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Collateral Specialist - Lien Perfection

Wintrust · Rosemont, IL · $42,000–$60,000 a year · Full time

Posted Jul 22, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about an error you found in loan documents or a filing. How did you catch it?

What they are checking: Whether their checking habits are concrete and have actually prevented a collateral gap.

How do you explain to a lender why a closing can't fund until a lien is in place?

What they are checking: Whether they can hold a control point with a busy lender and explain the risk plainly.

What would you do

A search shows a prior lender has a blanket lien on the same collateral. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they recognize a priority problem and escalate to the lender and legal before the loan closes.

You have a high volume of filings and a closing deadline today. How do you keep accuracy up under time pressure?

What they are checking: Whether they protect accuracy on time-sensitive work rather than rushing and creating a hidden defect.

About the work

Walk me through how you perfect a security interest in business assets through a UCC filing.

What they are checking: Whether they know the steps, the correct filing office and the debtor name rules that make a lien valid.

Why does the exact legal name of the debtor matter so much on a UCC-1?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that a wrong name can make a filing seriously misleading and leave the bank unsecured.

How do you perfect a lien on a titled vehicle compared with general business equipment?

What they are checking: Whether they know that titled assets need the lien on the title rather than a UCC filing alone.

What's your process for tracking UCC continuations so a filing never lapses?

What they are checking: Whether they have a reliable tickler system for the five-year lapse, since a missed continuation costs priority.

The borrower changed its name or moved its state of organization. What happens to your lien?

What they are checking: Whether they know the grace periods for refiling and that a change can quietly unperfect the bank's lien.

What filing systems or state databases have you worked in, and how do you verify a filing actually took?

What they are checking: Whether they confirm acknowledgment copies and search results instead of assuming submission equals perfection.

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The full job description

As published by Wintrust.

Wintrust provides community and commercial banking, specialty finance and wealth management services through its 16 bank charters and nine non-bank businesses. Wintrust delivers the sophisticated solutions of a large bank while staying true to the relationship-focused, personalized service of our community banking roots. We serve clients in all 50 states with more than 200 branch banking locations in Illinois, southwestern Florida, northwestern Indiana, west Michigan and southern Wisconsin and commercial banking offices in Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Mich., and in key branch banking locations throughout Illinois. Our people are the heart of our business and we are proud to rank consistently as a top place to work. Wintrust is a $66 billion financial institution based in Rosemont, Illinois, and listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “WTFC.” Why join us? • An award-winning culture! We are rated a Top Workplace by the Chicago Tribune (past 10 years) and Employee Recommended award by the Globe & Mail (past 6 years) • Competitive pay and discretionary or incentive bonus eligible • Comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, vision, life, a 401k plan with a generous company match and tuition reimbursement to name a few. • Family-friendly work hours • With 175+ community bank locations, we offer opportunities to grow and develop in your career. • Promote from within culture. Why join this team? • We have a culture that encourages an entrepreneurial spirit. • We offer multiple opportunities for development and upward mobility. What You’ll Do: The Collateral Specialist - Lien Perfection is responsible for creating necessary exceptions for new loans and renewals to ensure tracking of required documentation for collateral folders for both consumer and commercial loan types. Perfecting various types of collateral to ensure the Bank’s line is properly recorded or stated on all collateral. Reviewing documentation packages for completeness and clear any related exceptions. Complete all tasks within the assigned SLAs. • Create exceptions for new loans and renewals to track for original documentation. • Establish collateral lien perfection as needed (Mortgage Recording, UCC filing, Vehicle Title Liens, Deposit Holds, etc.). • Review original loan packages for completeness and clear related exception items. • Create collateral folders for new loans and file in the vault. • Ensure all trailing documents are filed in their respective collateral folders. • Research and review inquiries from the line of business regarding collateral. • Assist with research requests, audit reviews, and department projects as needed. Qualifications: • High School diploma or equivalent. • Good understanding of both consumer and commercial loans. • Minimum 3 years of experience in an office or operations environment which services and supports banking line of business. • Highly organized and ability to complete a high volume of tasks within assigned service levels. • IBS system experience preferred. • Good written and oral communication skills and organizational skills. • Good understanding of various loan documents, banking processing standards, best practices, and audit control procedures. • Must have experience in back-office loan processing commercial, residential and small business loans Benefits: Medical Insurance • Dental • Vision • Life insurance • Accidental death and dismemberment • Short-term and long-term Disability Insurance • Parental Leave • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) • Traditional and Roth 401(k) with company match • Flexible Spending Account (FSA) • Employee Stock Purchase Plan at 5% discount • Critical Illness Insurance • Accident Insurance • Transportation and Commuting Benefits • Banking Benefits • Pet Insurance Compensation: The estimated salary range for this role is $42,000 - $60,000, along with eligibility to earn an annual bonus. Actual salaries may vary based on several factors, such as a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and experience. #LI-Hybrid From our first day in business, Wintrust has been proud to serve a variety of unique communities and people from all walks of life. To build a company that reflects the communities we serve, we believe that fostering a unique and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed will support our ongoing success. Wintrust Financial Corporation, including community banking and financial services subsidiaries, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.

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