Senior Mortgage Reconciliation Accountant

Job description

At VyStar, we offer competitive pay, an excellent benefit package that includes a 401(k) Plan, an extensive paid technical and on-the-job training program, and tuition reimbursement--available to all full and part time employees. Part time positions start at a minimum of 30 hours per week. We encourage you to become a part of VyStar Credit Union's family of employees. Senior Mortgage Reconciliation Accountant Accountability Statement The Sr. Mortgage Reconciliation Accountant is responsible for performing and analyzing complex reconciliations related to VyStar Credit Union’s mortgage accounting activity. This position focuses on ensuring mortgage-related general ledger balances are complete, accurate, properly supported, and timely reconciled for higher-complexity areas such as mortgage servicing activity, escrow balances, investor and custodial activity, loan sales, participations, mortgage servicing rights, suspense and clearing accounts, and other complex mortgage-related accounts. The Sr. Mortgage Reconciliation Accountant researches and resolves reconciling differences between mortgage servicing systems, Workday, the general ledger, investor reporting, custodial records, and other source data, while identifying root causes and supporting sustainable resolution of reconciliation issues. Essential Job Functions Complex Mortgage Accounting Reconciliations Prepares and analyzes complex mortgage accounting reconciliations for assigned general ledger accounts, ensuring balances are complete, accurate, timely, and supported by appropriate source documentation. Reconciles higher-complexity mortgage activity, including mortgage servicing activity, escrow balances, investor and custodial activity, loan sales, participation, mortgage servicing rights, suspense and clearing accounts, and related income, expense, asset, and liability accounts. Research and resolve differences between mortgage servicing systems, Workday, the general ledger, investor reporting, custodial records, bank activity, and other supporting data sources. Reviews account activity for unusual trends, aged reconciling items, unexplained variances, unsupported balances, and potential process or control breakdowns. Prepares clear explanations of reconciliation results, outstanding items, root causes, resolution status, and required follow-up for accounting leadership and business partners. Reconciliation Controls and Issue Resolution Maintains high-quality reconciliation documentation in accordance with VyStar’s reconciliation standards, internal control expectations, and audit-ready support requirements. Validates that reconciliation support agrees to source systems, subledger activity, custodial records, investor reporting, bank activity, and general ledger balances. Identifies, documents, and escalates aged or unresolved reconciling items, control concerns, missing support, and recurring data or system discrepancies. Coordinates with Mortgage Servicing, Mortgage Operations, Finance, Risk, Internal Audit, external auditors, and other business partners to obtain support, resolve differences, and validate corrective actions. Supports remediation of reconciliation backlogs, aged variances, and process gaps by tracking open items through resolution and confirming sustainable correction. Close Support for Complex Mortgage Reconciliations Supports monthly, quarterly, and year-end close activities by completing assigned complex mortgage reconciliations and related account analyses within established deadlines. Prepares supporting schedules, variance explanations, and reconciliation summaries for complex mortgage-related balances and activity. Partners with Accounting leadership to confirm appropriate resolution of material or unusual mortgage reconciliation items prior to close completion. Supports audits, examination, and control testing requests by providing reconciliation support, explanations of reconciling items, and evidence of timely resolution. Maintains awareness of changes in mortgage servicing activity, investor reporting, escrow processing, system activity, and related workflows that may impact reconciliation accuracy or completeness. Reconciliation Process Improvement Identifies opportunities to improve the efficiency, accuracy, documentation, automation, and sustainability of complex mortgage reconciliation processes. Develops and maintains reconciliation templates, support schedules, aging reports, issue trackers, and procedures that support timely and consistent reconciliation completion. Participates in reconciliation stabilization, clean-up, automation, data validation, and remediation efforts impacting complex mortgage accounting activity. Recommends practical process improvements to reduce recurring reconciling items, improve data integrity, and strengthen accountability for source-system and general ledger differences. Maintains clear desk procedures and process documentation for assigned complex mortgage reconciliation responsibilities. Reconciliation Partnership and Escalation Works with Mortgage Servicing, Mortgage Operations, Finance, Risk, Internal Audit, external auditors, Information Technology, and other stakeholders to obtain data, clarify activity, and resolve reconciliation differences. Communicates reconciliation issues, outstanding items, required