Servicing Ops Manager

Description

Servicing Operations Manager - Collateral Perfection & Release

As the Servicing Operations Manager for the Collateral Perfection & Release team, you will lead the daily operations of a team of 12-18 colleagues within Consumer Deposits and Loan Servicing. This role is responsible for overseeing end-to-end collateral lifecycle activities, including HELOC lien perfection, exception resolution, and collateral lien release processing upon account closure.

You will drive execution of business plans, operational policies, procedures, and systems that support the department's strategic objectives, while ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements and internal controls. This role requires strong cross-functional leadership, effective communication, and a data-driven approach to managing performance, capacity, and continuous improvement.

A critical component of this role includes oversight of HELOC lien perfection activities and exception management. This includes partnering with title vendors, county recording offices, and customers to identify, research, and resolve documentation or recording defects to ensure liens are properly perfected. Additionally, the role is accountable for ensuring timely and accurate collateral lien releases in alignment with payoff and account closure requirements.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Leadership:

Manage day-to-day business unit operations by fostering an inclusive and engaging team environment. Set clear expectations and drive colleague performance through consistent coaching, development, and feedback to maximize individual and team effectiveness.

• Collateral Perfection & Exception Management:

Oversee HELOC lien perfection processes and exception handling, ensuring all liens are accurately recorded and compliant with applicable requirements. Partner with title vendors, county offices, and customers to resolve defects, clear exceptions, and remediate gaps in collateral documentation.

• Collateral Release Oversight:

Ensure timely and accurate processing of collateral lien releases upon loan payoff or account closure. Maintain effective controls to ensure compliance with regulatory, investor, and internal policy requirements.

• Risk Management:

Maintain a strong and balanced control environment aligned with regulatory expectations. Develop, review, and execute policies and procedures, ensuring consistency, accountability, and effectiveness. Identify and escalate risks or control gaps as appropriate.

• Customer Focus:

Champion fair customer outcomes through the prompt identification, escalation, and resolution of issues. Drive process improvements that enhance the customer experience while improving operational efficiency and quality.

• Expense & Capacity Management:

Manage workflow and staffing to ensure daily operational targets are met within standard business hours, minimizing overtime. Monitor volumes, productivity, and SLAs to optimize resource allocation and mitigate operational risk.

• Data-Driven Decision Making:

Leverage data and performance metrics to manage team output, inform capacity planning, and support continuous improvement initiatives. Use insights to validate process enhancements and drive measurable results.

• Project Management:

Support and lead initiatives impacting the collateral servicing function, including process enhancements, system implementations, and vendor integrations, ensuring successful execution and alignment with business objectives.

Qualifications, Education, Certifications and/or Other Professional Credentials

• Preferred Qualifications
• 2+ years of leadership or people management experience, with demonstrated ability to coach, develop, and lead high-performing teams.
• Strong knowledge of collateral perfection, lien recording requirements, and lien release processes, including HELOC products.
• Experience managing exception workflows and resolving title, documentation, or recording defects in partnership with third-party vendors and external stakeholders.
• Familiarity with regulatory and compliance frameworks impacting loan servicing and collateral (e.g., state recording requirements, consumer protection expectations).
• Proven ability to manage operational risk and maintain a strong control environment.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using data to drive decision-making, improve performance, and support capacity planning.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple teams and external partners.

Hours & Work Schedule

• Hours per Week: 40
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8a-4:30p

Some job boards have started using jobseeker-reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague's or a dependent's reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.