Job Description:

What You’ll Accomplish

You will be part of an incredible team within Synchrony that builds and maintains customer relationships that revolve around community credit needs and community development activity to meet the Bank’s CRA (Community Reinvestment Act) statutory requirements.

You will have two key roles: 1) acting as the key liaison between the Bank and the community to assess and understand community credit needs, then taking a leadership role to develop CRA strategies for Synchrony to serve those needs; and 2) taking day-to-day responsibility to ensure the bank’s readiness to maximize Synchrony’s CRA performance in exams. You will also engage in other aspects of the CRA Group’s business activities, its leadership, and supporting roles to strengthen the team.

Our Way of Working

We’re proud to offer you choice and flexibility. At Synchrony, our way of working allows you to have the option to work from home, near one of our Hubs or come into one of our offices. Occasionally you may be required to commute to our nearest office for in person engagement activities such as business or team meetings, training and culture events.

Essential Responsibilities

Cultivate strong relationships of trust with team members and internal stakeholders creating an environment where people feel confident, successful, and have a strong sense of belonging, as well as a desire to engage.

Champion Synchrony’s CRA program by creating and implementing actionable operational strategies to drive success in achieving the bank’s key CRA objective, to earn an Outstanding CRA rating.

• In concert with the CRA Officer, and as a CRA subject matter expert (“SME”), develop, present, obtain approval for, and implement the bank’s annual CRA performance plan, including detailed performance plans and targets for all business units and functional areas of the Bank currently covered by CRA regulatory requirements.

• Conduct thorough market analysis, economic research, and peer analysis to identify Synchrony’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (“SWOT”) to find operational effectiveness and improvements that will contribute to CRA strategies and minimize CRA risk.

• Create and maintain reports for the CRA Committee regarding effectiveness of plans, recommending adjustments as needed. Prepare and present other appropriate materials to facilitate the following: the CRA Committee’s governance role over plan implementation, exam Day One meetings, and other CRA oversight as needed.

• Identify needed community development (“CD”) products and programs. Provide forecasts of CD loan and investment production and CRA portfolio activities for inclusion in Synchrony’s financial forecasting. This includes ownership and use of a non-model tool (NMT).

• Implement technical requirements of the CRA regulation; ensure proper determination of CRA assessment area geographies and target areas; oversee proper documentation for all CRA activities; maintain lists of qualified CD products delivered (loans, investments, grants, services); guide daily preparations for each regulatory exam; prepare performance context; lead an “always be exam-ready” approach; and support the CRA Officer in “telling Synchrony’s CRA story”.

• Coordinate CRA team responses for CRA regulatory exams.

• Coordinate (and develop as needed) CRA training for bank staff. Coordinate third parties and bank staff in delivering CRA related programs, grants, and services to the community.

Champion Synchrony in the community by identifying and capitalizing on business opportunities.

• Understand the Bank’s assessment area(s) and target areas. Engage in community outreach and identification of CRA pertinent needs in assessment area(s) and target areas. Conduct and/or participate in periodic formal Community Forums to assess community credit needs, and document results.

• Strengthen Synchrony’s community impact. Build trust with government, civic, and community leaders and other stakeholders. Cultivate new and build existing business relationships to support Synchrony’s CD finance business. Represent Synchrony on community-based or regional boards and committees and/or with select trade/investor organizations to support the Bank’s CRA objectives.

Provide CRA Group support & perform other key responsibilities.

• Be a senior leader within the CRA Group, take rotation of leadership for team meetings, lead and elevate every day.

• Keep abreast of emerging CRA issues and regulatory perspectives.

• Support Synchrony’s CRA Officer and other CRA team members. Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Managing aspects of the CRA Group’s direct grants program.