Consumer Lending Underwriter I

First Financial Bank; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 32,456 - 39,082; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relevant wellness benefits

Incentive eligibility for roles

Job summary

First Financial Bank in Cincinnati, Ohio is seeking a Retail Lending Associate. This role involves analyzing application information, underwriting various lending products, and providing exceptional customer service to both internal and external clients.

Successful candidates will have at least 2 years of experience in consumer lending or a related field and demonstrate strong communication and attention-to-detail skills. The position offers a competitive hourly pay range and thoughtful benefits.

Qualifications

• 2-3 years equivalent business experience required.
• Minimum of 2 years in consumer lending or banking.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Analyze application information for Retail Lending.
• Underwrite secured and unsecured Retail Lending products.
• Support process improvement and business objectives.
• Provide superior customer service.

Skills

Consumer lending experience

Attention to detail

Microsoft Office proficiency

Interpersonal communication

Job description

Responsibilities

• Analyze application information for Retail Lending.
• Provide direct responsibility to underwrite secured and unsecured Retail Lending products (Home Equity lines of credit, Home Equity term loans, Unsecured Loans, and Direct Installment Loans) across multiple states.
• Support process improvement and business objectives.
• Provide superior customer service while partnering and performing with both internal and external customers (Retail Banking Center Managers, Vendors, other internal departments, etc.).
• Accept additional projects as identified.
• Have the minimum consumer lending authority: Secured – $100,000, Unsecured/Credit Cards – $7,500.
• Analyze consumer credit reports of Retail Lending applications to evaluate risk and make appropriate credit decisions across multiple states, markets, and geographic regions.
• Review documents to support credit decisions (verification of income, tax returns, personal financial statement, trusts, and additional supporting documentation, etc.).
• Review documents to underwrite within the stated Retail Lending Guidelines and applicable regulations (flood determination, property appraisals, property reports/title searches, and documents, etc.).
• Verify completeness and accuracy of credit applications.
• Formulate and communicate credit decisions to Retail Banking Centers for all Consumer Loan applications (approve, decline, or counteroffer) in compliance with established underwriting guidelines, compliance, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop business relationships and build rapport with Retail Banking Centers and other internal departments to achieve mutual goals.
• Manage the application pipeline to meet business objectives for Service Level Agreements in place.
• Provide superior service to both internal and external customers.
• Review credit applications and recommend decisions on applications over their assigned authority to Supervisor/Manager.

Qualifications

• 2‑3 years equivalent business experience required.
• Minimum of 2 years consumer lending, banking, or financial services experience.
• Ability to interact with all levels of management and external customers.
• Strong attention to detail and follow‑up capability.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and work independently in a team environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs such as Word and Excel.

Physical Requirements

• Occasionally lift and carry up to 50 lbs.
• Frequently lift and carry up to 10 lbs.
• Occasionally stand and walk.
• Frequently sit.

Compliance

The associate is responsible for meeting all compliance requirements imposed on First Financial Bank by state, federal law and regulation, and all related First Financial Bank policies and procedures, including the Bank Secrecy Act, Anti‑Money Laundering, OFAC, and Suspicious Activity reporting requirements, as well as all other lending and deposit compliance requirements.

Pay Range

$23.56–$28.37 per hour

Benefits

• Relevant, thoughtful benefits and programs that support holistic wellbeing – please review our Benefits Guide.
• Incentive eligibility: all roles are incentive eligible, except for Co‑Op, Intern, or Student positions.

EEO Statement

We are an E‑Verify Employer. We do not discriminate against any individual in violation of federal, state, or local laws as it relates to age, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, pregnancy, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran/military service, or any other characteristic protected by law.