Loan Officer, Inside Sales

NorthStar Hiring Partners; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

NorthStar Hiring Partners seeks a Loan Officer in Chicago for an inside sales mortgage role. You will engage prospective and existing customers via inbound calls, proactive outbound outreach, and timely follow-up, guiding borrowers from inquiry to closing.

You will meet production goals, ensure loan quality and compliance with federal/state requirements, and maintain strong borrower experience. Prior experience in consumer-direct mortgage sales is preferred.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required; Bachelor's Degree in Business or Finance preferred.
• Active NMLS license required, with multiple state licenses preferred.
• 2+ years in an inside sales mortgage originations environment with production/lead-conversion goals.
• Residential loan origination experience preferred.
• Experience with Loan Origination Systems (LOS) such as Encompass preferred.

Responsibilities

• Handle inbound calls and proactive outbound calls to assigned leads and existing customers.
• Respond promptly to new leads and borrower inquiries and complete scheduled callbacks.
• Meet KPIs for funded loan volume, loan count, and call activity while maintaining loan quality.
• Manage and originate loans from company-provided leads; self-generated leads allowed but not expected.
• Conduct consultative borrower interviews to assess financing objectives and recommend mortgage solutions.
• Explain mortgage options, pricing, terms, and requirements clearly; avoid misstatements.
• Maintain accurate CRM and LOS records; manage pipeline and aging.
• Coordinate with processing, underwriting, and closing teams to resolve issues.

Skills

Strong communication

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Time management

Attention to detail

Education

HS diploma or GED

Bachelor’s in Business/Finance (preferred)

Tools

Encompass LOS

MS Word

Excel

Outlook

Job description

Loan Officer

Reporting to Originations Leadership, the Loan Officer, Inside Sales operates in a consumer-direct mortgage sales environment, engaging prospective and existing customers through inbound calls, proactive outbound outreach, and timely follow-up. The Loan Officer assesses borrower needs, explains available mortgage products, pricing, and terms, and guides customers through purchase and refinance transactions from initial inquiry through closing. This role is responsible for achieving established production goals while delivering a responsive borrower experience and maintaining loan quality and compliance with applicable federal and state requirements and company policies.

Success is measured against established key performance indicators (KPIs), including funded loan volume and loan count; telephony activity, including inbound and outbound calls, talk time, and productive borrower contacts; speed-to-lead and follow-up completion; lead-to-application and application-to-funding conversion rates; and pipeline pull-through and closing timeliness. Inside sales expectations include meeting assigned activity and production targets, adhering to scheduled phone coverage, maintaining accurate customer contact and loan origination system records, consistently managing assigned leads and referral opportunities, and proactively coordinating with internal teams to resolve outstanding items. Performance also reflects borrower satisfaction, application and documentation quality, and compliance

Essential Job Functions

• Handle inbound calls and make proactive outbound calls to assigned leads and existing customers using approved telephony tools; adhere to scheduled phone coverage, queue procedures, and availability expectations.
• Respond promptly to new leads and borrower inquiries, follow established contact cadences, and complete scheduled callbacks and follow-up tasks to maximize meaningful borrower engagement.
• Meet established KPIs for funded loan volume and count, call activity, talk time, productive contacts, speed-to-lead, conversion rates, and pipeline pull-through while maintaining loan quality and a positive borrower experience.
• Manage and originate loans from company-provided leads. Self-generated leads may also be originated in accordance with company policies, but generating personal business is not an expectation of this role.
• Conduct consultative borrower interviews to assess financing objectives, income, assets, and credit information; recommend appropriate available mortgage solutions for purchase and refinance transactions.
• Clearly explain mortgage options, pricing, loan terms, costs, and application requirements; address borrower questions and concerns without making misleading statements or commitments.
• Set realistic expectations for documentation, milestones, and closing timelines, and provide proactive updates through approved communication channels throughout the loan process.
• Assist borrowers with accurate, complete loan applications and required documentation; review information for completeness and potential eligibility issues before submission for processing and underwriting.
• Maintain accurate, timely records in customer relationship management (CRM), telephony, and loan origination systems, including contact attempts, call outcomes, borrower information, next steps, and pipeline status.
• Actively manage the loan pipeline, monitor aging and outstanding conditions, and coordinate with processing, underwriting, and closing teams to resolve issues, reduce avoidable fallout, and support timely funding.
• Maintain current knowledge of mortgage programs and applicable requirements; follow company procedures for required disclosures, fair lending, HMDA reporting, customer contact consent, do-not-call requests, and protection of borrower information.
• Follow approved call guides and quality standards, participate in call monitoring and coaching, and apply feedback to improve sales conversations, accuracy, and customer service.
• Recognize and promptly escalates borrower complaints, complex loan scenarios, compliance concerns, and system issues through established channels; document actions and follow through on resolution.
• Complete required training, participate in team meetings and product updates, and collaborate across the organization while demonstrating company values, ethical standards, and professional conduct.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Key Characteristics

• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Solid decision-making abilities coupled with sound judgment
• Strong time management skills
• Ability to prioritize numerous tasks and manage shifting priorities
• Client-focused with strong execution skills and results orientation
• High level of precision with attention to detail and consistency
• Flexible, open to change, ability to learn new things quickly
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment and provide guidance for working groups

Job Specifications

• High School Diploma/ GED required; Bachelor's Degree in Business or Finance preferred
• Active NMLS license required, with multiple state licenses preferred
• 2+ years' experience in an inside sales mortgage originations environment, with demonstrated success meeting production and lead-conversion goals while maintaining loan quality; consumer-direct call center experience preferred
• Residential loan origination experience preferred
• Demonstrable ability to multi-task, self-manage and self-motivate to drive new business
• Prior experience working with Loan Origination Systems (LOS), preferably Encompass
• Solid skills and experience in MS Word, Excel, and Outlook