Legal and Deficiency Recovery Manager

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Develop and manage qualification criteria for legal escalation related to deficiency-balance accounts.

• Maintain controlled files, oversee account routing, and authorize threshold modifications.

• Supervise the legal escalation pipeline and evaluate exceptions.

• Keep the compliance log and audit trail updated.

• Review and approve settlement letters to ensure compliance with FDCPA and state laws.

• Review and authorize deficiency collection scripts and the structure of settlement authority.

• Manage legal and compliance reporting within the collections KPI package.

• Prepare quarterly updates for the Board and escalate significant issues to leadership.

• Conduct FDCPA and UDAAP reviews of consumer-facing components.

• Create and maintain a legal viability map for deficiency collections on a state-by-state basis.

• Ensure various collection strategies are aligned with loan attributes and compliant with ECOA.

• Oversee bankruptcy filings and ensure compliance with SCRA.

• Coordinate responses to inquiries from the CFPB, state attorneys general, and regulatory consumer complaints.

• Develop and deliver compliance training for staff dealing with post charge-off accounts.

• Evaluate third-party collection agencies for compliance, call recording, data security, and experience.

• Oversee ongoing compliance monitoring, call audits, complaint tracking, performance assessments, and remediation efforts.

• Supervise third-party BPO partners.

• Lead the evaluation and selection of outside counsel.

• Manage referrals, case outcomes, and recovery expenses.

• Review vendor contracts and ensure compliance provisions are met.

• Draft, maintain, and control versions of policies and procedures.

• Handle collections-related litigation with outside counsel and maintain a litigation log.

• Identify legal exposures and recovery gaps, implementing effective solutions.

• Provide legal and compliance support to collections staff.

• Recruit and develop direct reports as the program expands.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in legal operations, compliance management, or collections oversight within consumer lending, auto finance, or a third-party collection agency.

• Proven track record of career stability.

• Specific experience in non-prime or subprime auto lending.

• Familiarity with FDCPA, UDAAP, and relevant state consumer protection laws concerning post charge-off collections.

• Experience in managing bankruptcy filings within a consumer lending portfolio.

• Knowledge of SCRA compliance for servicemember accounts.

• Experience in managing relationships with outside counsel, including scoping work, reviewing invoices, enforcing deadlines, and addressing performance issues.

• Experience either within or adjacent to a deficiency recovery operation.

• Experience in designing, building, or leading a post charge-off deficiency recovery program from inception.

• Competence in managing legal collections across multiple states, including awareness of states that prohibit wage garnishment.

• Experience coordinating with outside counsel on deficiency lawsuits and post-judgment enforcement.

• Ability to independently interpret collections performance data.

• A Bachelor's degree is required.

• JD, paralegal certification, or CRCM is preferred but not mandatory.

• Strong preference for experience in building or managing an agency compliance monitoring program.

• Preference for candidates with a background at a non-prime auto lender or servicer.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, LTD/STD, identity theft).

• Paid parental leave.

• Paid vacation.

• 401(k) matching.

• Tuition reimbursement.

• Social activities.

• Monthly lunches.

• Employee recognition and talent development programs.

• Support for a healthy work-life balance.

• Opportunities for career growth.

• Career planning and development support.

• Accommodations during interviews for candidates with special needs.