Managing Director, Head U.S. Lending Operations

Provides leadership, direction and ongoing management for U.S. P&BB Lending Operations, providing back-office processing and after-sales support and service to retail and business banking customers for lending products in the U.S. The unit is accountable to provide the highest level of customer service in an efficient manner while maintaining adherence to risk and control frameworks. Manages a wide and diverse team across multiple locations. Continually looks for opportunities to improve efficiency and overall productivity (technology, people and process) to create sales capacity in our customer facing channels. 

Dually reports to the Head, NA P&BB and Wealth Management Operations and U.S. Chief T&O Officer and is accountable to execute decision rights for key governance decisions as set out in the U.S. T&O Decision Rights Matrix, such as making recommendations, providing input, and making decisions, within the context of the Enterprise Operations strategy, aligned with the Bank’s U.S. operating principles and applying a U.S. regulatory and market lens. 

This role is responsible for providing leadership, direction and ongoing management for US Retail Lending, Business Lending and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Operations. This group is responsible for providing back-office processing and after-sales support and service to BMO Financial Group’s retail and small business lending operations in the United States. In addition, this role is accountable for operational and call center support for loans and deposits to external clients of US P&BB.  

Within the mandate of this role and BMO’s three lines of defense model, the incumbent ensures business decisions and activities fall within the risk appetite of the Bank, and that internal controls are in place and functioning effectively to support management decision-making that protects our assets and adheres to applicable corporate policies, operating directives, laws, and regulations (including risk, compliance, and AML). 

Supports the U.S. Management Committee Member for Technology & Operations in the execution of decision rights identified on the U.S. Technology & Operations Decision Rights Matrix to ensure the effective management of the U.S. in alignment with the U.S. Governance Model. 

Accountabilities: 

• Develops and oversees the implementation of the business strategy for U.S. Personal and Business Banking Lending Operations and contributes to the broader NA P&BB and Wealth Management Operations strategy, ensuring execution delivers on commitments and objectives pertaining to operational excellence, service consistency, innovation / continuous improvement, and cost containment. Ensures the services delivered meet the operational, financial and customer service needs of Retail and Business Banking in the U.S. 

• Provides day-to-day management of service delivery, including the management of financial controls. 

• Serves as a key member of the NA P&BB and Wealth Management Operations senior leadership team contributing to the strategic direction and determining the processing, operational, organizational, human resources, and funding implications for U.S. P&BB Lending Operations 

• Participates in multiple initiatives, supporting due diligence activities, mitigating risk, addressing obstacles, achieving milestones and targets, and ensuring legal and regulatory considerations are addressed. 

• Recommends organizational structure, operations principles, and locations to achieve efficient operations and define the optimal end-state operating model. 

• Partners with the technology team to oversee implementation of technology changes and upgrades in U.S. P&BB Lending Operations. 

• Identifies opportunities to enhance the performance and productivity of the service organization, identifying best practices and determining their applicability to U.S. P&BB Lending Operations. 

• Serves as change leader and oversees the implementation of technological, procedural, and organizational change to enhance service delivery and support the achievement of business objectives. 

• Ensures the service delivery of U.S. P&BB Lending Operations adheres to service level agreements established with business partners. 

• Serves as a key point of contact for business partners to facilitate the early detection of operational issues to help mitigate financial or customer service issues, emphasizing the development of initiatives to prevent reoccurrence. 

• Manages the escalation of critical processing problems to business partners and supports the development of solutions. 

• Ensures the effective safeguarding of Bank and customer assets handled by U.S. P&BB Lending Operations by implementing and adhering to controls. 

• Defines how work is to be undertaken within U.S. P&BB Lending Operations, to optimize efficiency, cost savings and the secure handling of customer data, including how best to standardize and optimize work processes, with consideration to established practices in North America and to identify and exercise opportunities for automation and outsourcing. 

• Develops and implements effective escalation and recovery processes to facilitate responses to unplanned service disruptions, ensuring appropriate risk management strategies and processes are in place to ensure customer transactions are managed in an accurate and timely manner and that privacy and information security risks are effectively managed. 

