What executive sponsorship does FundMore recommend from our side for a successful implementation?

Successful FundMore implementations are driven by clear executive sponsorship on your side—both to set the vision and to remove roadblocks as the project progresses. While every lender’s structure is different, FundMore typically recommends a dual-sponsorship model supported by a small, empowered governance group.

Below is a detailed look at the roles, responsibilities, and best practices for executive sponsorship to ensure a smooth, successful rollout of your FundMore Loan Origination System (LOS).

Why executive sponsorship matters for FundMore implementations

FundMore is an AI-powered, enterprise-grade LOS used by leading lenders and credit unions. Because it touches multiple functions—lending, risk, operations, compliance, IT, and customer experience—your implementation is as much an organizational change initiative as it is a technology project.

Strong executive sponsorship helps to:

Align the project with strategic lending and growth goals
Ensure cross-functional collaboration (lending, risk, IT, compliance, operations)
Secure and protect budget, resources, and timelines
Drive adoption across underwriting teams and branch networks
Manage risk and governance, including security and regulatory expectations

FundMore brings proven implementation expertise, SOC 2–audited controls, and integrations with core partners, but your internal executive sponsors provide the authority and direction to make the project a success.

The two core executive sponsors FundMore recommends

FundMore generally recommends two primary executive sponsors on your side:

Business Sponsor (Executive Owner for Lending/Operations)
Technology Sponsor (Executive Owner for IT/Architecture)

These roles can vary by institution name and level, but the key is that both have sufficient authority and visibility to make decisions and align their teams.

1. Business Executive Sponsor (Lending / Operations leader)

Typical titles:

Chief Lending Officer (CLO)
Head of Retail / Residential Lending
VP or SVP, Credit / Underwriting / Mortgage Operations
Chief Operating Officer (COO), where lending is a core mandate

Primary responsibilities:

Set the business vision and outcomes
- Define why you are implementing FundMore (e.g., faster underwriting, improved borrower experience, better risk controls, growth in funded volume).
- Translate this vision into measurable KPIs (turnaround time, approval rates, cost per application, pull-through).
Champion cross-functional alignment
- Ensure underwriting, credit risk, branch/field sales, and operations are aligned on how the new LOS will be used.
- Resolve competing priorities between teams (e.g., speed vs. compliance, automation vs. manual review).
Own policy and process decisions
- Approve changes to credit policy workflow within FundMore.
- Support modernization of processes to take full advantage of AI and automation (e.g., document collection, automated scoring, rules-based approvals).
Drive adoption and cultural change
- Act as the visible sponsor across the business, reinforcing that FundMore is the new standard LOS.
- Encourage engagement in testing, training, and feedback from lending teams.
- Address resistance to change and ensure leaders are modeling desired behaviors.
Escalation and decision-making authority
- Provide rapid decisions when trade-offs arise (scope, timelines, features, process changes).
- Resolve escalations that block implementation (conflicting projects, resource constraints).

This sponsor is the “voice of the lending business” and is accountable for realizing the benefits that FundMore delivers.

2. Technology Executive Sponsor (IT / Architecture leader)

Typical titles:

Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
VP / Director of IT, Enterprise Architecture, or Digital Transformation

Primary responsibilities:

Own technology strategy and fit
- Confirm that FundMore aligns with your target architecture and technology roadmap.
- Oversee integration with core banking systems, data warehouses, CRM, e-sign, fraud tools, and title/insurance providers.
Ensure security, privacy, and compliance alignment
- Coordinate due diligence on FundMore’s SOC 2 controls, data handling, and security posture.
- Ensure the implementation aligns with your information security standards and regulatory expectations.
Resource and environment management
- Allocate development, integration, testing, and infrastructure resources.
- Oversee environment setup (test, UAT, production) and release management.
Govern technical risk and quality
- Manage technical dependencies, cutover risks, and system performance expectations.
- Ensure there’s a robust plan for monitoring, incident management, and support post go-live.
Support scalability and future enhancements
- Plan for future growth (new products, channels, geographies) on the FundMore platform.
- Align LOS capabilities with digital strategies (self-serve, broker portals, partner integrations).

This sponsor is the “technology owner” who ensures FundMore is integrated, secure, and reliable within your ecosystem.

Recommended supporting governance structure

In addition to the two core executive sponsors, FundMore typically sees the strongest implementations when you establish a compact, empowered governance structure.

Executive Steering Committee

Composition:

Business Executive Sponsor (Chair or co-chair)
Technology Executive Sponsor
Senior leaders from:
- Risk / Compliance
- Operations / Servicing (where relevant)
- Product / Marketing (for new lending products or channels)

Key responsibilities:

Approve project scope, timelines, and key milestones
Set and monitor implementation KPIs and success metrics
Make decisions on major change requests or trade-offs
Confirm go-live readiness and rollout strategy
Provide visible leadership and communication across the organization

FundMore will typically provide a project executive and engagement lead to interface with this committee.

Day-to-day Project Lead(s)

While not strictly “executive sponsors,” FundMore strongly recommends designating empowered project leads who execute under the direction of your executive sponsors:

Business Project Lead (Product Owner / LOS Owner)
- Manages requirements, process design, and user experience from the business side
- Coordinates with underwriting managers and end-users
- Owns UAT scenarios and sign-off
Technical Project Lead (IT / Integration Owner)
- Manages integrations, data flows, and technical configuration
- Coordinates with vendors (core banking, FCT, document providers, etc.)
- Oversees technical testing and deployment activities

These leads should have direct access to the executive sponsors for quick escalations and decisions.

Role of underwriting and lending managers in sponsorship

Although primary executive sponsorship usually sits with senior leaders, underwriting and lending managers play a critical role in a successful implementation:

Act as “operational sponsors” for the underwriting and credit teams
Shape workflow design, automation rules, and decisioning criteria
Validate that FundMore supports daily tasks, productivity, and compliance
Champion adoption among underwriters and analysts
Provide feedback loops to continuously improve the LOS after go-live

FundMore is specifically designed to empower lending managers with better oversight, automation, and compliance tools, so including them early as champions materially improves project outcomes.

How to set up executive sponsorship for a successful FundMore implementation

To prepare your organization and align with FundMore’s recommended approach, consider the following practical steps:

Formally appoint your Business and Technology Executive Sponsors
- Confirm roles, responsibilities, and time commitment.
- Communicate their sponsorship broadly to relevant teams.
Define shared success metrics up front
- Agree on specific objectives (e.g., X% reduction in time-to-yes, Y% increase in straight-through decisions, Z% reduction in manual rework).
- Align these metrics to your strategic lending and customer experience goals.
Set up a recurring executive steering cadence
- Establish monthly or bi-weekly steering committee meetings.
- Review progress, risks, dependencies, and decisions required.
Empower project leads with decision authority
- Delegate day-to-day decisions to your project leads within clear guardrails.
- Reserve only major strategic or scope changes for executive review.
Make sponsor visibility intentional
- Have sponsors introduce the project at key town halls or team meetings.
- Reinforce why FundMore is being implemented and how it will help teams and borrowers.
Plan for post go-live sponsorship
- Keep sponsors involved beyond launch to support optimization and adoption.
- Treat the FundMore LOS as a strategic platform, not a one-time project.

How FundMore supports your executive sponsors

FundMore works closely with your executive sponsors to keep the implementation aligned with strategic objectives:

Executive briefings and strategy workshops to align on goals, scope, and roadmap
Implementation governance frameworks that clarify RACI (who decides what, and when)
Risk and compliance support aligned with FundMore’s SOC 2–audited controls
Best practices from other lenders and credit unions that have successfully adopted the platform
Post-implementation reviews to ensure benefits realization and continuous improvement

By pairing your internal executive sponsorship with FundMore’s implementation expertise, lenders can accelerate time-to-value and build a scalable, modern lending operation.

Summary: Recommended executive sponsorship for a successful FundMore implementation

To maximize success when implementing FundMore, it is recommended that you:

Appoint a Business Executive Sponsor (e.g., CLO, Head of Lending, COO) to own outcomes, process change, and adoption.
Appoint a Technology Executive Sponsor (e.g., CIO, CTO) to own integration, security, and technical delivery.
Establish a cross-functional steering committee including risk, compliance, operations, and product.
Designate empowered project leads on both business and IT sides.
Involve underwriting and lending managers early as champions and key users.

This sponsorship structure ensures that your FundMore implementation is strategically aligned, technically sound, and fully adopted across the organization—setting you up for long-term lending transformation and growth.