Business Support Manager

At Community Financial System, Inc. (CFSI), we are dedicated to providing our customers with friendly, personalized, high-quality financial services and products. Our retail division, Community Bank, N.A., operates more than 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont and Western Massachusetts. Beyond retail banking, we also offer commercial banking, wealth management, investment management, insurance and risk management, and benefit plan administration.

Just as our employees are committed to helping our customers manage their finances, we're committed to our employees. After all, they make it happen for our customers every day.

To ensure our people can enjoy long and successful careers here at CFSI, we offer competitive compensation, great benefits, and professional development and advancement opportunities. As an equal-opportunity workplace and affirmative-action employer, we celebrate and support a diverse workplace for the benefit of all: our employees, customers and communities.

The Loan Operations Business Support Manager is a senior-level position responsible for the strategic oversight and operational management of systems supported by the Loan Operations Department. This role ensures system functionality and data integrity while driving initiatives that optimize efficiency, compliance, and business continuity. Acting as a key liaison between Loan Operations, Business Information Systems (BIS), Information Technology, and third-party vendors, the incumbent will represent the department in high-impact projects, oversee system enhancements, and provide expert-level support to drive organizational success.

Specific Functions:

The Loan Operations Business Support Manager serves as the central authority within the Loan Operations department for overseeing system-related changes and ensuring operational continuity. Key responsibilities include managing change control processes, tracking and resolving vendor requests and support cases, performing rigorous testing of new software releases, maintaining and updating system calendars, overseeing the business continuity plan, managing employee system access menus, and executing core system parameter adjustments in response to requests from Loan Operations employees. Primary owner of Silverlake release and year end testing and tax reporting processes. Key partner and participant in Bank Acquisitions.

Essential Responsibilities:

Maintain proficient knowledge of, and demonstrate ongoing compliance with all laws and regulations applicable to this position, ensure ongoing adherence to pertinent policies, procedures, and internal controls, and meet all job-specific training requirements in a timely fashion.

System Maintenance and Optimization:

• Monitor and maintain the performance, reliability, and functionality of Loan Operations systems to ensure seamless operations
• Identify and address system issues by opening, managing, and resolving support cases with third-party software vendors
• Maintain oversight of user menus for core and ancillary systems used and maintained in Loan Ops

Software Testing & Implementation:

• Conduct thorough testing of software updates, patches, and new implementations
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure successful deployment of system changes

Query Creation & Report Development:

• Produce and maintain queries to extract, analyze, and report data
• Develop and run clean-up queries to maintain data integrity in the core servicing system
• Create and distribute accurate and timely reports to meet organizational needs

Stakeholder Collaboration and Support:

• Act as the primary liaison between loan operations, business units, BIS, and third-party software vendors to ensure effective communication and resolution of system-related issues
• Provide training, support, and guidance to internal teams on system functionality and best practices
• Work with business units to ensure consistency when completing risk assessments, business continuity planning, and risk model development

Regulatory Compliance and Documentation:

• Ensure that all system configurations, changes, and processes adhere to organizational policies and regulatory requirements

Ancillary Duties:

• Cooperate with employees within the department and other departments to provide quality service, solve problems and achieve goals across the bank
• Participate in system, data, and document research during bank acquisitions, ensuring appropriate data mapping occurs and product parameters are aligned to the requirements outlined in loan closing documents
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Education, Training and Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, IT, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• Experience in loan operations, banking systems, or financial services is highly desirable
• All applicants must be 18 years of age or older

Skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail
• Proficiency with reporting tools and query languages
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Familiarity with loan servicing systems and related software
• Experience collaborating with third-party software vendors
• Knowledge of regulatory compliance requirements in loan operations
• Highly organized, with the ability to multi-task
• Consistently demonstrate company core values; integrity, excellence, teamwork and humility

Experience:

• Minimum of seven years of progressive experience in loan operations, banking systems, or related roles, with demonstrated expertise in system administration and process optimization
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and manage high-impact projects in a financial services environment
• Supervisory experience required

Location: Locations within the CBNA footprint will be considered

Compensation: Commensurate with experience plus potential for annual merit increase. In addition to your competitive salary, you will be rewarded benefits including: 11 paid holidays, paid vacation, Medical, Vision & Dental insurance, 401K with generous match, Pension, Tuition Reimbursement, Banking discounts and the list goes on!

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to stand, walk or sit. Use hands and fingers, handle or feel, reach with hands or arms, and speak and hear. The employee may occasionally be required to lift and or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and the ability to focus.

The Company is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

The Company will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with a disability. If you have a physical or mental impairment and would like to request an accommodation with respect to the application process, please contact the Human Resources Department.