HELOC Operations Manager - In Office / Paramus, NJ or Houston, TX at LongbridgeFinancial

The HELOC Operations Manager is a newly created, hands‑on leadership role responsible for building and leading the Company’s Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) operations from inception through growth. This role will initially function as both an individual contributor and department leader, personally performing HELOC loan intake, processing, and operational functions while simultaneously designing scalable processes, controls, and infrastructure. As HELOC volume expands, the Operations Manager will be responsible for hiring, training, and developing staff, progressively transitioning from direct production work to full operational oversight. This position owns the end‑to‑end operational performance of the HELOC business, including efficiency, quality, compliance, risk management, vendor oversight, and team development. The ideal candidate is a highly trusted, adaptable, and execution‑focused leader who thrives in building something new, is comfortable with ambiguity, and brings both deep HELOC operational expertise and a pragmatic, roll‑up‑your‑sleeves mindset.   Primary Job Duties: • Build the department from ground up and often doing the line level roles as volume dictates • As the business grows, Hire and manage direct reports to maximize productivity, ensure efficient operations, appropriate controls, effectiveness and efficiency • Build capacity plans based on growth, job descriptions as new roles are added, and assist in developing training materials aligned to expected growth and production volumes • Manages and performs the loan intake and processing of HELOC loans, including gathering supporting loan documents, clearing conditions for loan closing and preparing loan closing documentation during the early stage startup of the group. Later transition responsibilities as volume and staffing increases • Monitor team performance, coaching, mentoring, training, assuring compliance with regulatory requirements and internal policies • Appraise performance and provide recommendations for promotion, disciplinary action and termination, as appropriate • Communicates, coordinates, coaches and reviews direct reports to ensure efficient operations, appropriate controls and appropriate levels of productivity and effectiveness. • Monitors and evaluates HELOC pipeline to ensure quality loan pipeline that drives profitability while managing appropriate levels of risk • Leads the daily operations of HELOC intake and processing to include strategic planning and productivity control to achieve stated monthly goals • Develop policies and procedures for the department which will include testing and review of policies and procedures for compliance • Initiates projects and manages implementations that result in expense reductions and/or improved service and support • Partner with Retail and Wholesale Departments, and Sales Managers, to manage HELOC product, process, procedures and the ongoing evaluation of trends, competitor programs, and internal stakeholder needs. • Manages vendor relations required to support various services for HELOC loans (e.g. underwriting, flood, appraisal, title, etc.). • Create and maintain a culture of compliance and manage risk appropriately including but not limited to considerations related to Fair Lending, HMDA, RESPA, and CFPB. • Must comply with applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act, the Patriot Act, and the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Additionally, all employees must follow policies and procedures to minimize risk by exercising judgment, raising questions to management, and adhering to policy guidelines.