Loan Originator/Assistant

Heritage-Bank-Na; Willmar (MN); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Paid volunteer days

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) and ESOP retirement plans

Incentives

Job summary

Heritage Bank NA is seeking a Loan Originator/Assistant to support Mortgage Loan Officers in the branch. You will manage the loan pipeline, assist with underwriting pre-approvals, disclosures, and file preparation, and help source 2-3 new organic loans monthly.

This role covers loan types including Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA; requires attention to NPI rules and strong communication with borrowers, real estate partners, and the processing team.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in loan processing, loan officer assistance, or related mortgage/lending role preferred.
• Proficiency with Encompass loan origination software preferred.
• Familiarity with mortgage regulations, including TRID (TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure).
• Experience in ordering/tracking appraisals, title reports, VOEs, and insurance.

Responsibilities

• Provides support to Mortgage Loan Officers by managing the loan pipeline and ensuring a smooth borrower experience.
• Manages loan files from handoff through underwriting pre-approval and disclosure prep.
• Evaluates borrower eligibility, runs automated underwriting, gathers/documentation, maintains stakeholder communications.
• Assembles and delivers complete loan files to processing/underwriting; ensures income calculations are accurate.
• Communicates with borrowers, referral partners, and real estate agents to provide updates and collect documents.
• Adheres to agency/investor guidelines (Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA; Non QM) and identifies eligibility risks early.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Excellent verbal and written comms

Independent and collaborative

Tools

Encompass

Job description

Description

Ready to Take Your Career to the Next Level? Join Heritage Bank NA!

Position Summary

The Loan Originator/Assistant works closely with a Mortgage Loan Officer (MLO) and plays an integral role in the mortgage lending process. This position has three primary roles:

1. Serves as the loan officer assistant for the branch MLO
2. Sources 2-3 new organic loans a month for the branch MLO
3. Originates home equity loans, new construction loans, employee loans and other miscellaneous loan products that are deemed necessary.

Core Responsibilities

Loan Officer Assistant (LOA)

• Provides critical support to Mortgage Loan Officers by helping manage the loan pipeline and ensuring a seamless loan experience for borrowers.
• Manages the loan file from Loan Officer handoff through underwriting pre approval and disclosure preparation.
• Independently evaluates borrower eligibility, runs automated underwriting systems, gathers and organizes necessary documentation, and maintains consistent communication with all stakeholders
• Documentation Management: Collect, organize, and validate/review all required paperwork (e.g., income, credit, identification) according to investor and program guidelines.
• Borrower Communication: Maintain ongoing communication with borrowers to provide updates, collect outstanding documents, and resolve questions or concerns.
• Interpret and apply agency and investor guidelines (Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA; Non QM as applicable). Identify eligibility risks, overlays, and constraints early in the process before handing file off to Loan Processing. Including restructures in the event a file needs a restructure after sending to loan processing or underwriting.
• Eligibility and Credit Review: Evaluate borrower eligibility by analyzing credit reports, income, assets, and automated underwriting findings; report results to the MLO or supervisor.
• File Preparation: Assemble and deliver complete loan files to the processing team for submission to underwriting.
• Complete income calculations for all loan files as requested by the Loan Officer using the designated income calculation vendor tool, ensuring accuracy and consistency in borrower qualification assessments.
• Customer Service and Support: Assist MLOs with client communication and follow-up to enhance the borrower experience and support successful loan closings.
• Administrative Support: Perform data entry, maintain system records, schedule appointments, and assist with general clerical duties.
• Ensure timely and compliant communication updates are provided to borrowers, referral partners, and real estate agents throughout the loan application lifecycle by leveraging the Loan Origination System (LOS) and vendor tools such as Bonzo and nCino, while maintaining strict adherence to Nonpublic Personal Information (NPI) regulations.

Loan Originator

• Self-source and originate loans in their market
• Credit Xpert for the bank
• Originate HELOC’s for branch
• Originate MN Housing Finance Agency Fix Up loans for all the MLO’s
• Originate Construction Loans for the branch
• Originate employee loans for the bank
• Assist MLO in data mining opportunities in CRM (i.e. refi’s, denials, withdrawn, post close, old pre-approvals. This is at the request of the MLO as it is their primary accountability.

Secondary Responsibilities

• Participates in all required BSA training and demonstrates knowledge of BSA relative to job responsibilities.
• Responsible for security as it applies to this position.
• Perform additional duties as assigned to support team and organizational goals.

Bank Standards

At Heritage Bank, we are committed to a customer-centric, service-driven culture. We operate under the following core standards:

• Mission: Help people succeed financially.
• Ethics: Always do the right thing.
• Solutions: Bring innovative solutions to challenges.
• Ownership: Take accountability and learn from our mistakes.
• Positivity: Bring energy and enthusiasm to everything we do.

Compensation & Benefits

Get ready to be rewarded! This position provides an annual salary range of $45,000- $60,000, plus incentives.

Full-time team members enjoy a comprehensive benefits package.

• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Paid volunteer days
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Plus plan for your future with our 401(k) and ESOP retirement plans
• Incentives consistent with our company policy

Join us and discover how rewarding your career can be!

Disclaimer

This job description outlines the general nature of the role and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Duties, responsibilities, and benefits may change as business needs evolve. Employment is at will, meaning either the employee or the Company may end the employment relationship at any time, consistent with applicable law.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and value diversity at all levels of the organization.

Requirements

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in loan processing, loan officer assistance, or related mortgage/lending role preferred.
• Proficiency in Encompass loan origination software is preferred.
• Familiarity with mortgage regulations, including TRID (TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure), loan disclosures, and adverse action notices.
• Experience in ordering and tracking appraisals, title reports, verifications of employment (VOEs), and insurance.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple files and deadlines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• High attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.
• Able to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment (include education, experience, and skills if applicable)