AVP, Collections and Special Assets

Formed in 1934, Telhio began as a credit union for Columbus Telephone Company (now AT&T) employees. Telhio now serves over 70,000 member-owners throughout central and southwest Ohio. As one of the largest credit unions in Ohio, Telhio is a strong financial institution that continues to serve its members through extraordinary service, innovative financial solutions and community involvement. After generations of service and growth, we never lose focus of our three core values - Caring, Commitment, and Integrity.

Position Summary:

The Assistant Vice President (AVP), Collections and Special Assets is responsible for leading the Credit Union's consumer and commercial collections functions in a manner that protects the financial well-being of the Credit Union while supporting members with professionalism, dignity, and respect. This role oversees delinquency management, loss mitigation, loan workouts, recoveries, repossessions, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and special asset administration.

This position develops and executes collection strategies that help minimize losses, improve portfolio performance, maintain regulatory compliance, and preserve positive member relationships whenever possible. The AVP provides oversight of consumer and commercial problem loan portfolios, workout arrangements, collateral liquidation, and recovery activities with a focus on fair, consistent, and member-centered outcomes.

The AVP serves as a trusted advisor to executive management regarding portfolio trends, emerging credit risks, collection performance, and special asset resolution strategies, while helping ensure the collections function reflects the Credit Union's mission, values, and commitment to member service.

Responsibilities:

Collections Leadership and Administration

• Direct and oversee all consumer and commercial collection activities.
• Develop and implement collection strategies designed to reduce delinquency, charge-offs, and credit losses.
• Establish performance objectives, productivity standards, and service expectations for collections personnel.
• Monitor departmental performance through key performance indicators (KPIs) and portfolio analytics.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state regulations governing collections practices.
• Promote a member-centered approach that balances loss mitigation objectives with empathy, professionalism, and service.
• Evaluate staffing needs and resource allocation to support portfolio growth and operational efficiency.
• Lead departmental training and professional development initiatives.

Consumer Collections

• Oversee all stages of consumer collections including:

• Early-stage delinquency

• Late-stage collections

• Skip tracing

• Charge-off management

• Recoveries

• Repossessions

• Deficiency balance collection

• Monitor delinquency trends by product type, risk grade, geographic segment, and other key metrics.

• Develop collection treatments and segmentation strategies to improve cure rates, encourage member engagement, and provide appropriate assistance options when available.

• Review and approve complex repayment arrangements and settlement recommendations that are fair, well-documented, and aligned with Credit Union policy.

• Coordinate with legal counsel regarding bankruptcy proceedings, judgments, and collection litigation.

Commercial Collections and Workout Management

• Manage the commercial special assets and workout function.

• Oversee administration of troubled commercial loans from transfer through resolution.

• Develop borrower-specific workout strategies designed to maximize recovery, minimize loss exposure, and support practical resolution options for member-borrowers when appropriate.

• Evaluate and approve:

• Loan modifications

• Forbearance agreements

• Extensions

• Restructures

• Settlement arrangements

• Collateral liquidation plans

• Participate in borrower meetings and negotiations involving distressed credits.

• Coordinate with commercial lending staff to identify emerging problem loans early and support a smooth, well-communicated transition to special assets when needed.

• Review updated financial information, collateral valuations, cash flow analyses, guarantor strength, and repayment capacity.

• Monitor covenant compliance and collateral performance for distressed borrowers.

• Oversee foreclosure, liquidation, and legal recovery actions when necessary, ensuring actions are appropriate, well-supported, and consistent with Credit Union values and regulatory expectations.

• Present workout and recovery recommendations to management, committees, and the Board as required.

Portfolio Risk Management

• Analyze portfolio performance and emerging credit risk trends.
• Provide recommendations regarding allowance methodologies, charge-off practices, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with Credit Risk, Commercial Lending, Consumer Lending, Finance, Compliance, and Member Experience teams to address portfolio concerns and support consistent member treatment.
• Identify systemic causes of delinquency and recommend underwriting, policy, or operational improvements.
• Support enterprise risk management initiatives through timely reporting and trend analysis.
• Monitor concentrations and adverse risk indicators impacting collection and recovery performance.

Regulatory Compliance and Governance

• Ensure compliance with:

• Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)

• Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

• Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)

• Bankruptcy Code requirements

• UCC requirements

• NCUA regulations

• State collection, foreclosure, and repossession laws

• Internal policies and procedures

• Maintain collection and workout policies, procedures, and controls.

• Support regulatory examinations, audits, and independent reviews.

• Respond to examiner and auditor requests related to collections and special assets.

• Ensure appropriate documentation, reporting, and record retention standards are maintained.

Financial Performance and Reporting

• Develop and manage departmental budgets.

• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports for executive management and the Board.

• Report on:

• Delinquency trends

• Charge-offs

• Recoveries

• Repossessions

• Commercial workout activity

• Troubled credits

• Loss mitigation efforts

• Special asset performance

• Recommend reserve and loss forecasting assumptions based on portfolio conditions.

• Track department performance against strategic goals and risk appetite metrics.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Recruit, develop, coach, and retain high-performing team members.
• Conduct performance evaluations and succession planning activities.
• Promote a culture of accountability, compliance, collaboration, continuous improvement, and service to members.
• Lead through change management initiatives and technology implementations.
• Maintain effective working relationships across lending, legal, compliance, risk management, and operations teams.

What you will need:

• Bachelor''s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in collections, special assets, credit administration, lending, or related field.
• Minimum 3 years of management experience.
• Experience managing consumer and commercial delinquency portfolios.
• Experience with commercial loan workouts, restructures, and recovery strategies.
• Strong working knowledge of bankruptcy, collateral liquidation, foreclosure, and repossession processes.

Preferred

• Credit union or community banking experience.
• Commercial lending or credit underwriting background.
• Certified Credit Union Executive (CCUE), CBA, CRCM, or other relevant industry designation.
• Experience presenting to executive leadership, loan committees, and boards of directors.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of consumer and commercial lending practices.
• Advanced understanding of collections operations and recovery strategies.
• Ability to evaluate complex commercial workout situations and develop practical resolution strategies.
• Knowledge of financial statement analysis and cash flow assessment.
• Strong understanding of regulatory compliance requirements affecting collections and loan servicing.
• Excellent negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to analyze portfolio data and identify risk trends.
• Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Ability to lead teams and drive performance through measurable results.
• Proficiency with collection systems, core processing platforms, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office applications.

What you will earn:

• Competitive pay
• Benefits: several medical plan options, dental, free vision, free life and free disability insurance
• 6% matching and immediately vested 401(K) plan
• Generous schedule for paid holidays, vacation and personal time for a healthy work-life balance
• Opportunity for personal career growth, continued education and mentorship programs
• Volunteer opportunities impacting the local community

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This position requires sitting; some reaching; frequent standing and walking; some stooping or kneeling. The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 50 pounds.

This is a Non-Collective Bargaining Unit

Telhio is an Equal Opportunity Employer