Commercial Compliance Quality Assurance Manager

Tompkins Bank & Trust; City of Ithaca (NY); On-site; USD 91,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

401(k) Match

Profit Sharing

Paid Time Off

Holidays

Tuition Reimbursement

Free Parking

Job summary

Tompkins Bank & Trust is seeking a Commercial Compliance Quality Assurance Manager to lead first line compliance risk management for Commercial and Small Business Lending. The role focuses on embedding regulatory requirements into processes, monitoring portfolio quality, and guiding training and remediation across lending teams.

Responsibilities include risk oversight, testing, issue remediation, and cross-functional collaboration with legal, risk, and operations to support audit readiness and

Qualifications

• Seven or more years of experience in commercial lending, banking compliance, credit administration, or related risk/controls functions.
• Strong understanding of regulatory expectations and control frameworks.
• Experience translating regulatory requirements into practical procedures and guidance.

Responsibilities

• Lead first line compliance risk management for Commercial Lending processes, products, and controls.
• Monitor and remediate audit findings and regulatory exams with timely actions.
• Oversee portfolio compliance monitoring including covenant testing, annual reviews, and documentation.
• Produce risk reporting and escalation materials for senior management and governance forums.
• Promote regulatory change management, training, and guidance across business partners.
• Participate in special projects and cross-functional initiatives as needed.

Skills

Regulatory knowledge

Risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/finance/accounting/economics/risk management/law

Job description

Overview

The Commercial Compliance Quality Assurance Manager supports Commercial and Small Business Lending by managing first line compliance risk activities, embedding regulatory and policy requirements into business processes, and supporting portfolio administration quality. This role partners with lending, credit administration, operations, legal, risk, and compliance teams to identify, monitor, report, and remediate compliance and portfolio risks while supporting audit readiness, regulatory preparedness, and a strong compliance culture.

Position Goals

• First Line Compliance Risk Management: Strengthen first line compliance oversight for Commercial and Small Business Lending processes, products, controls, and business activities.
• Regulatory and Policy Alignment: Support consistent adherence to applicable laws, regulations, internal policies, and enterprise risk standards throughout the commercial lending lifecycle.
• Portfolio Quality Oversight: Enhance portfolio compliance monitoring through timely tracking, reporting, escalation, and remediation of financial statement, covenant, annual review, and related portfolio administration requirements.
• Control Effectiveness and Issue Remediation: Improve control execution, issue management, documentation, and regulatory readiness through effective monitoring routines, management reporting, and remediation support.
• Business Partner Guidance and Training: Promote consistent understanding of regulatory, policy, documentation, financial statement tracking, covenant testing, and annual review requirements through guidance, coaching, job aids, and training support.

Responsibilities

Regulatory Compliance Risk Management

• Serve as the first line compliance risk owner for Commercial Lending processes, products, controls, and related business activities.
• Translate regulatory requirements and enterprise policies into practical procedures, controls, checklists, and business guidance for lending teams.
• Support compliance oversight across the commercial lending lifecycle, including origination, underwriting, approval, documentation, closing, servicing, portfolio monitoring, renewals, modifications, and problem loan management.
• Identify emerging regulatory, operational, fair lending, UDAAP, privacy, customer treatment, and documentation risks that may impact commercial lending activities.

Control Monitoring, Testing, and Remediation

• Maintain and enhance first line control routines to prevent, detect, and correct compliance issues.
• Coordinate timely remediation of audit, compliance testing, regulatory exam, issue management, and self-identified findings.
• Maintain evidence of control execution, business decisions, approvals, and remediation activities to support auditability and regulatory readiness.
• Review new products, process changes, system enhancements, marketing materials, and business initiatives to evaluate compliance impacts before implementation.

Portfolio Compliance Monitoring and Reporting

• Monitor financial statement tracking to confirm required borrower financial information is received, recorded, reviewed, and followed up on in accordance with policy requirements.
• Review covenant testing compliance to ensure required testing is completed timely, supported by appropriate financial information, and documented with results and follow-up actions.
• Track annual review timeliness and escalate overdue or at-risk reviews in accordance with established procedures.
• Support portfolio compliance oversight through review of borrowing base reporting, collateral inspections, appraisal updates, exception tracking, past due monitoring, watch list documentation, and risk rating change support.

Risk Reporting and Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner with lending leadership, credit administration, operations, legal, risk, and second line compliance teams to identify, assess, monitor, and remediate compliance risks.
• Prepare clear status updates, risk assessments, control results, issue summaries, and escalation materials for senior management and governance forums.
• Assist in the development and maintenance of quality metrics, reporting tools, and management reporting.
• Identify recurring process gaps, control weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.

Regulatory Change, Guidance, and Training Support

• Support regulatory change management by assessing business impact, updating procedures, communicating changes, and validating implementation.
• Promote a strong compliance culture by advising business partners, reinforcing accountability, and delivering or coordinating targeted compliance training.
• Provide guidance, coaching, job aids, and training support to promote consistent understanding of regulatory, policy, documentation, financial statement tracking, covenant testing, and annual review timeliness requirements.

Special Projects & Additional Duties

• Lead Special Initiatives: Contribute to special initiatives and ad hoc assignments that support evolving business needs and personal professional development.

Key Success Factors

Risk Management: Anticipates and evaluates risks, makes informed decisions with incomplete information, and balances innovation with operational stability.

Problem Solving & Decision Making: Uses data, clear metrics, and the Tompkins decision making model to anticipate outcomes, manage risks, and coach sound decisions.

Planning & Results Orientation: Establishes goals, manages resources and budgets, addresses challenges, monitors progress, and maintains high standards.

Communication: Fosters communication by engaging stakeholders with empathy and professionalism, adapting messaging to diverse perspectives, and coaching others to strengthen communication skills.

Influence: Influences strategically by aligning stakeholder interests, leveraging relationships, navigating organizational dynamics, and building support for business outcomes.

Qualifications

• Degree in business, finance, accounting, economics, risk management, law, or a related degree; advanced degree or relevant certification preferred.
• Seven or more years of experience in commercial lending, banking compliance, credit administration, operational risk, internal controls, audit, or a related financial services function.
• Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager certification preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of applicable Commercial Lending regulations, including but not limited to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Flood Disaster Protection Act, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Community Reinvestment Act, and Fair Credit Reporting Act.
• Strong working knowledge of commercial lending processes, credit documentation, loan operations, risk governance, and compliance management practices.
• Familiarity with applicable banking regulations, fair lending principles, regulatory change management, compliance monitoring, and issue remediation expectations.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate processes, identify control gaps, assess root causes, and recommend practical risk-based solutions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex regulatory and control concepts to business partners.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, influence stakeholders, meet deadlines, and operate effectively in a highly regulated environment.
• Ability to travel occasionally within the Bank footprint.

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401(k) Match
• Profit Sharing
• Paid Time Off
• 11 Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Free Parking throughout Tompkins Community Bank
• Employee Referrals

EEO Statement

Tompkins is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity ("EEO") with respect to all team members and applicants for employment and a work environment free from discrimination (including unlawful harassment) based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender non-conformity, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, marital status, domestic violence victim status, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, military or veteran status or status in any group protected by federal, state, or local law.

#communitybank

Pay Range

USD $90,500.00 - USD $115,000.00 /Yr.