SBA Closing Manager

Job Description

The SBA (Small Business Administration) Closing Manager serves as the driving force behind the successful transition of SBA loans from approval to funding, ensuring every transaction moves forward with precision, efficiency, and confidence. This role oversees the full loan closing lifecycle, guiding origination fulfillment while maintaining operational excellence and strict adherence to SBA Standard Operating Procedures. Working closely with internal teams and external legal counsel, the Closing Manager orchestrates complex transactions and ensures documentation is accurate, complete, and structured for success. A deep understanding of SBA lending and sophisticated financing arrangements is essential, as is the ability to build strong relationships with customers, lending partners, and legal professionals. Through expertise, collaboration, and attention to detail, this position plays a critical role in delivering a seamless closing experience and supporting the growth of small businesses.

Essential Functions

• Conduct, or participate in, the hiring, coaching, developing and supervising of team members; conducting one-on-one progress and coaching sessions as needed, and identifying and training team members that demonstrate high potential to ensure appropriate succession planning

• Provides oversight and expertise for items related to credit, loan, and SBA documentation policies, closing due diligence, regulatory requirements (including BSA, Beneficial Ownership, Flood Regulations, etc.) and systems used

• Develops strategies and recommendations for improving efficiency, productivity, quality, and risk management within the SBA segment and collaborates with business partners to communicate ideas and recommendations to management

• Acts as the SBA closing/processing subject matter expert by having extensive knowledge of SBA Standard Operating Procedures

• Exercises independent decisions regarding compliance with bank and SBA documentation requirements

• Serves as the primary escalation contact for business partners regarding questions, issues or concerns with team performance or transactional issues

• Document and complete annual performance appraisals and performance management duties including, but not limited to, providing appropriate feedback and goal setting

• Daily management of SBA Closing Desk team members to ensure timely completion of all tasks/workflows.  Including review of all loan documentation (originated and broadly syndicated loans)

• Manage and ensure all SBA, legal, credit, collateral, and regulatory requirements are included in documentation

• Ensure team has complete review of all SBA Guaranty requirements, approved terms and conditions and appropriately documented in accordance with established procedures

• Ensure staff is managing title company process on originated loans and communicating with borrowers to see that all title requirements are met at closing

• Perform SOX testing as needed

• Ensure total document and data integrity attributes to comply with CECL data points

• Meet performance metrics for headcount, Service Level Agreements and efficiency; Manage, research and remediate inquiries and complaints from internal and external customers within established Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

• Monitor and resolve issues and establish appropriate controls over the use of the core and ancillary systems to comply with audit requirements

• Act as department's technical liaison to develop, manage, and implement the ongoing design of documentation procedures, methods and work systems; accountable for updates to department procedures according to the Northwest's established guidelines

• Lead and oversee activities related to documentation, and monitoring tasks

• Train new hires to ensure consistency and standardization in the closing process

• Engage with Credit Managers, Portfolio Managers, and Underwriters to collaboratively support customer's request

• Administrate appropriate third-party vendors

• Ensure compliance with Northwest’s policies and procedures, and Federal/State regulations

• Navigate Microsoft Office Software, computer applications, and software specific to the department in order to maximize technology tools and gain efficiency

• Work as part of a team

• Work with on-site equipment

What You Bring to the Team

• Complete other duties and special projects as requested by management

• Interact with key strategic partners at a management level

• Remain current on all pending and proposed regulatory changes affecting compliance and attend webinars/trainings covering regulatory and compliance issues

• Contribute as a member of the loan operations management team, actively engaging with members of the Small Business and Commercial management in making department decisions

• Provide input in developing strategic planning recommendations based on operational data

Education and Experience preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in business,

• 6 - 8 years of SBA Lending closing experience and knowledge of SBA loan program requirements

• Advanced knowledge of SBA's SOP requirements and regulations

• 6 - 8 years of experience with loan closing and documentation function with outside counsel

• 6 - 8 years of experience reviewing insurance, title work, collateral, lien filings, appraisals reports

• 2 - 6 years of experience working with bankers, underwriters, closers, and attorneys

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Northwest is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.