Senior Manager - Loan Operations

At Community Financial System, Inc. (CFSI), we are dedicated to providing our customers with friendly, personalized, high-quality financial services and products. Our retail division, Community Bank, N.A., operates more than 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont and Western Massachusetts. Beyond retail banking, we also offer commercial banking, wealth management, investment management, insurance and risk management, and benefit plan administration.

Just as our employees are committed to helping our customers manage their finances, we're committed to our employees. After all, they make it happen for our customers every day.

To ensure our people can enjoy long and successful careers here at CFSI, we offer competitive compensation, great benefits, and professional development and advancement opportunities. As an equal-opportunity workplace and affirmative-action employer, we celebrate and support a diverse workplace for the benefit of all: our employees, customers and communities.

The Senior Manager of Loan Operations supports the Director of Loan Operations by providing oversight and leadership in all areas of loan onboarding, document review, collateral management, escrow administration, and exception handling. This position ensures that all consumer direct, indirect, home equity, residential, business, and commercial loans are accurately booked, properly documented, and remain compliant with regulatory and investor requirements throughout their lifecycle.

This role plays a key part in ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of the loan portfolio, from initial onboarding to collateral release, while maintaining strict adherence to compliance standards and internal policies.

Essential Responsibilities:

Leadership & Oversight

• Supervise and lead teams responsible for loan onboarding, document review, collateral, and escrow management.
• Provide guidance, training, and coaching to staff to support their development and performance.
• Partner with the Director of Loan Operations to develop departmental strategies, policies, and best practices.
• Act as the operational leader in the Director's absence for assigned functions.

Functional Areas of Responsibility

• Loan Onboarding (Consumer, Mortgage, Business & Commercial)
  • Oversee the accurate and timely boarding of consumer direct, indirect, home equity, residential mortgage, business banking, and commercial loans.
  • Ensure system setup aligns with credit approval terms, regulatory disclosures, and bank policy.
  • Monitor accuracy of rate, term, payment schedules, collateral data, and escrow accounts during onboarding.
• Document Review & Exception Management
  • Direct the review of loan documentation to ensure completeness, accuracy, and the presence of all required signatures.
  • Track, resolve, and follow up on document and compliance exceptions within defined timeframes.
  • Collaborate with loan officers, processors, and third-party partners to correct and close outstanding exceptions.
• Collateral Perfection & Release
  • Ensure proper perfection of loan collateral, including UCC filings, mortgages, liens, and titles.
  • Oversee the release of collateral upon loan payoff or satisfaction of obligations.
  • Maintain collateral documentation in accordance with bank policy and regulatory requirements.
• Escrow & Insurance Administration
  • Oversee all escrow functions including set-up, maintenance, analysis, and annual disclosures.
  • Ensure timely and accurate disbursement of escrow funds for hazard insurance, flood insurance, property taxes, PMI, and other applicable items.
  • Manage escrow analysis and address shortages, surpluses, and customer inquiries.
  • Monitor insurance tracking processes to ensure hazard, flood, life, and disability coverage requirements are met.
  • Ensure compliance with flood regulations, including borrower notifications, escrow requirements, and force-placement procedures.
• Compliance & Quality Control
  • Ensure all onboarding, documentation, collateral, and escrow functions comply with federal and state regulations, investor requirements, and bank policy.
  • Support internal and external audits, regulatory exams, and implement corrective action plans as needed.
  • Maintain quality control programs to identify risks, errors, and opportunities for improvement.
  • Maintain proficient knowledge of, and demonstrate ongoing compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, ensure ongoing adherence to pertinent policies and procedures, and meet all job-specific training requirements in a timely fashion.

Ancillary Duties:

• Assist in developing and implementing process improvements and system enhancements.
• Collaborate with IT, lending, and third-party vendors to resolve issues and improve workflows.
• Prepare reporting and analysis to support leadership decision-making.
• Participate in acquisition planning and preparation activities, including due diligence, portfolio review, data mapping, and conversion testing related to documentation, collateral, and escrow functions.
• As an integral member of the Loan Operations Department, this position is also responsible to provide assistance wherever necessary to help the Loan Operations Department and the Bank in achieving their annual goals.

Education, Training and Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or related field preferred; equivalent work experience considered.
• All applicants must be 18 years of age or older.

Skills:

• Strong knowledge of consumer, mortgage, business, and commercial loan documentation requirements.
• Solid understanding of escrow regulations, RESPA, flood compliance, and collateral perfection.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication skills with ability to collaborate across departments and with external partners.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with core banking/loan servicing systems.

Experience:

• Minimum 6-8 years of progressively responsible loan operations experience, with at least 2 years in a supervisory/managerial role.
• Experience managing multiple operational areas simultaneously.
• Proven track record as an inspiring and dynamic leader who motivates teams to achieve results.
• Recognized for empowering others, celebrating team achievements, and lifting overall performance.
• Proven collaborator with a strong ability to build cross-functional relationships that drive shared success.
• Skilled at fostering a positive, team-oriented culture where everyone feels valued and included.

Compensation: Commensurate with experience plus potential for annual merit increase. In addition to your competitive salary, you will be rewarded benefits including: 11 paid holidays, paid vacation, Medical, Vision & Dental insurance, 401K with generous match, Pension, Tuition Reimbursement, Banking discounts and the list goes on!

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to stand, walk or sit. Use hands and fingers, handle or feel, reach with hands or arms, and speak and hear. The employee may occasionally be required to lift and or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and the ability to focus.

The Company is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

The Company will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with a disability. If you have a physical or mental impairment and would like to request an accommodation with respect to the application process, please contact the Human Resources Department.