Area Manager

Summary:

The Area Manager delivers FirstBank service excellence as the leader of a financial center team, responsible for driving consumer customer acquisition, deposit and loan growth, and business development while owning the day-to-day operations of their designated Consumer Bank financial center. Leading, coaching, and developing Financial Center team the Area Manager cultivates a high-performance culture through hiring, professional development, and consistent delivery of FirstBank's brand model, service standards, and needs process. The Area Manager motivates staff toward customer relationship deepening and growth goals, ensures operational excellence and compliance with banking regulations, internal controls, and risk management policies, and remains active in the community through outreach and service with community organizations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Drive financial center profitability by encouraging day-to-day service and relationship building activity with policy standards for customer and operational excellence, meet regulatory compliance requirements, and motivate and coach staff toward the achievement the balance sheet growth using bank product knowledge expertise.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Consumer and Small Business customers, conducting in-depth financial consultations to gather and analyze information regarding income, assets, and credit; leverage the Bank's needs discovery process to uncover both immediate and long-term financial needs, developing customized financial plans that align the right banking products and services with each customer’s goals.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective customers, identifying opportunities to deepen customer engagement and achieve personal and Financial Center goals.
• Utilize the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to document customer interactions, identify financial needs, manage follow-up activities, and support customer relationship growth.
• Open and maintain consumer and business accounts and loans end-to-end, including new account opening, loan origination and processing, account servicing and maintenance, and issue resolution
• Take lead in partnering with other departments to connect customers with expert resources (Financial Advisors, Mortgage Bankers, Relationship Managers, Trust and Wealth Management and other team members)
• Oversee operational efficiency by meeting staffing needs and aligning staff allocation with customer demand and daily financial center activities; designate and empower qualified staff to provide leadership backup and ensure full operational continuity.
• Actively engage with the local community, industry networks, and business leaders to enhance FirstBank’s visibility and customer reach.
• Set the financial center standard of consistent, distinctive service to all customers when delivering the FirstBank service experience.
• Model, practice and foster safe and sound bank procedures, including adherence to applicable laws and regulations, internal controls, operational procedures and risk management policies; adhere to security protocols.
• Stay agile in learning and applying new services and technologies to enhance customer experience
• Cultivate a high-performance team culture that supports diversity, teamwork, providing leadership through hiring, coaching, performance management, professional development, and meaningful recognition of staff; communicate FirstBank information to your team(s) to ensure consistent delivery of FirstBank standards, expectations, and values.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Education and/or Experience

• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• Minimum 5+ years of experience in retail banking, business development, or lending; 3+ years in a leadership role preferred.
• National Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) Certification and Credit Life Insurance License within first year of employment; must be bonded within first six months of employment.
• Proven track record in customer relationship management, driving deposit growth, and developing new account opportunities.
• Strong knowledge of risk management and operational integrity, ensuring compliance with all banking policies and regulations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel)

Skills and Abilities

• Strong aptitude for working with numbers, cash transactions, percentages, and account balances. Ability to accurately calculate, verify, and interpret financial information while maintaining attention to detail.
• Exude confidence with customers when sharing product knowledge and solutions
• Ability to lead growth-focused initiatives that enhance customer acquisition and deposit expansion.
• Demonstrated capability to multitask and support both customer engagement and operational needs
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for engaging customers and leading teams effectively.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills to connect with customers, businesses, and community partners.
• Ability to work flexible hours and adapt to branch scheduling needs
• Ability to balance strategic planning with day-to-day operational execution.
• Ability to demonstrate the highest level of ethical behavior and confidentiality with sensitive information.
• Respectful demeanor toward managers, colleagues, and subordinates that promotes a positive and professional work environment.