Manager/Supervisor – Commercial Lending Operations recruitment

At our company, we have been helping our customers and communities for over 125 years. In July 2011, our parent company BMO Financial Group acquired Marshall Ilsley Corporation (MI). Over the next year, we will be working to bring the best of Harris and MI together under the BMO Harris Bank name.  Working with us means being part of a team of talented, passionate individuals with a shared focus on working together to deliver great customer experiences. We stand behind your success with the support you need to turn your potential into performance.  

BMO Harris Bank is committed to an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. By embracing diversity, we gain strength through our people and our perspectives.

MANDATE - Provide day-to-day management of employee performance, business delivery and operational effectiveness, internal and external relationship management, change and innovation and risk management and control, within the context of the approved operational plan and team objectives.  Accountable for the management, quality of outputs and continuous improvement of a team.
May contribute to and execute tactical business plan for the business unit.  This role will meet operational and financial objectives within a six- to twelve-month time horizon.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

A. Managerial Leadership
B. Product Process Management
C. Financial Management
D. Business Performance Management
E. Change Management
F. Risk Control

ACCOUNTABILITIES

A. Managerial Leadership
• Provide day-to-day management and direction to a team of employees by setting the context and direction, defining accountabilities, tasks and assignments, and establishing boundaries for decision-making and approvals.
• Establish and maintain managerial practices (e.g., creating a collaborative environment) that build a high performance work environment within the team.
• Provide performance feedback and coaching, and make recommendations regarding hiring, transfers, terminations, recognition and compensation.
• Ensure measurable, quantitative training and development plans that accelerate the performance of the team and individual are in place.

B. Product Process Management
• Manage day-to-day work flow, ensuring the team is meeting standards and service level agreement (SLA) and/or business partner agreement (BPA) requirements.  Handle and resolve complex matters, core business critical issues, disputes, queries and complaints from internal business partners and external customers.
• Provide deep knowledge and technical expertise to resolve complex customer inquiries and issues (including investigation and resolution), support process, product or technical design, and provide consultative services within Product Operations (PO) and/or to internal business partners/ external customers.
• Formulate, develop and implement procedures for the team on an on-going basis, ensuring adequate control measures are in place.
• Partner with internal business partners and other PO teams regarding new product development as appropriate.
• Partner with internal business partners to meet service delivery expectations at the operational level.
• Provide professional/ technical advice and counsel to internal business partners and PO colleagues.
• Manage quality and continuous improvement of existing processes.

C. Financial Management
• Ensure cost-effectiveness of all activities and continuously seek productivity and cost-reduction initiatives.
• Hold employees accountable to positively influence the business unit’s financial performance.

D. Business Performance Management
• Lead a team in the delivery of exceptional customer service that builds trust through responsive, accurate, consistent, knowledgeable and available services and support.
• Monitor and manage changing team business requirements and SLA and/or BPA quality measure performance, and escalate issues as appropriate.
• Manage effective working relationships with key business partners/ suppliers and service providers.
• Provide consultative support to internal business partners and customers, directly or indirectly, utilizing strong operational knowledge.
• Manage costs to a favourable trend with no adverse impact on quality, customers or employees, utilizing strong working knowledge of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and business unit drivers associated with its processes/ functions.  Analyze trends and communicate results to employees and management.  Forecast and action a plan to effectively manage costs.
• Align individual performance goals to team and organizational goals.
• Demonstrate behaviours that are consistent with “Our Way” model and aligned with BMO values.

E. Change Management
• Participate on project teams.
• Lead and manage team-specific projects.
• Implement business initiatives, ensuring operating needs are fulfilled to meet requirements.
• Effectively prepare team members for change.
• Foster an environment of continuous improvement, and encourage the team to identify process improvements/ new ideas and adopt best practices.

