Bilingual Financial Counselor I

Southern Bancorp; El Dorado (AR); On-site; USD 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plans

Stock ownership

Home mortgage discounts

Paid holidays and time off

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

A Community Development Financial Institution seeks a Financial Counselor to provide financial education and counseling to underserved populations. This role involves developing relationships within the community, facilitating programs, and assisting clients in achieving their financial goals. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree, five years of experience, and relevant certifications. The position offers a robust benefits package and encourages diverse applicants.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of experience in financial counseling or related field.
• HUD housing counselor certification required within six months.
• Accredited Financial Counseling certification through the Association for and Planning Education.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one financial counseling to customers.
• Maintain significant product knowledge of financial products.
• Assist in community outreach and business development techniques.

Skills

Financial counseling

Customer relations

Communication

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Time management

Fluency in Spanish

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

CRM systems

Project management tools

Job description

<3>Company Overview

Southern Bancorp is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) dedicated to serving underserved communities. Our mission is to be wealth builders for everyone, with a focus on low‑wealth and unbanked populations and an emphasis on Black and Brown individuals.

Job Summary

Work in SBCP’s Asset Development Department to provide comprehensive financial counseling, coaching, and education. The counselor will assist in recruiting for and facilitating all SBCP’s Wealth Building programs and serve as the crux of all of SBCP’s wealth building products and services.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide one‑on‑one financial counseling to customers and facilitate the identification and achievement of financial goals using both in‑person and digital tools.
• Deliver prompt, efficient, and friendly service, emphasizing problem‑solving and solution‑building.
• Analyze and assess current financial conditions of consumer customers and build outcomes‑based action plans to achieve identified goals.
• Maintain significant product knowledge for both SBB and SBCP financial products.
• Assist customers in accessing SBCP and SBB financial products to further their financial goals.
• Provide group learnings online and in‑person to empower customers with positive financial decisions.
• Build relationships with the community to position SBCP in the market and attract targeted customers.
• Develop new clients and partners through active community outreach.
• Employ business development techniques to build a customer base for asset development services and lending products.
• Execute a reciprocal referral network with SBCP and SBB lenders.
• Use digital platforms to collect, track data, key performance indicators, and report metrics for strategic decision‑making.
• Assist with grant and certification reporting as needed.
• Complete all required training and continuing education for certifications.
• Perform other related duties as required, including assistance with wealth building programs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a minimum of five years of experience in credit or financial counseling or related field.
• HUD housing counselor certification required; employees must obtain certification within six months of hire.
• Accredited Financial Counseling certification through the Association for and Planning Education required; begin coursework within sixty days of start date.
• Ability to prioritize workload, meet deadlines, and work independently.
• Attention to detail, recall, and strong organizational skills.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• High analytical ability.
• Strong customer relations skills.
• Problem‑solving judgment and resourcefulness.
• Ability to travel within markets and maintain a valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office, project management digital tools, and CRM systems.
• Fluent in English and Spanish.

Physical/Sensory Requirements

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

What We Offer

We provide a comprehensive benefits package, including retirement plans, stock ownership, home mortgage discounts, and free financial education tools for employees.

Health Benefits

• No‑deductible medical insurance plan.
• Dental and vision insurance.
• Employer‑paid life and long‑term disability insurance.
• Flexible Spending Accounts.

Well‑Being Benefits

• Paid holidays and paid time off.
• Bonus plan.
• Opportunities for merit raises.
• Employee reward and recognition programs.
• Community service opportunities.

Southern Bancorp is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

As a Community Development Financial Institution, Southern Bancorp desires its workforce to reflect the diversity of the customers and communities that we serve. Racial and ethnic minorities, people from working‑class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people are often underrepresented in many financial services industry professions. Therefore, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.