Core Trade Operations Specialist Lead

Overview The Core Trade Operations Specialist Lead supports the operational execution and servicing of Core Trade products, including Letters of Credit, Documentary Collections, Trade Loans, LC finance structures, and other Trade Finance products as implemented. This role is responsible for trade transaction processing support, document review coordination, post-issuance and post-funding servicing, payment and draw activity, reconciliation, exception management, operational controls, reporting support, and coordination across internal teams and external platforms. The position serves as a key Loan Operations subject matter expert supporting scalable, controlled, and well-documented execution across the full Core Trade product lifecycle, while reporting to and partnering with the Trade & Working Capital Operations Manager. What You'll Do:  Support day-to-day operational processing and servicing for Core Trade products, including Standby Letters of Credit, Commercial Letters of Credit, Documentary Collections, Trade Loans, LC finance structures, and related Trade Finance products as implemented. Coordinate operational handoffs between Relationship Managers, Product, Credit, Compliance, Legal, Treasury, Finance, Technology, Trade platforms, nCino/Elevate, Core Systems, payment systems, document repositories, external counsel, correspondent banks, clients, and vendors. Review and validate operational inputs supporting issuance, amendments, document examination, discrepancy management, collections, draws, funding requests, trade loan/advance booking, payment disbursement, repayment processing, adjustments, reversals, and servicing activity. Support document examination and discrepancy management processes for applicable trade instruments, ensuring required reviews, decisioning, approvals, client communications, and evidence retention are properly coordinated and documented. Monitor ongoing servicing activities, including, renewals, amendments, maturities, repayment activity, draw processing, claims, cancellations, past-due items, operational exceptions, and closure requirements. Perform and/or support reconciliations across Trade platforms, Core System, payment systems, document repositories, and GL/accounting records; identify, escalate, and support resolution of breaks or data inconsistencies. Support collateral, exposure, limit, and availability monitoring activities where applicable, including coordination with Credit, Risk, and Finance to ensure operational data aligns with approved terms and system records. Maintain operational procedures, job aids, control routines, checklists, and process documentation for assigned Core Trade activities, ensuring alignment with approved policies, risk controls, trade standards, and system capabilities. Support operational risk governance, including issue identification, root cause analysis, corrective action tracking, exception reporting, control monitoring, and audit/regulatory readiness activities. Prepare and support reporting for management and stakeholders covering outstanding instruments, funded advances/loans, maturities, expiries, utilization, exceptions, SLA indicators, reconciliations, and operational capacity indicators. Partner with Technology, Product, PMO, Credit, Compliance, Finance, Treasury, Legal, and vendors to support platform enhancements, automation opportunities, process improvements, testing, and stabilization of new or modified workflows. Provide subject matter input during implementation projects, vendor integrations, system testing, procedure development, training, change management, and target operating model activities impacting Core Trade Operations. Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by management. Serve as a subject matter expert in the review and structuring of LC language, identifying ambiguous, non-standard, or operationally impractical terms and recommending appropriate revisions, discussing with Legal if necessary Exercise sound judgment in evaluating unique transaction structures, operational risks, document requirements, and client requests. Provide consultative support and trade finance expertise to Relationship Managers, Credit Officers, Legal, Compliance, and clients regarding Letters of Credit, Documentary Collections, trade finance structures, and industry practices. Apply and interpret applicable trade finance rules and regulations, including UCP 600, ISP98, URC 522, UCC Article 5, OFAC requirements, and internal policies. Identify and escalate legal, operational, reputational, compliance, fraud, and documentary risks associated with trade finance transactions. Provide training, guidance, and technical expertise to team members and business partners regarding trade finance products, procedures, and best practices. Qualifications 5+ years experience in Letters of Credit, Trade Services, Documentary Collections, Trade Finance Operations, Loan Operations, Commercial Lending Operations, or related banking operations functions. 3+ years experience supporting document examination, trade loan servicing, payment processing, reconciliations, exception management, or operational control routines in a regulated banking environment. 2+ years experience supporting process improvement, system implementation, UAT, procedure development, audit responses, or regulatory readiness activities related to banking operations. Working knowledge of Standby Letters of Credit, Commercial Letters of Credit, Documentary Collections, Trade Loans, LC finance structures, draws, amendments, expiries, cancellations, and related servicing activities. Understanding of applicable trade standards and operating requirements, including UCP 600, ISP98, URDG 758, and internal procedures where relevant. Strong understanding of operational processing, document review, discrepancy handling, funding controls, payment processing, loan/core system updates, reconciliations, excep