Sr. Commercial Lending Officer

POSITION SUMMARY:

Solicits, develops, and manages credit relations with individuals and businesses seeking a variety of secured and unsecured loans, including commercial, real estate, and construction. Oversees and manages commercial loan portfolio. Portfolio consists of more routine commercial loan accounts; makes decisions within prescribed guidelines. May assist higher level Commercial Lender. Refers more complex loans to Chief Commercial Lender. Responsible for the overall profitability and quality of loan portfolio. Operates within established lending authority and guidelines; provide optimum profitability balanced with acceptable risk. Ensures adherence to established bank loan procedures, practices, and reporting requirements. Creates a teamwork environment to ensure that quality service is provided, and sales/business development goals are met. Conducts relationships and activities consistent with established Bank policies, procedures and systems, the corporate code of conduct, Bank Secrecy Act and all applicable State and Federal laws and regulations.


ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Interview loan applicants to develop information concerning their businesses, needs, desire, abilities, and earnings to determine whether a loan may be an acceptable risk.
• Evaluate the financial condition of the client, the value of pledged collateral, and the client's management effectiveness and competency. Make decision on loans and terms if within own lending limits. Refer loans over loan authority to Chief Lending Officer or Loan Committee. Ensure optimum profitability balanced with acceptable risk.
• Monitor quality of existing accounts by verifying that assigned accounts conform to contract and policy limits.
• Ensure that necessary documentation is completed, and request additional data as needed. Recognize unfavorable trends and recommend corrective action. Confer with Chief Lending Officer on difficult or sensitive issues.
• Coordinate loan activities with appropriate departments.
• Attend monthly Loan Committee meetings.
• Responsible for the attainment of loan objectives to include origination, outstanding, delinquency, charge-off, fee income, interest income, and return on assets.
• Make referrals to other business units for traditional and non-traditional banking products and services.
• Under the direction of Chief Lending Officer, establish daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly business development, sales, and referral goals. Develop a marketing plan utilizing effective sales techniques that will generate additional new commercial loans. Maintain personal accountability for sales and service standards and for meeting business development, sales, and referral goals.
• Implement tactical plans that focus our relationship selling effort to manage our most profitable customers in the community. Identify opportunities to deepen our relationship with customers that have a minimal relationship but offer upside potential and aggressively sell to this customer base. Identify clients who are not profitable and aggressively manage the relationship to be a more profitable one.
• Actively call on new and prospective customers, exploring needs and cross-selling and recommending bank products and services that are in the best interest of the customer and that achieve their financial objectives.
• Actively profile customers to ensure strong understanding of the total customer financial picture.
• Ensure thorough knowledge and understanding of compliance and regulatory issues relating to loan policy and procedures (i.e., CRA, Fair Lending, etc.) evidenced by appropriate application of these regulations in day-to-day operations.
• Demonstrate the highest level of professionalism, efficiency and customer service when resolving the most difficult customer issues.
• Understand and maintain a thorough knowledge of Central Bank of St. Louis' services, operations, and organization; communicate this understanding to others when appropriate and refer inquiries and correspondence to the proper department or individual.
• Attend all required training.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree: or equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Typically, greater than 10 year's commercial lending experience. Knowledge of current bank lending procedures and policies, lending regulations (state and federal), lien laws, collection/bankruptcy regulations, and loan documentation. Knowledge of commercial lending and real estate field, including appraisals, deeds, and lien recording. May require knowledge of agricultural business and/or agricultural lending experience.
• Ability to analyze financial statement and loan risk.
• Possess good judgment skills. Ability to make decisions within prescribed guidelines, research and solve problems, work independently, handle confidential information and manage multiple tasks.
• Thorough knowledge of bank products and services. Demonstrated skill in soliciting business for bank deposit products and loan services. Ability to identify client needs, present banking solutions and bank products. Ability to recognize closing opportunities and retain and grow customer relationships.
• Ability to read, write, and speak English.
• Excellent verbal, listening and communication skills. Strong customer relations skills and ability to work with employees and customers in a cooperative manner. Ability and desire to work as part of a team, and with people of diverse backgrounds
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability and desire to represent Central Bank of St. Louis in the community.
• Willingness to assume additional responsibilities/duties/projects as they arise.
• Ability to operate office equipment including PC's, calculators, telephones, voice mail, copy and fax machines.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Ability to drive a vehicle. Must maintain a current, valid driver's license and an acceptable driving record for bank insurance purposes.