• Fosters and maintains relationships with key stakeholders within the Bank that interact with Personal and Business Banking Lending Operations in the U.S., as well as with third parties that partner with and/or deliver related services to the Bank. 

• Fosters and maintains relationships with various lines of business to identify business needs and opportunities for process improvements. 

• Fosters and maintains relationships with key stakeholders in other areas within the Bank, including Corporate Compliance, Legal, and Lending senior leaders to ensure Bank meets U.S. federal and local regulatory requirements. 

• Maintains external networks with competitors, strategic vendors, and consulting firms to monitor market developments and best practices. 

• Maintains relationships with U.S. regulators to ensure ongoing regulatory compliance (e.g., Federal Reserve Bank, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, state regulators, Personal and Business Banking lending regulatory boards and government agencies) 

• Within the mandate of this role, promotes and supports the Bank’s risk culture including ensuring employees understand their accountabilities for risk-taking activities, promoting an environment of open communication and effective challenge, and establishing the “tone from the top” through leading by example.  

• Complies with the Bank’s Risk Appetite framework and ensures risk-taking activities remain within agreed limits and comply with all regulatory requirements. 

• Role models driving simplicity and productivity enhancements for optimization across groups, driving continuous improvement on key measures. 

• Activates our winning culture, aligned with Purpose. Ignites engagement by aligning our culture to our strategy and fueling exceptional execution. 

• Fosters diversity, equity and inclusion and creates an inclusive environment for all employees by eliminating barriers to inclusion. 

• Develops leaders, plans for succession, and fosters a high-performance culture. 

• Drives top talent acquisition and retention, developing organizational capabilities to drive competitive advantage. 

• Leads and mentors a team with diverse risk and business experience, skills, and orientation. 

• Leads, promotes, and reinforces the Bank’s Ambition; personally, role models One Bank leadership; drives sustainable improvements in customer loyalty and business growth; adheres and supports enterprise customer experience and brand standards. 

U.S. Governance 

• Identifies and escalates U.S. matters that present a material impact for Technology & Operations in the areas of: Business Performance, Risk, Legal, Regulatory and Compliance, Talent Management and Technology & Operations. 

• Contributes to the sustainment of the U.S. Governance Model within Technology & Operations, including information flow and escalation through the appropriate U.S. governance channels. 

• Participates as a member of U.S. management committees, as instructed.  

• Leads and participates in LOB or Corporate Function leadership forums, developing and using key metrics and details from across Technology & Operations. 

Qualifications: 

• MBA or comparable business experience 

• 15-20 years of retail / business loan servicing experience 

• Strong career path spanning multiple functions and banking businesses including line and operations experience with a minimum of 5 years senior leader experience 

• Deep market and industry knowledge of retail and business lending and deposit products and services 

• Strong risk management orientation to develop and support organizational policies, procedures and objectives 

• Strong knowledge and experience in business management methods, practices, and techniques, including people and change management 

• Strong working knowledge of application processing, underwriting, loan closing and portfolio management activities, policies, procedures and applicable state and federal regulations 

• Expert technical knowledge in process analysis and design methodologies 

• Project Management / Large scale initiative expertise 

• Solid knowledge of regulatory agency requirements 

• Solid experience in creating, leading and supporting organizational change 

• influence 

• Strong risk management orientation to develop and support organizational policies, procedures and objectives 

• Strong knowledge and experience in business management methods, practices, and techniques, including people and change management 

• Strong working knowledge of application processing, underwriting, loan closing and portfolio management activities, policies, procedures and applicable state and federal regulations 

• Expert technical knowledge in process analysis and design methodologies 

• Project Management / Large scale initiative expertise 

• Solid knowledge of regulatory agency requirements 

• Solid experience in creating, leading and supporting organizational change 

• Ability to consider the broader organizational context with regard to business and process changes 

• In-depth analytical skills / ability to understand the details, but operate at a macro-view 

• Strong strategic vision and planning skills 

• Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills 

• Ability to drive business results 

• Ability to lead by influence 

• Excellent oral and written communications and presentation skills 

Please note the base salary range for this position is USD $240,000.00 to USD $270,000.00