Commercial Banking Officer

The Commercial Banking Officer is responsible for the development, and sales and risk management, of commercial banking relationships. Products include both non-credit and credit services, sold to relationships characterized by frequent, ongoing contact with clients in which banking services are provided in the context of being the primary bank, with long-term familiarity with client goals and needs. Valuable observations of client businesses are sometimes provided to clients on topics that are incidental to the provision of banking services.

By these activities, the Commercial Banking Officer contributes to the corporation’s goals for loans, deposits, and non-interest income and therefore has keen awareness of personal portfolio goals as relate to that contribution.

• Reviews lists, records, newspapers, networking opportunities, and other sources for business development leads.
• Develops new prospects and customers for the financial institution by maintaining an organized business development effort including but not limited to calling on new and existing clients, utilizing a contact management program, and planning and documenting calls as appropriate.
• Conducts other business development activities such as but not limited to joint calling with branch staff and product specialists, attending community and networking events, organizing events, publishing tombstones, and issuing newsletters.
• Interviews applicants for commercial banking services, both credit and non-credit services.
• Discusses client needs, problems or complaints with client relationship stakeholders.
• Evaluates potential customer loan requests and makes loan recommendations to management as appropriate. Analyzes and screens credit requests for all types of loans, utilizing all relevant information to determine client and prospect credit repayment capabilities. Reviews new laws, regulations, and policies that influence commercial lending within the financial institution and incorporates these as appropriate.
• Presents credit requests to management as appropriate or required by policy, by writing approval, problem credit, and other forms of loan memoranda.
• Presents non-credit and credit products to prospects and clients and refers client and prospects to other product specialists as appropriate including cash management, private banking, investment, branch, and other personnel.
• Negotiates credit terms, such as costs, loan repayment methods and collateral, including customer pricing for products sold as consistent with policies and procedures, and to be competitive with the market.
• Packages loans for prospects and clients, and recommends loan terms and conditions, and packages non-credit services, or directs supporting staff in such activities as appropriate. Ensures document accuracy relative to approved credit facilities. Corresponds with legal counsel or other agents, as appropriate, and as necessary.
• Monitors client performance versus that expected, documenting material variance and information, and making risk rating changes as appropriate. Includes but is not limited to the timely follow-up of financial reporting, covenant checks, and borrowing base review. Takes action regarding expiring notes in advance of maturity; collects past due payments quickly; and engages on other activities to maintain the credit quality of loan portfolio.
• Engages junior Commercial Banking Officers, Credit Analysts, Documentation Specialists, and Commercial Administrative Assistants as appropriate in the writing of loan memoranda, analyzing of data, completion of documentation, and risk management activities as routine among those activities essential to the development and risk management of commercial accounts.
• Manages large or complex commercial relationships, as needed, and counsels customers and prospects on banking and non-banking strategies.
• In some instances, maintains and enhances information base on local and national economics or industries, as well as other concerns, that would impact the financial institution’s lending activities.
• Portfolio focus may be industry specific (such as agriculture, real estate, natural resource, or others).
• Other duties, in addition to those above, may be assigned by management.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Finance, General Business or Accounting – desirable
• 2 - 3 years related job experience;
• Prior credit experience within a banking environment is desirable;
• Understanding of collateral requirements with general exposure to documentation
• Knowledge of credit investigations
• Use of bank standard word processing software and spreadsheet software with strong understanding of multiple math formulas.
• General communication (oral and written); clear voice communication; business telephone etiquette; distribute and exchange information with others; interaction with managers, employees, regulatory agencies, industry peers, customers, communicate / work with confidential information; compose draft written…