Kelly Conley
Lake St. Louis
Summary
Detail oriented professional with 10+ years of experience in the Financial & Mortgage industries. Experience includes people leadership, building strong business partner relationships, special project work, working under tight deadlines, adhering to policies and procedures to ensure consistent regulatory compliance, and employee coaching and development. Performance driven with a history of providing outstanding client experience. Positive team player who can also work independently. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with strong ability to interact respectfully and confidently with direct reports, peers, and executives of all levels.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Project Specialist (Contractor)
Citibank
10.2022 - 10.2023
- Managed a business wide integration project for Mortgage Operations between Citi Private Bank and CitiMortgage, Inc that focused primarily on aligning operational processes and procedures.
- Developed & followed a detailed project plan.
- Reviewed all operational processes, procedures, systems, & reporting to assess gaps and/or efficiencies.
- Completed a thorough analysis of gaps &/or efficiencies between all operational processes, procedures, systems, & reporting. Determined opportunities to synergize and recommended an end state Operating Model. This recommendation was to be implemented through 2024, however due to restructuring the project slowed down.
- Held regular weekly meetings between the necessary parties (associate level through senior leaders) to work through opportunities for alignment.
- Implemented several process synergies within the integration of mortgage teams.
- Completed an in-depth comparison of process controls & monitoring.
- Worked closely with senior leadership & executives to provide regular updates and meet deadlines.
- Note: Contracted to Citi Private Bank, through BC Forward Consulting. This was a 12-month Consulting Contract. Due to organizational restructuring, the contract was not renewed.
Closing Manager – Retail Mortgage
Flagstar Bank
03.2021 - 08.2022
- Managed a team of approximately 20 employees who were fully remote.
- My team was responsible for closing residential mortgage loans throughout the US, supporting both Direct & Distributed channels, for the following loan types/products: Conventional, Flagstar Employee, Conventional Community Lending/Bond, FHA, VA, Concurrent & Stand-alone Heloc.
- Established a strong partnership between Closing and Sales teams.
- Improved existing partnerships with Processing, Underwriting, Funding, & Post Closing partners.
- Effectively managed several months of high volume, ensuring that staff felt supported while working remotely, ensuring that loans were receiving the attention needed daily.
- Responsible for upholding individual, team, and department required Service Level Agreements & Quality goals.
- Mentored & assisted in the development of all closing staff. Trained staff in Flagstar’s Hybrid eClose option, from pilot state to full production.
- Provided monthly reporting to Senior Closing, Processing, & Sales Leadership documenting data of final packages that were not sent within SLA, & data regarding any missed deadlines, allowing all teams to work with their respective departments to focus on individual coaching.
- Knowledgeable in RESPA & TRID requirements.
- Note: This position resulted in a mass layoff within Flagstar’s Operations department, due to mortgage industry demands.
Closing Manager AVP – Retail Mortgage
Citibank
08.2017 - 03.2021
- Managed a team of approximately 14 employees.
- My team was responsible for closing residential first mortgage loans throughout the US, supporting the following channels: Distributed Retail Sales, Citibank Employees, Employee Relocation, Conventional Community Lending & Bond loans, Down Payment Assistance & Second Mortgage Financing, & National Relocation Global Client.
- Established day-to-day relationships with key business partners such as our Sales, Processing, Underwriting, & Shared Service teams.
- Managed high volume as all staff transitioned to full-time remote work during Covid.
- Worked effectively under very strict and challenging time constraints.
- Knowledgeable in RESPA & TRID disclosure requirements.
- Assisted in reviewing and updating procedural changes.
- Ensured compliance with Citi’s formal processes and procedures.
- Monitored individual & team pipeline management & workflow.
- Development of staff by training, coaching, & mentoring.
- Participated in business CAP reviews (Corrective Action Plan) regarding LPA (Lender Paid Assistance) & Community Lending/Bond Disclosure requirements. This included deep dive research, creating plans for improvement, additional coaching, creating maker/checker processes, monitoring & tracking results, & reporting all findings.
- Experienced in Changed Circumstances & Disclosure timelines.
- Note: I left Citi voluntarily and on good terms due to additional opportunities & career growth with Flagstar.
Workflow Coordinator – Team Lead
Citibank
01.2014 - 08.2017
- Maintained a high level of customer service and confidentiality while overseeing loan processing of Citibank's Employee Channel.
- Provided coaching and training to new and seasoned processors to ensure company policies and procedures were followed.
- Maintained strong relationships with business partners to maintain a 'one team' experience throughout all transactions.
- Collaborated with internal departments to create process improvements & pilot new systems.
- Monitored daily reporting for pipeline management and workflow expectations.
- Worked under quick time constraints and deadlines.
- Handled customer escalations and resolved issues to satisfy client and business needs.
- Provided general daily assistance to the team, answered questions, and coached the processors on utilizing resources.
- Assisted with leading team meetings and provided updates on process changes and improvements.
- Acknowledged individuals and the team with recognition and praise. Provided motivation to create a positive working environment.
Mortgage Loan Coordinator – Processor
Citibank
05.2010 - 01.2014
- Processed mortgage loans; communicated with clients, reviewed files, organized documents for underwriting approval, worked with third party vendors involved in the transactions, handled files through closing.
Skills
- Leadership & team management
- Business partner relationships
- Special projects
- Regulatory & compliance guidelines
- Customer service & client experience focused
- Development & mentorship
- Interpersonal skills
- Time & deadline management
- Problem-solving
- Attention to detail
Timeline
Project Specialist (Contractor)
Citibank
10.2022 - 10.2023
Closing Manager – Retail Mortgage
Flagstar Bank
03.2021 - 08.2022
Closing Manager AVP – Retail Mortgage
Citibank
08.2017 - 03.2021
Workflow Coordinator – Team Lead
Citibank
01.2014 - 08.2017
Mortgage Loan Coordinator – Processor
Citibank
05.2010 - 01.2014