Leigh Knowles, Cpa, Ca Email & Phone Number

Insight-driven improvement. Team engagement. Possibility thinking. I have been a part of Canada’s leading residential mortgage financing team since August 2020. Drawing on 35 years of experience, first in finance (17 years) and then in operations (18 years), my mandate is to reinforce the Residential Administration department with greater resiliency, so we can anticipate shifts rather than react to them.First National Financial is Canada's largest non-bank lender, originating, underwriting and servicing both residential and commercial mortgages. When I made the transition from finance to operations, I found the shift in mindset energizing. Rather than reflecting on and accounting for what has already happened, my focus became forward looking, surfacing opportunities for process efficiency and improvements. I want to ensure that First National’s Residential Administration department is resilient. Regardless of what happens next, our processes, procedures and people can adapt easily. With increased digitization and automation, we can be confidently proactive.I chose the descriptors above deliberately because I feel that they illustrate both my thinking and action:• Insight-driven improvement: Gaining insight and context for why people are doing what they are doing is a guiding principle for me. Only then can you really understand holistically how any action could impact upstream and downstream.• Team engagement: I encourage my team members to take responsibility for their roles and empower them with autonomy. To me, it is important people understand the rationale behind process change, feel invested in it and recognize its benefits – because ultimately, any change affects how they do their jobs. • Possibility thinking: I stress independent thinking and action, with a strong emphasis on possibility thinking. If you have a problem, come to me. I am always accessible and want you to feel your voice is heard. However, productive conversations focus on solutions, not just problems. I encourage team members to share their ideas, so we can find the best way to solve problems collaboratively. Contact me directly at leigh.knowles@firstnational.ca to learn more about First National and our Residential Administration team.

Listed skills include Leadership, Management, Finance, Banking, and 4 others.

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  Senior Vice President, Residential Administration

  First National Financial Lp

  Aug 2020 - Present