[Hiring] Legal and Deficiency Recovery Manager @First Help Financial

Role Description

The Manager, Legal and Deficiency Recovery owns all legal and compliance gates, including eligibility for legal escalation, consumer contact standards, vendor oversight, and outside counsel management. This is a build role creating a structured post charge-off recovery program from scratch, turning currently uncollected balances into meaningful returns.

This is not a practicing attorney role; external counsel handles legal action. This role leads the compliance framework, ensures all consumer interactions are legally sound, and builds the program with speed and autonomy.

What you will do:

• Post Charge-Off Recovery Program:
  • Design and own the qualification criteria for legal escalation.
  • Maintain the controlled file and validate routing through audits and spot-checks.
  • Monitor the legal escalation pipeline and maintain the compliance log.
  • Review and approve all settlement letter content for compliance.
  • Review and approve deficiency collection contact scripts and settlement authority structure.
  • Own legal and compliance reporting within the collections KPI package.
• Regulatory and Compliance:
  • Complete FDCPA and UDAAP reviews of consumer-facing components.
  • Build and maintain a state-by-state legal viability map for deficiency collections.
  • Ensure deficiency collection approaches are anchored to loan attributes.
  • Manage bankruptcy filings across the portfolio.
  • Ensure SCRA compliance for servicemember accounts.
  • Coordinate responses with compliance on regulatory inquiries.
  • Build and deliver compliance training for post charge-off staff.
• Vendor and Outside Counsel Oversight:
  • Vet all third-party collection agencies before account placement.
  • Own the ongoing agency compliance program and conduct regular audits.
  • Oversee third-party BPO partners working post charge-off accounts.
  • Lead outside counsel evaluation and selection for the legal escalation pipeline.
  • Review vendor contracts before execution.
• Policy, Process, and Cross-Functional Work:
  • Write and maintain all policies and procedures for the post charge-off collections program.
  • Manage active collections-related litigation in coordination with outside counsel.
  • Identify process gaps that create legal exposure.
  • Serve as the legal and compliance resource for daily questions.
  • Hire and develop direct reports as program volume increases.

Qualifications

• 5 or more years of experience in legal operations, compliance management, or collections oversight.
• Demonstrated historical career stability.
• Experience in non-prime or subprime auto lending.
• Working knowledge of FDCPA, UDAAP, and applicable state consumer protection laws.
• Experience managing bankruptcy filings and SCRA compliance.
• Has managed outside counsel relationships.
• Has worked in or alongside a deficiency recovery operation.
• Able to read and interpret collections performance data.
• Bachelor's degree required; JD, paralegal certification, or CRCM preferred.

Strongly Preferred

• Has designed, built, or led a post charge-off deficiency recovery program.
• Has managed legal collections activity across multiple states.
• Has built or administered an agency compliance monitoring program.
• Background at a non-prime auto lender or servicer.

Benefits

• Generous salaries and competitive health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, etc.).
• Paid vacation and 401(k) match.
• Tuition reimbursement and social activities.
• Robust employee recognition and talent development program.