Senior Credit Analyst

The Senior Credit Analyst supports a community bank lending environment by providing independent credit analysis, underwriting support, and ongoing credit administration for commercial loan relationships. This role works closely with loan officers, credit officers, and executive management to evaluate borrower risk, ensure consistency with bank policy, and support prudent, relationship-driven credit decisions across the loan portfolio.

Primary Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive financial analysis of commercial, agricultural, and owner-occupied real estate borrowers, guarantors, and related entities, including cash flow, global debt service coverage, leverage, liquidity, and sensitivity analysis.
• Spread and analyze business and personal financial statements, tax returns, rent rolls, and projections, with an emphasis on borrower sustainability and repayment sources.
• Prepare clear, well-reasoned credit memorandums for new loans, renewals, extensions, modifications, and risk rating changes suitable for loan committee and board review.
• Partner directly with loan officers to structure credits consistent with community bank risk appetite, local market conditions, and borrower needs.
• Evaluate collateral adequacy, including commercial and agricultural real estate, equipment, inventory, and receivables, review appraisals, evaluations, and third-party reports.
• Monitor existing relationships for covenant compliance, financial reporting requirements, and early warning indicators.
• Assist with portfolio management, including annual reviews, stress testing, and identification of emerging credit risk.
• Ensure compliance with internal loan policy, regulatory guidance, and documentation standards.
• Support internal loan review, external audits, and regulatory examinations, including examiner requests and follow-up.
• Provide informal mentoring and technical guidance to junior analysts and lenders on credit analysis and policy application.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by management.

Qualifications

• Three to five years of experience in financial analysis and/or credit analysis, preferably within a community bank or similar relationship-driven lending environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, economics, or a business-related field preferred.
• Experience with commercial banking products, including C&I, owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied CRE, agricultural, and SBA lending.
• Strong understanding of borrower cash flow analysis, guarantor support, and common community bank credit structures.
• Demonstrated experience preparing credit memorandums for loan committee and board-level review.
• Ability to balance underwriting rigor with practical, relationship-focused credit judgment.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple relationships and deadlines.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with attention to detail.
• Clear, concise written and verbal communication skills.
• Sound judgment and ability to independently identify and articulate credit risk.
• Proficiency with financial spreading software, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.
• Professional demeanor and ability to collaborate effectively with lenders and credit leadership.

This position typically operates in an office and requires regular interaction with lending staff, credit administration, and management.