Closing Manager

World-Business-Lenders,-LL; New York (NY); On-site; USD 130,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

World Business Lenders in New York seeks a Closing Manager to oversee end-to-end loan closings and the Title function, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely funding. You will lead Closing and Title teams, coordinate with underwriting, legal, and partners to keep loans on schedule.

This role demands extensive experience managing title clearance, lien perfection, and vendor relationships with attorneys, title companies, and settlement agents.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in mortgage/lending closing, title, escrow, settlement, or related lending operations.
• Demonstrated management or leadership experience overseeing both Closing and Title functions.
• Significant experience managing title companies, closing attorneys, settlement agents, escrow providers, and other third-party partners.
• Strong experience reviewing loan documentation, title commitments, settlement statements, lien information, and closing requirements.
• Experience resolving complex title, lien, documentation, funding, and closing issues.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Closing Team, providing direction, coaching, training, and performance oversight.
• Oversee the end-to-end closing process from Clear-to-Close through funding.
• Ensure all legal, title, documentation, and funding conditions are satisfied before closing.
• Review and approve loan documents, settlement statements, payoff documentation, closing instructions, and related documentation.
• Resolve complex closing issues and serve as an escalation point for documentation, funding, legal, and transaction-related matters.
• Coordinate closely with Underwriting, Credit, Processing, Valuations, Legal, and Funding to keep loans on schedule.
• Monitor closing KPIs, including turnaround times, funding accuracy, defect rates, and SLA compliance.
• Directly oversee the Title function and title clearance team.
• Manage workload, priorities, resources, and deadlines to ensure timely title clearance.
• Review title commitments, title policies, surveys, lien searches, vesting, exceptions, and related documentation.
• Ensure title requirements and exceptions are addressed accurately and timely.
• Resolve title defects, lien priority issues, vesting issues, judgments, liens, and other exceptions affecting collateral.
• Ensure appropriate first-lien position and protection of WBL's collateral interests.
• Monitor title SLAs, quality standards, turnaround times, and vendor performance.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex title matters.
• Oversee relationships with closing attorneys, title companies, settlement agents, escrow providers, and other third-party partners.
• Establish performance expectations and service-level standards.
• Resolve vendor escalations and transaction-level issues.
• Build strong relationships with external partners to improve turnaround times, quality, and operational efficiency.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, checklists, workflows, and quality-control procedures for Closing and Title.
• Standardize closing and title procedures and documentation requirements.
• Identify process gaps and implement improvements to increase efficiency and reduce errors.
• Monitor post-closing defects and implement corrective actions.
• Track operational performance across both Closing and Title functions.
• Ensure Closing and Title activities comply with applicable federal and state requirements, company policies, and investor requirements.
• Identify and elevate legal, title, documentation, and collateral risks.
• Support complex or exception-based transactions by providing guidance on closing and title requirements.
• Work with Legal and other stakeholders to resolve complex issues while protecting WBL's collateral position.

Skills

Leadership

Closing & Title processes

Vendor management

Cross-functional collaboration

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

About World Business Lenders

At World Business Lenders (WBL), we provide flexible, short-term commercial loans backed by real estate to help small and medium-sized businesses across the United States, particularly those facing difficulties securing traditional financing.

We are a fast-moving, results-driven organization focused on efficient execution, strong risk management, and protecting the company's collateral position.

About the Role

• The Closing Manager oversees the end-to-end loan closing process, including the Title function, ensuring transactions are completed accurately, efficiently, and in compliance with applicable requirements.
• This role manages Closing and Title operations and teams, oversees relationships with attorneys and title/settlement partners, and serves as an escalation point for complex closing and title matters. The Closing Manager works closely with Underwriting, Credit, Processing, Valuations, Legal, and Funding to ensure timely loan closings and funding.
  

What Success Looks Like

• Build and maintain efficient, standardized Closing and Title processes.
• Improve Clear-to-Close, title clearance, and closing turnaround times.
• Ensure closing and title conditions are resolved accurately and within required SLAs.
• Strengthen quality control processes and reduce closing and post-closing defects.
• Maintain strong relationships with closing attorneys, title companies, settlement agents, and other third-party partners.
• Develop and maintain clear procedures, checklists, and documentation standards across both functions.
• Provide effective leadership, accountability, and development for Closing and Title team members.
• Resolve complex title, lien, legal, documentation, and closing issues quickly to keep loans on schedule.
• Protect WBL's collateral position while supporting timely loan funding.

What You’ll Be Doing

Closing Management

• Lead and manage the Closing Team, providing direction, coaching, training, and performance oversight.
• Oversee the end-to-end closing process from Clear-to-Close through funding.
• Ensure all legal, title, documentation, and funding conditions are satisfied before closing.
• Review and approve loan documents, settlement statements, payoff documentation, closing instructions, and related documentation.
• Resolve complex closing issues and serve as an escalation point for documentation, funding, legal, and transaction-related matters.
• Coordinate closely with Underwriting, Credit, Processing, Valuations, Legal, and Funding to keep loans on schedule.
• Monitor closing KPIs, including turnaround times, funding accuracy, defect rates, and SLA compliance.

Title Management

• Directly oversee the Title function and title clearance team.
• Manage workload, priorities, resources, and deadlines to ensure timely title clearance.
• Review title commitments, title policies, surveys, lien searches, vesting, exceptions, and related documentation.
• Ensure title requirements and exceptions are addressed accurately and timely.
• Resolve title defects, lien priority issues, vesting issues, judgments, liens, and other exceptions affecting collateral.
• Ensure appropriate first-lien position and protection of WBL's collateral interests.
• Monitor title SLAs, quality standards, turnaround times, and vendor performance.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex title matters.

Attorney, Title & Settlement Partner Management

• Oversee relationships with closing attorneys, title companies, settlement agents, escrow providers, and other third-party partners.
• Establish performance expectations and service-level standards.
• Resolve vendor escalations and transaction-level issues.
• Build strong relationships with external partners to improve turnaround times, quality, and operational efficiency.

Process Improvement & Quality Control

• Develop and maintain SOPs, checklists, workflows, and quality-control procedures for Closing and Title.
• Standardize closing and title procedures and documentation requirements.
• Identify process gaps and implement improvements to increase efficiency and reduce errors.
• Monitor post-closing defects and implement corrective actions.
• Track operational performance across both Closing and Title functions.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure Closing and Title activities comply with applicable federal and state requirements, company policies, and investor requirements.
• Identify and elevate legal, title, documentation, and collateral risks.
• Support complex or exception-based transactions by providing guidance on closing and title requirements.
• Work with Legal and other stakeholders to resolve complex issues while protecting WBL's collateral position.

Education

• Bachelor's degree, Associate's degree, J.D., or equivalent relevant education and experience preferred.

Required Experience

• 10+ years of progressive experience in mortgage/lending closing, title, escrow, settlement, or related lending operations.
• Demonstrated management or leadership experience overseeing both Closing and Title functions.
• Significant experience managing title companies, closing attorneys, settlement agents, escrow providers, and other third-party partners.
• Strong experience reviewing loan documentation, title commitments, settlement statements, lien information, and closing requirements.
• Experience resolving complex title, lien, documentation, funding, and closing issues.

Must-Have Requirements

Please ensure you meet all of the following before applying:

• Extensive experience with loan closing and title clearance processes.
• Proven leadership experience managing teams, workflows, SLAs, and third-party partners.
• Strong knowledge of title review, lien perfection, collateral documentation, and closing requirements.
• Experience reviewing title commitments