support, close deadlines, and escalation needs clearly and professionally. Escalates significant reconciliation breaks, aged variances, missing data, control concerns, or unresolved dependencies timely to Accounting leadership. Supports recurring and ad hoc analyses directly related to complex mortgage reconciliation activity and related issue resolution. Promotes a collaborative, accountable, and solution-oriented approach to resolving reconciliation issues and strengthening the mortgage accounting control environment. All employees and business units, as first line of defense, are expected to proactively help identify, assess, manage, and report risks within their domain of work. To enhance a healthy risk culture and support our growth for good pillar, employees will maintain vigilance in safeguarding our operations while ensuring compliance with regulatory mandates. The Risk team serves as the second line of defense by providing risk oversight and credible challenge whereas the Audit team serves as the third line of defense by providing risk assurance. VyStar Excellence Incumbent is expected to demonstrate each of the following VyStar Excellence behaviors in performing the duties and responsibilities of their job: Focus - Focus your full attention by carefully listening to and observing client or member. Connect - Consistently be friendly and approachable. Demonstrate your care. Understand - Listen empathetically and ask questions (70%/30% rule). Counsel - Recommend solutions based on your member’s needs and objectives. Advance - Ensure that member’s expectations were exceeded. Verify necessary follow-up actions. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Strong knowledge of account reconciliations, mortgage accounting activity, mortgage servicing activity, escrow accounting, investor reporting, custodial activity, mortgage servicing rights, suspense and clearing accounts, and internal control expectations. Demonstrated ability to prepare, analyze, document, and resolve complex reconciliations and supporting schedules in a timely and accurate manner. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify root causes, evaluate complex data, investigate reconciling items, and recommend practical resolution steps. Ability to interpret mortgage servicing reports, investor activity, custodial records, bank activity, system data, and general ledger activity to support reconciliation completion. Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy, documentation quality, deadlines, issue tracking, and internal control compliance. Ability to manage multiple complex reconciliations, meet close deadlines, support remediation activities, and work effectively in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain reconciliation issues, root causes, outstanding items, and process impacts clearly to business partners and leadership. Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, general ledger systems, reconciliation tools, reporting tools, and mortgage servicing or loan accounting systems. Experience with Workday preferred. Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative, accountable, and service-oriented team environment. Education, Experience, and Certifications Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field required. Minimum of five to seven years of progressive accounting, reconciliation, audit, or financial services experience required. Experience preparing and resolving complex account reconciliations required, preferably within mortgage accounting, mortgage servicing, loan operations, secondary market activity, investor accounting, escrow accounting, mortgage servicing rights, or related financial institution accounting. Experience within a credit union, bank, mortgage servicer, public accounting firm, or other highly regulated financial services environment preferred. Equivalent combination of education, certification, and relevant experience may be considered. Disclaimer and Work Environment Nothing in this position description is an implied contract for employment. The position description is intended to be an accurate account of the essential functions. The functions are not all encompassing and are subject to change at any time by management. The work environment characteristics described are representative of those that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. As required or requested, may exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. VyStar Credit Union is not seeking outside assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from staffing agencies or search firms for employment or contractor opportunities. Any resumes submitted by an outside vendor to any employee at VyStar via e-mail, internet, or directly to hiring managers without a valid written search agreement with the Talent Acquisition / HR department will be deemed the sole property of VyStar Credit Union. No placement fee will be paid if a candidate is hired as a result of the referral, or through other means. Thank you for your inquiry regarding our current job opening. Your resume will be carefully reviewed against the position requirements. Should your experience and skills match, you will be contacted by one of our Human Resources department staff members. Thank you again for your interest in this position! VyStar Credit Union Human Resources