The Work

The Senior Manager, Special Accounts Management Unit Operations is accountable for designing, leading, and continuously improving the operational framework, controls, and governance model supporting the Bank's Special Accounts Management Unit (SAMU). This role provides senior operational leadership across defaulted and high-risk commercial lending portfolios, ensuring that SAMU operations are scalable, well-controlled, and aligned with the Bank's broader credit risk, regulatory, and capital protection objectives.

The role goes beyond day-to-day execution to shape how SAMU operates, including workflow design, governance routines, escalation models, and cross-functional coordination. The incumbent acts as a key partner to senior leaders across Credit Risk, Finance, Legal, and Operations, bringing forward insights, recommendations, and decisions with longer-term and enterprise-level implications.

The Core Responsibilities

Portfolio & Operational Management

• Lead the design and ongoing refinement of SAMU operational workflows, controls, and reporting frameworks to support effective management of defaulted and higher-risk commercial lending exposures.
• Provide senior operational oversight across SAMU portfolios, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and scalability in account onboarding, tracking, classification, and remediation processes.
• Establish and maintain governance routines that enable timely escalation, informed decision-making, and alignment across internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversee complex legal action and enforcement files, setting standards for coordination with external counsel and internal partners, and ensuring appropriate use of remedies and authorities.

Credit Risk & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure SAMU operational practices support accurate credit classification, impairment recognition, and default reporting in accordance with IFRS 9 and applicable regulatory guidance.
• Proactively identify operational, regulatory, and control risks within SAMU processes, assessing downstream impacts to capital, financial reporting, and regulatory compliance.
• Partner with Risk, Finance, and Compliance teams to strengthen control environments, documentation standards, and audit readiness across SAMU activities.

Policy, Controls & Continuous Improvement

• Own the operational interpretation and implementation of SAMU-related credit, remedial, and restructuring policies, ensuring consistent application across the portfolio.
• Identify systemic gaps, inefficiencies, or control weaknesses and lead the development of sustainable, longer-term solutions, rather than point fixes.
• Use data, trend analysis, and portfolio insights to recommend enhancements to processes, governance models, and reporting structures.

Stakeholder Leadership & Influence

• Act as a senior operational advisor and escalation point for SAMU operations, supporting informed decision-making by senior leadership.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Relationship Management, Credit Risk, Legal, Finance, and Operations to align objectives, clarify accountabilities, and resolve complex operational issues.
• Translate complex operational and risk considerations into clear, actionable insights for senior stakeholders.

Let's Talk About You

• Have a minimum of 5-7 years of commercial mortgage lending, credit risk, or restructuring.
• Business degree or a related discipline or similar professional designation or equivalent work experience.
• Strong working knowledge of mortgage enforcement remedies and foreclosure processes across Canada.
• Proficient credit analysis, financial modeling, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess complex and incomplete information.
• Technical understanding of secured lending, commercial real estate markets, and end-to-end credit processes.
• Developed organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities under tight timelines.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-intensity, and evolving environment.
• Proven self-starter with the ability to work independently while exercising sound judgment and accountability.
• Excellent presentation skills and ability to professionally communicate with Senior Management and other stakeholders (both internal and external).
• Proficient in MS Office.

What we offer [For full-time permanent roles]

Competitive discretionary bonus

Market leading RRSP match program

🩺 Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits

📝 Employee Share Purchase Plan

Maternity/Parental top-up while you care for your little one

Generous vacation policy and personal days

Virtual events to connect with your fellow colleagues

Professional development and comprehensive Career Development program

A fulfilling opportunity to join one of the top FinTechs and help create a new kind of banking experience

The incumbent will be working hybrid and in office time will be spent working from EQ Bank's additional office space located at 2200-25 Ontario Street, Toronto, ON.