Collections Specialist

Wintrust Financial Corp; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 28,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) with company match

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Parental Leave

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Wintrust Financial Corp seeks a Collections Specialist to manage and collect on past-due Community Banking Commercial Loans (CBCL) within the Managed Assets Division. The role mitigates risk, reduces losses, and maintains detailed records while ensuring regulatory compliance.

You will contact borrowers, negotiate repayment plans, and coordinate with internal teams and outside counsel. Travel to inspect collateral may be required.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED is required.
• Minimum 3 years' collections and/or loss mitigation experience.
• Experience at a financial institution is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Make outbound collection calls on delinquent consumer and small business loans.
• Work with borrowers to address concerns, negotiate resolutions, and bring accounts current.
• Document all communication and financial updates in the bank's system.
• Enforce the bank's rights and remedies with outside counsel when needed.
• Collaborate with Team Lead or Loan Officer to identify concerns and address issues.
• Occasional travel and site visits to inspect collateral may be required.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Active listening

Problem solving

Empathy

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Wintrust provides community and commercial banking, specialty finance and wealth management services through its 16 bank charters and nine non-bank businesses. Wintrust delivers the sophisticated solutions of a large bank while staying true to the relationship-focused, personalized service of our community banking roots. We serve clients in all 50 states with more than 200 branch banking locations in Illinois, southwestern Florida, northwestern Indiana, west Michigan and southern Wisconsin and commercial banking offices in Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Mich., and in key branch banking locations throughout Illinois. Our people are the heart of our business and we are proud to rank consistently as a top place to work. Wintrust is a $66 billion financial institution based in Rosemont, Illinois, and listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "WTFC."

Why join us?

An award-winning culture! We are rated a Top Workplace by the Chicago Tribune (past 12 years) and Employee Recommended award by the Globe & Mail (past 6 years). Competitive pay and annual discretionary bonus eligible. Comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, vision, life, a 401k plan with a generous company match and tuition reimbursement to name a few. Family-friendly work hours. Promote from within culture.

The Collections Specialist is primarily responsible for managing and collecting on past due Community Banking Commercial Loans (CBCL) within the Managed Assets Division. This role plays a critical part in mitigating risk and reducing losses for the bank by implementing effective loss mitigation strategies, maintaining detailed records, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. This position involves regular communication with delinquent borrowers, negotiation of repayment plans, and coordination with internal stakeholders and external counsel.

What You'll Do

• Make outbound collection calls on delinquent consumer and small business loans
• Work directly with borrowers to address concerns, negotiate resolutions, and bring delinquent accounts current
• Document all communication and financial updates accurately in the bank's system including attempted contacts and payment arrangements
• Enforce the Bank's legal rights and remedies, working closely with outside counsel and third-party professionals to manage litigation and related legal proceedings
• Partner with Team Lead and/or Loan Officer to identify, evaluate, and address potential concerns and issues
• Occasional travel and site visits to inspect collateral may be required

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED
• Minimum 3 years' collections and/or loss mitigation experience
• Prior experience with a financial institution strongly preferred
• Familiarity with standard lending disclosures, privacy rules, and debt collection compliance
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to handle difficult conversations with empathy and firmness
• Strong judgment, problem-solving capabilities, and active listening skills to handle complex, non-routine financial matters
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (specifically Excel)

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental
• Vision
• Life insurance
• Accidental death and dismemberment
• Short-term and long-term Disability Insurance
• Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Traditional and Roth 401(k) with company match
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan at 5% discount
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Transportation and Commuting Benefits
• Banking Benefits
• Pet Insurance Compensation

The estimated hourly rate for this role is $20.20 to $31.25, along with eligibility to earn an annual bonus. Actual salaries may vary based on several factors, such as a candidate's qualifications, skills, and experience.

#LI-AC1

From our first day in business, Wintrust has been proud to serve a variety of unique communities and people from all walks of life. To build a company that reflects the communities we serve, we believe that fostering a unique and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed will support our ongoing success.

Wintrust Financial Corporation, including community banking and financial services subsidiaries, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.

Wintrust provides community and commercial banking, specialty finance and wealth management services, delivering the sophisticated solutions of a large bank through a relationship-focused approach built from our community banking roots.

Wintrust may collect personal information from you in connection with the application process. Wintrust complies with the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, and its policy may be found here Click here for Equal Opportunities.