Exploring the Role of a Community Banking Assistant
Community Banking Assistants are the backbone of any successful community banking process. Their primary role involves providing comprehensive technical support to Community Relationship Managers in managing their clients’ needs. This may involve handling various aspects related to loans, deposits, investments, trusts, and insurance products.
A Day in the Life of a Community Banking Assistant
These professionals are tasked with assisting in all aspects of the business banking process, from ensuring successful loan closings to managing portfolios subsequent to loan closings. Their responsibilities are not limited to these, however. They also provide administrative support for their department, which can include a wide array of duties such as answering phones, coordinating officer calendars, preparing correspondence, reports, and ordering supplies, among others.
Community Banking Assistants are also responsible for gathering information and preparing loan applications, disbursing loan advances, accurately quoting payoffs, ordering credit reports, pulling financial statements, and more. They work closely with Relationship Managers in attaining and approving collateral releases, managing exception lists, and ensuring accuracy and compliance prior to submission for processing.
The Importance of Interdepartmental Collaboration
These professionals interface with other departments, including Loan Operations, Central Document Processing (CDP), Wire Transfer, Treasury Services, Mail Distribution, Trust, Compliance, Credit Analysis and Credit Operations, and the Legal Department. They also assist customers with general banking functions as needed, including transferring funds, wiring, and balancing checking accounts.
What Does It Take to Be a Community Banking Assistant?
The ideal candidate for this role should have at least a high school diploma and a minimum of two years of previous experience as a business banking assistant or similar role. In addition, they should have an aptitude for accounting and mathematics and demonstrate excellent customer service ability.
Other important qualifications include excellent interpersonal skills, good organizational skills, good communication skills, and intermediate computer skills. A 2-year degree with a business administration emphasis is preferred, along with knowledge of general banking and business banking procedures and practices.
Advancing to a Level II Position
A level II Community Banking Assistant utilizes advanced knowledge and experience of acceptable commercial lending practices to provide assistance with more complex portfolio management, perfection of loan documentation, and technical assistance, among other responsibilities.
Additional qualifications for a level II position include a minimum of five years of experience as a Community Banking Assistant I or proven equivalent, knowledge of advanced banking and commercial lending procedures and practices, and familiarity with legal concepts involving commercial lending. Advanced computer skills and college degrees are preferred.
Regardless of the level, all Community Banking Assistants must exercise confidentiality with sensitive information, underscoring the critical element of trustworthiness in this role.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions
While it may not be a physically demanding role, a Community Banking Assistant must be able to sit for long periods of time and use a computer keyboard and/or mouse while viewing computer screens.
In conclusion, a career as a Community Banking Assistant offers a challenging yet rewarding opportunity to provide essential support in the community banking process.
Note: This is a brief description of the Community Banking Assistant position and is not limited to those responsibilities and qualifications described herein. Management retains the right to add, delete, or modify any of these responsibilities or qualifications at any time during employment.
For more information on this position, click Here.