F. Risk Control
• Ensure team contingency planning to support the business and maintain continuity of critical processes throughout a contingency event.
• Identify team control risks and gaps, ensure appropriate action plans are in place to address the risk and escalate to appropriate parties.
• Assess and manage team production situations to mitigate risks and exposures for the purpose of providing corrections and solutions on deficiencies in process and control.
• Understand risks inherent in the operating area and ensure appropriate actions, including accuracy and safeguarding of all documentation, and any other requirements to ensure operational integrity is maintained within the business.
• Understand regulatory and compliance requirements as prescribed for the business unit, and provide recommendations and implement actions to ensure adherence as required.
• Ensure business unit procedures/ standards are documented, reviewed regularly and updated as needed to prevent losses and avoid unnecessary expenses.
• Ensure adherence to all aspects of FirstPrinciples, Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics Corporate Policy, as well as all applicable legislation, regulatory rules and requirements, and Bank standards, policies and procedures (PPs) for such things as potential conflicts of interest, safeguarding of customer information, trading in securities, anti-money laundering, privacy and disclosure of outside business activities.
• Ensure strict confidentiality is maintained for both customer and Bank information to protect the customer and the Bank and to ensure compliance with Bank PPs.
• Follow security and safeguarding procedures and apply appropriate due diligence in accordance with Bank policy for the prevention of loss due to such things as fraud or defalcation.
• Manage risk and minimize losses through monitoring and controlling various reports and taking appropriate action, ensuring compliance requirements, audits and verifications are completed in accordance with Bank PPs.

AUTHORITIES
This role has the authority to:
• Resolve or escalate challenges/ issues through the proper channels as per Letter of Authority/ authority levels.
• Track and review performance measurements and operational results from which volume production, resource utilization and technology/ equipment capacities can be assessed.
• Audit and examine internal processes in order to ensure the business unit meets standards.
• Recommend hiring/ termination and reward (compensation and recognition); assign work and limits; manage performance (measure, monitor, corrective action).
• Deploy resources (physical, financial and human) as appropriate to meet business goals and objectives.
• Access confidential customer information, employee data and line of business financial information.  Grant and monitor access levels.
• Establish effective controls and monitor their use to mitigate risk.
• Maintain team member Letters of Authority/ authority levels.

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Internal:
• PO managers and other PO business units to partner in the delivery of key accountabilities
• Internal business partners to consult/ advise/ service in the delivery of key accountabilities
• Governance areas such as Corporate Compliance and Legal to resolve sensitive customer issues and liaise with Corporate Compliance and Legal areas regarding regulatory changes

External:
• External network groups to understand the competitive landscape, keep abreast of industry developments, securities processing, new products and compliance requirements related to the industry, to enhance our profile in the community, and to represent the interests of BMO Financial Group, as appropriate
• Suppliers and service providers
• Customers
• Other financial institutions

SCOPE AND IMPACT
This job has direct or indirect impact on the following:  
• Customer confidence and satisfaction, and mitigation of reputational risk by managing work within the business unit to deliver on the terms and conditions of SLAs/ BPAs and/or processing accuracy.
• Mitigation of reputational risk and financial loss against such things as fraud, defalcation and/or financial penalties by ensuring compliance with Bank PPs and regulatory requirements.
• Bank financial performance by responding on a timely basis to changing operating conditions so as to mitigate financial penalties and costs; also ensures an appropriate balance between customer service and costs to minimize budget overruns, loss of revenue or customer dissatisfaction.
• Customer retention by ensuring service quality achieved through coaching, training and performance management.
• Mitigation of costs/ impacts associated with human errors by ensuring proper training of others and documentation of processes.
• May operate within an environment of high volume and/or high risk, with strict timeframes that are time sensitive and subject to large penalties if timelines are missed.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

a) Knowledge:
• University degree/college diploma or equivalent work experience.
• 5 to 7 years of related experience in the area of Commercial Lending
Experience with Commercial Lending as it relates to loan booking and posting/reconciling transactions.
• Knowledge of general accounting terms, G/L reconciliations, posting of payments and wire transfers
• Experience managing a team of 10-15 employees
• Solid leadership experience
• Solid knowledge of the business unit’s transaction fulfillment procedures
• Solid knowledge of departmental systems and applications
• Solid knowledge of process and/or project management
• Solid understanding of internal business partners’ business, services and organization

b) Skills:
• Strong skills with MS Excel
• Good skills with MS Access is a plus
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong prioritization skills
• Strong customer service and relationship management skills
• Strong managerial leadership skills
• Strong risk management skills
• Good facilitation/ presentation skills
• Good planning skills (contributes to financial, resource, tactical planning)
• Strong conflict management/ resolution skills
• Strong change leadership skills
• Strong written and oral communication skills

BMO Harris Bank thanks all applicants. We advise only those who qualify for an interview will be contacted.

www.harrisbank.com/careers