Assistant Program Officer Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

Ready to Take Your Career to the Next Level? Join Heritage Bank NA! We hire from MN, SD, IA, & WI.

Position Summary

The Loan Officer Assistant (LOA) works closely with Mortgage Loan Officers (MLOs) and plays an integral role in the mortgage lending process. This position is responsible for reviewing and structuring mortgage loan applications, selecting appropriate loan products based on borrower profiles, and ensuring documentation and regulatory compliance. The LOA independently evaluates borrower eligibility, runs automated underwriting systems, gathers and organizes necessary documentation, and maintains consistent communication with all stakeholders. The LOA responsible for managing the loan file from Loan Officer handoff through underwriting pre approval and disclosure preparation. This role also provides critical support to Mortgage Loan Officers by helping manage the loan pipeline and ensuring a seamless loan experience for borrowers.

Core Responsibilities

• Application Processing: Review loan applications and verify the completeness and accuracy of submitted documents. Follow up with borrower on any missing information or additional questions from the application to ensure a quality application is completed.
• Documentation Management: Collect, organize, and validate/review all required paperwork (e.g., income, credit, identification) according to investor and program guidelines.
• Borrower Communication: Maintain ongoing communication with borrowers to provide updates, collect outstanding documents, and resolve questions or concerns.
• Interpret and apply agency and investor guidelines (Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA; Non QM as applicable). Identify eligibility risks, overlays, and constraints early in the process before handing file off to Loan Processing. Including restructures in the event a file needs a restructure after sending to loan processing or underwriting.
• Eligibility and Credit Review: Evaluate borrower eligibility by analyzing credit reports, income, assets, and automated underwriting findings; report results to the MLO or supervisor.
• File Preparation: Assemble and deliver complete loan files to the processing team for submission to underwriting.
• Complete income calculations for all loan files as requested by the Loan Officer using the designated income calculation vendor tool, ensuring accuracy and consistency in borrower qualification assessments.
• Contact the borrower to review the final cash to close amount and clearly explain the acceptable methods for delivering funds at closing.
• Customer Service and Support: Assist MLOs with client communication and follow-up to enhance the borrower experience and support successful loan closings.
• Administrative Support: Perform data entry, maintain system records, schedule appointments, and assist with general clerical duties.
• Ensure timely and compliant communication updates are provided to borrowers, referral partners, and real estate agents throughout the loan application lifecycle by leveraging the Loan Origination System (LOS) and vendor tools such as Bonzo and nCino, while maintaining strict adherence to Nonpublic Personal Information (NPI) regulations.

Secondary Responsibilities

• Assist MLO in data mining opportunities in CRM (i.e. refi’s, denials, withdrawn, post close, old pre-approvals. This is at the request of the MLO as it is their primary accountability.
• Assist MLO in utilizing the CreditXpert vendor tool to assist borrowers who do not initially qualify by coaching them on credit improvement strategies or providing access to the tool; repull credit reports for borrowers who opt to use CreditXpert and request a reassessment of their credit status. This is at the request of the MO as it is their primary accountability.
• Perform additional duties as assigned to support team and organizational goals.
• Actively participate in all required Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) training and demonstrate job-appropriate BSA knowledge.
• Maintain awareness of and adherence to all applicable security protocols related to this position.

Bank Standards

At Heritage Bank, we are committed to a customer-centric, service-driven culture. We operate under the following core standards:

• Mission: Helping People Succeed Financially
• Ethics: Always doing the right thing, both professionally and personally
• Solutions: Providing thoughtful solutions to challenges and driving continuous improvement
• Ownership: Taking accountability for our roles and responsibilities
• Positivity: Bringing energy, optimism, and enthusiasm to everything we do

Compensation & Benefits

Get ready to be rewarded! This position provides an annual salary range of $ $40,000 - $62,000. Full-time team members enjoy a comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, paid holidays, and even paid volunteer days. Your health is covered with medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus plan for your future with our 401(k) and ESOP retirement plans. Enjoy additional benefits and incentives consistent with our company policy. Join us and discover how rewarding your career can be!

Disclaimer

This job description outlines the general nature of the role and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Duties, responsibilities, and benefits may change as business needs evolve. Employment is at will, meaning either the employee or the Company may end the employment relationship at any time, consistent with applicable law.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and value diversity at all levels of the organization.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in loan processing, loan officer assistance, or related mortgage/lending role preferred.
• Proficiency in Encompass loan origination software is preferred.
• Familiarity with mortgage regulations, including TRID (TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure), loan disclosures, and adverse action notices.
• Experience in ordering and tracking appraisals, title reports, verifications of employment (VOEs), and insurance.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple files and deadlines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• High attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.
• Able to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment.