Careers at the OCC:
OCC Structure and Work Environment
Click on the highlighted text for additional information on OCC's
structure and work environment.
Structure
The OCC is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has four district offices in
major U.S. cities. Additionally, the OCC has an on-site presence at several
large national banking companies, field offices in over 70 locations across the
country, and an international office in London. Through this network the
Comptroller of the Currency, as chief executive of the OCC, provides policy and
direction for the administration of all national banks.
Bank Supervision
The majority of OCC employees work in either Large Banks Supervision or
Mid-size/ Community Bank Supervision which are responsible for conducting
examinations of national banks and other supervisory activities.
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Large bank supervision, which includes the largest national banking
companies that are generally involved in sophisticated banking activities; and
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Mid-size/community bank supervision, which includes community banks and
banking companies that are involved in more traditional banking activities and
operate over a relatively small geographical area.
Large Bank Supervision
Examiners working for the Large Bank Supervision Department are located on site
at bank locations throughout the U.S. Three deputy comptrollers who are located
in Washington, D.C., head the department. Each deputy comptroller is
responsible for managing a portfolio of banks. The department's philosophy is
one of continuous supervision to assess the condition and risk profile of the
bank and to take appropriate supervisory and regulatory action when necessary.
The field examining staff for large banks is divided into four geographically
based teams. The Large Banks teams currently are:
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Team East: Portland, New York, and Wilmington
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Team South: Charlotte, Memphis, and New Orleans
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Team Central: Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh
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Team West: Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and San Francisco
The department also maintains a team in London. This team provides examination
and supervision support for European affiliates and branches of national banks.
It plays a major role in monitoring developments in the European financial
markets.
Mid-Size/Community Bank Supervision
Examiners dedicated to mid-size/community bank supervision typically work from
field offices located in areas that have a sufficient concentration of national
banks. Field office staff are responsible for performing on-site examinations
and for ongoing supervision of the mid-size/community national banks in their
geographical area. Each field office is supported by one of the OCC's four
district offices. District offices are responsible for implementing the
Comptroller's policy for all national banks within its boundaries. A deputy
comptroller heads each district office.
The OCC's four districts and the states in which they have primary
responsibility for supervising banks are as follows:
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Central: Illinois, Indiana, eastern and northwestern Iowa, northern
Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, eastern Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South
Dakota, southwestern Virginia, southwestern West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
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Northeastern: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, North
Carolina, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Puerto Rico,
the Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia.
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Southern: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, southern Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.
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Western: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, western
Iowa, Kansas, western Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon,
Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and Guam.
Other Functional Areas
The OCC offers many interesting and challenging careers in other major
functional areas of the OCC, including:
Chief National Bank Examiner,
which is responsible for formulating and disseminating OCC's supervision
policies to promote national banks' safety and soundness and compliance with
laws and regulations.
Economic & Policy Analysis,
which is responsible for managing the agency's economic research and analysis
program, providing policy advice on issues relating to the condition of the
banking industry and trends in the provision of financial services, and
overseeing preparation of congressional testimony for the Comptroller.
International Affairs,
which is responsible for overseeing the OCC's international activities,
including formulating policies and procedures for the supervision and
examination of federal branches and agencies of foreign banks.
Information Technology Services,
which is responsible for the development and operation of automated information
systems and for information technology at the OCC.
Ombudsman,
which is responsible for reviewing OCC decisions and actions that end in
dispute and administering the OCC consumer complaint program.
Public Affairs,
which is responsible for providing policy and technical support in media
relations, public information, publishing, automated information, writing and
editing, and production of printed information.
Chief Counsel,
which is responsible for advising the Comptroller on legal matters arising from
the administration of laws, rulings, and regulations governing national banks.
The responsibilities of the Chief Counsel also include Community
Affairs/Development.
Office of Management, which is responsible for the administrative
functioning of the OCC including human resources, procurement, financial
services, and equal employment programs.
Work Environment
Adaptability, teamwork, and superior communication skills are critical to the
success of all employees at the OCC but are especially true for bank examiners.
As an examiner, you work as part of a team in the field and constantly interact
with bank executives and colleagues. You also must be flexible and able to
adapt to changing locations and working conditions, since examiners work in
different settings, both in banks and OCC offices. Often, they work together as
a group sharing a conference room or other similar setting. And, as the OCC
responds to changes in the financial services industry, you must be able to
meet new challenges and learn about new products and fields.
Although the amount of travel may vary, some examiners spend considerable time
on the road. Personal mobility is also an important factor and, in some cases,
is essential to take full advantage of all career opportunities.
The OCC is committed to ensuring that its employees have the most productive
and innovative technology tools available. Technology is part of our everyday
life and when you become a part of the OCC, you will be provided with a modern
desktop or notebook computer, access to the Internet, and the custom tools
necessary to be successful at your job.
OCC Careers Page
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