Branch Manager - First American Bank

First American Bank was founded in Chicago, and over the years has expanded throughout Wisconsin and Florida. As the largest privately held bank in Illinois, we now have over 60 locations and assets of $5+ billion. We are a community bank at heart with international expertise, traditional values, and a forward-looking philosophy. Our employees have the experience and vision to meet the needs of savers, borrowers, and businesses in the 21st century. First American Bank can offer employees a level of visibility, career growth, and stability that is difficult to find in many larger corporations.

The Branch Manager is responsible for providing leadership in business development, service, and operations of the branch to ensure that goals and standards are achieved.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

• Directly manage the daily activities of employees within the branch, coordinating and prioritizing requisite duties and daily assignments while appraising employee productivity and performance. Monitor staff attendance, work standards, and adherence to company policies. Compose and deliver performance evaluations.
• Promote teamwork within the branch to encourage participation in sales and service activities of the branch.
• Coach, motivate, and develop branch team by providing actionable advice and insight on sales preparation and presentation, with a focus on tailoring the message to the audience.
• Promote career development for team by assigning actionable objectives and developing individualized skillsets utilizing internal and external tools and resources, such as LinkedIn Learning and First American Bank University.
• Serve as a professional role model, including appearance, dress, and communication.
• Responsible for employee hiring, training, staff development, timecard approval, scheduling, and direct assistance with coverage of daily workloads when needed. Facilitate the cross training of staff to ensure that all shifts always have adequate coverage.
• Develop and implement sustained team and individual sales strategies to promote products and services to appropriate audiences. Achieve the financial goals of the customer and division by aligning individual needs to appropriate products.

Business Development

• Be an ambassador of First American Bank by sourcing and building beneficial relationships to uncover opportunities and provide solutions.
• Develop and implement strategic and market plans to grow and retain branch customer deposit and loan balances and relationships.
• Develop and execute business plans to achieve new relationship acquisition, business partner referrals, and existing relationship expansion within a geographic territory to close sales, win business, and reach sales goals.
• Utilize tools and resources to organize and analyze customer data to align customer needs to tailored recommendations for products and services. Manage pipeline to adequately capture conversations and opportunities for prospective and current customers.
• Collaborate with internal business units to ensure a cohesive customer experience tailored to individual needs, resulting in a comprehensive banking relationship.
• Increase brand awareness in community by representing the company at local events, meetings, and engagements. Develop mutually beneficial partnerships within the community with the goal of uncovering opportunities and providing solutions.
• Responsible for reporting sales activity and outbound efforts to the Regional Sales and Service Manager.
• Participate in organizations and events within the community to develop centers of influence and build a referral base.

Service

• Participate in various customer service phone queues to service customers which includes performing research, reviewing transactions, and redirecting customers to appropriate resources when necessary.
• Manage and model customer experience, ensuring satisfactory service standards and appropriate resolution is achieved in-person and over-the-phone.
• Leverage available tools, resources, and information to identify opportunities to create customized solutions.
• Perform all daily personal banking tasks, including opening, maintaining, and closing deposit accounts (consumer, business accounts, and IRAs).
• Provide teller services including, balancing teller drawer, performing customer transactions, processing cash advances, depositing currency, ordering coin, and other teller services. Check cashing authority with full transaction approval authority.
• Adhere to and uphold all written policies and procedures. Includes monitoring security, operations, and personnel policies, and performing necessary audit functions for compliance.
• Maintain building space, appearance and equipment as needed. This will include directing the maintenance, securing supplies, working with other FAB departments, and making cost effective expenditure decisions.
• Perform opening/closing procedures of the branch. This includes possession of keys as well as combinations to various vaults.
• Monitor all operations of the branch, including maintenance of the appropriate cash levels; authorize payment of checks within personal limits; monitor security of vault cash and consignment items; inspect surveillance equipment for working condition and quality of picture.
• Ensure staff meets work deadlines and that responsibilities are completed on a timely basis.
• Resolve problems, provide solutions, and overcome customer service objections.
• Manage risk by ensuring bank policies and procedures are followed along with all regulatory and internal security procedures.
• Conduct and complete additional assignments/projects as designated by management.

Risk Management

• Interpret, implement, and enforce compliance requirements for the branch. Ensure branch staff understands and adheres to policies and procedures.
• Serve as an internal branch auditor as needed. Execute and manage branch audits to ensure branches are in compliance.
• Analyze and identify risks while conducting customer transactions within the branch. Utilize compliance and fraud training to accurately respond and escalate suspicious activity to the appropriate department.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School degree or equivalent.
• This position requires the individual to take loan applications and close loans.
• This position may require the employee to register and maintain registration with the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Registry (NMLS).
• Two years of management experience within a financial/bank services, retail environment, or completion of First American Bank’s Assistant Branch Manager Training Program is required.
• The employee must have a proven track record of successful service and sales performance.
  General understanding of consumer and mortgage lending required.
• Demonstrated leadership in work, school, military experience, or community organization is required.
• Must be a self-motivated individual who can handle customer and operational challenges. Possess a high level of decision-making to manage all risks associated with business objectives and compliance requirements.
• Must be professional, comfortable speaking with external and internal contacts with a demonstrated ability to tailor the message appropriately to the audience and situation effectively. 
• Demonstrated ability to convey thoughts and ideas effectively and succinctly via written formats, including emails, letters, and electronic platforms. Maintain professional standards relating to spelling and grammar. 
• Maintain credibility through professional demeanor, appearance, and presence by modeling standards appropriate to our environment and industry. 
• Maintain good working relationships with internal partners by exhibiting exemplary interpersonal skills, adopting a constructive, solutions-focused approach.
• Use sound professional judgment to balance the interests of the organization and customer, understanding and using available resources to mitigate risks.
• Cold calling sales ability, with assertive, positive, and persistent style.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 products and applications, including the ability to effectively prepare or review documents, procedures, and reports.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new systems and applications, as well as the ability to understand, adapt and adjust responsibilities/workflows as a result of system upgrades.
• Occasional travel to other First American Bank locations to assist and audit other branches, Bank functions, and training facilities required.
• Typically scheduled for a 36 – 40 hour work week with shifts between the hours Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Additional hours may be required to participate in phone queues, after hour meetings, and call nights.
• Punctuality is required to maintain First American Bank’s customer service standards.