with the CLO. Recommends and implements enhancements aligned with market conditions, financial performance objectives, regulatory requirements, and long-term lending strategy. Ensures the integrity and completeness of the direct reports’ loan applications, credit documentation, and closing files to support delinquency management, regulatory compliance, internal audit standards, and external agency reporting requirements. Reviews mortgage loans for portfolio retention in accordance with established credit risk parameters and concentration limits. Partners with the CLO to obtain approval for policy exceptions when warranted, maintaining comprehensive exception tracking and supporting documentation to ensure transparency, risk monitoring, and examiner readiness. Leads the development and coordination of mortgage lending training programs and continuing education initiatives to strengthen regulatory knowledge, operational accuracy, and professional competency across the mortgage team. Partners with Information Systems (Internal IT and vendor IT) to align mortgage processing systems, reporting capabilities, and data controls with operational needs, compliance requirements, and strategic reporting objectives. Oversees mortgage-related vendor relationships, ensuring service level performance, contractual compliance, risk mitigation, and alignment with organizational standards and regulatory expectations. Develops, maintains, and enhances departmental procedures. Works with the CLO and CEO to develop and update Policies to ensure in both procedure and policy there is operational consistency, regulatory adherence, internal control effectiveness, and audit preparedness within the Real Estate and Mortgage division. Maintains executive accountability for ensuring all real estate-secured loans comply with applicable federal and state regulations, secondary market guidelines, and Credit Union policy standards. Performs additional strategic, financial, and operational duties as assigned to support organizational objectives and enterprise-wide initiatives   Performance Measurements: Partners with the CLO to develop and execute strategic plans that drive sustainable loan growth, optimize portfolio mix, expand revenue generation, and improve operational efficiency. Leads cross-functional project initiatives designed to enhance scalability, strengthen internal controls, and streamline Mortgage Lending processes. Maintains a professional, accountable, and performance-driven work environment that reflects executive leadership standards and reinforces organizational values. Demonstrates consistent dependability, sound judgment, and timeliness in leadership responsibilities and organizational commitments. Maintains executive oversight and accountability for compliance with all applicable federal and state regulations and internal policies, including full adherence to Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) requirements. Ensures appropriate internal controls, monitoring systems, and staff adherence protocols are in place. Ensures all approved real estate loans meet established underwriting standards, risk tolerance thresholds, and regulatory requirements. Monitors loan quality trends and implement corrective action strategies where needed. Delivers informed, accurate, and solutions-oriented support to members and internal stakeholders, balancing service excellence with prudent risk management and regulatory compliance. Provides leadership, coaching, and performance management for all direct mortgage lending reports to ensure high-quality documentation, compliance integrity, and service standards. Partners proactively with Internal Audit to address monthly findings, mitigate identified risks, and support annual and biennial examinations. Ensures timely remediation of audit issues and continuous improvement in control effectiveness. Maintains comprehensive knowledge of mortgage products, pricing strategies, secondary market dynamics, and industry trends to support informed portfolio management and competitive positioning. Leads recruitment, selection, onboarding, and development of mortgage lending staff. Ensures new hires are effectively trained in Credit Union lending processes, compliance standards, and performance expectations.   Knowledge and Skills: Experience: Eight to ten years of mortgage lending, mortgage servicing, employee supervision and development, and similar or related experience. Education: (1) A bachelor's degree, or (2) achievement of formal certifications and / or experience recognized in the industry as equivalent to a bachelor's degree (e.g., information technology certifications in lieu of a degree). Interpersonal Skills: Role requires extensive interaction involving confidential, sensitive, and high-impact matters. Success at this level depends on the ability to lead, motivate, influence, and develop others while fostering a culture of accountability and performance. Regular engagement with external stakeholders' including business partners, vendors, and industry contacts - requires the ability to build strategic relationships, negotiate effectively, and persuasively communicate organizational objectives, initiatives, and value propositions. Other Skills: 1.  Demonstrated expertise in secondary market operations, including pricing, loan sales execution, investor guidelines, and post-closing delivery, with a proven track record in first and second mortgage residential real estate lending encompassing processing, underwriting, closing, and secondary market management. 2. Comprehensive working knowledge of applicable federal and state mortgage lending regulations, compliance requirements, and reporting standards. 3. Strong leadership, communication, and supervisory capabilities, with the ability to effectively direct teams, manage performance, and convey complex regulatory and financial information clearly and professionally. 4. Proficiency in financial analysis tools and business technology platforms, including advanced use of spreadsheets, word processing software, loan origination systems, and standard office equipment to support accurate reporting, data analysis, and operational efficiency. Physical Requirements: Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Frequent use of hands and fingers for typing, writing, and operating a computer, phone and other office equipment. Ability to view computer screens for extended periods of time. Occasional standing, walking, bending, or reaching within the office environment. Ability to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds occasionally (files, office equipment, presentation materials, etc.) Ability to travel locally or nationally as business needs require (including but not limited to walking through airports or for business meetings, standing for events/meetings, etc.) Ability to attend and participate for in-person meetings, site visits, or industry events as needed. Work Environment: This position operates primarily in a professional, on-site office environment and is not a remote role. The employee is regularly required to work at the Company's designated office location during standard business hours, with additional hours as business needs require. The work environment is generally quiet to moderate in noise level and involves frequent interaction with employees, clients, executives, and external partners. The role requires regular in-person meetings, collaboration across departments, and engagement with senior leadership. Occasional local and/or national travel may be required to attend client meetings, industry events, conferences, training sessions, or other business-related functions. Must have qualities that are consistent with our CORE Values: Integrity, Honesty, & Respect Passion, Commitment & Enthusiasm Seek Excellence in All We Do Work Hard and Have Fun Friendly Service and Superior Value   Qualifications