C&I Lending Team Lead

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Active - Regular Astoria, NY, US

Salary Range: $170,000.00 To $190,000.00 Annually

Alma Bank, headquartered in Long Island City, New York and having 13 branches located throughout Queens, NYC, New Jersey, Brooklyn and the Bronx, brings personal service back to personal banking. We have genuine banking professionals ready to serve our customers, and offer a full range of products and services. Alma delivers a private banking style experience to our business banking customers. Come join our winning team!

Alma Bank is seeking an experienced and entrepreneurial C&I Lending Team Lead to establish and grow the Bank's middle-market Commercial & Industrial lending platform. This is a senior-level leadership opportunity for a proven commercial banking executive with deep market relationships, demonstrated business development success, and a track record of building high-performing commercial banking teams.

The C&I Lending Team Lead will be responsible for originating and managing profitable commercial banking relationships, generating core deposits and treasury management opportunities, and serving as the foundation for a growing C&I lending team. The successful candidate will play a critical role in expanding Alma Bank's commercial banking presence throughout the New York metropolitan market while maintaining the Bank's strong commitment to credit quality, relationship banking, and client service.

This position emphasizes the development of full banking relationships, including commercial loans, business deposits, treasury management services, and related fee-generating opportunities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Business Development & Relationship Management

• Originate and develop new Commercial & Industrial lending relationships with middle-market and lower-middle-market businesses.
• Build and maintain a portfolio of profitable commercial banking relationships, including operating companies and owner-occupied commercial real estate borrowers.
• Generate commercial loan opportunities through direct prospecting, centers of influence, referral sources, professional networks, attorneys, CPAs, brokers, and other business development activities.
• Develop and execute strategic calling plans designed to attract both lending and deposit relationships.
• Expand the Bank's market presence and visibility within the business community.
• Represent the Bank at industry events, networking functions, trade associations, and community organizations.
• Maintain an active calling program focused on sourcing new client relationships and deepening existing relationships.

Deposit and Treasury Management Growth

• Drive the acquisition of core operating deposit relationships, including DDA and treasury management services.
• Promote treasury management products and services to commercial clients.
• Partner with internal departments to maximize treasury management penetration and fee income generation.
• Ensure commercial relationships are developed as complete banking relationships rather than loan-only relationships.

Leadership & Team Development

• Serve as the senior leader of the Bank's C&I lending initiative.
• Assist executive management in recruiting, onboarding, and developing additional relationship managers, portfolio managers, and commercial banking staff.
• Foster a collaborative, relationship-focused sales culture.
• Mentor junior lenders and commercial banking professionals.
• Coordinate activities among relationship managers, credit administration, treasury management, and operations teams.
• Provide market intelligence and strategic recommendations regarding commercial banking growth opportunities.
• Structure and negotiate commercial loan transactions consistent with Bank policy and sound banking practices.
• Prepare and present credit opportunities for approval in accordance with established lending authority.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of borrower financial performance, industry conditions, and credit risk.
• Monitor portfolio performance and proactively identify emerging credit issues.
• Ensure adherence to all credit policies, regulatory requirements, and risk management standards.
• Work closely with Credit Administration to maintain strong underwriting discipline and portfolio quality.

Strategic Growth

• Participate in the development and execution of the Bank's commercial banking growth strategy.
• Assist management in identifying opportunities to expand market share within targeted geographies and industry segments.
• Support the development of annual business plans, production goals, and strategic initiatives.
• Provide regular pipeline forecasts and production updates to executive management.

Performance Expectations

Success in this role will be measured through a balanced scorecard that includes:

• Commercial loan production and portfolio growth.
• Treasury management and fee income growth.
• Relationship profitability.
• Credit quality and portfolio performance.
• Client acquisition and retention.
• Team leadership and talent development.
• Contribution to the Bank's overall strategic growth initiatives.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field required.
• MBA, Graduate School of Banking, or other advanced banking credentials preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 10-15 years of commercial banking experience.
• Significant experience originating and managing Commercial & Industrial relationships.
• Demonstrated success developing middle-market and lower-middle-market commercial clients.
• Proven track record generating both commercial loans and operating deposits.
• Previous experience leading teams, mentoring lenders, or managing commercial banking personnel strongly preferred.
• Established network of business contacts and centers of influence throughout the New York metropolitan market.
• Strong understanding of treasury management services and commercial banking products.
• Experience with owner-occupied commercial real estate lending preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong business development and relationship management skills.
• Comprehensive commercial credit and underwriting expertise.
• Exceptional financial analysis and loan structuring capabilities.
• Thorough understanding of commercial banking regulations and risk management principles.
• Ability to balance growth objectives with sound credit practices.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team-building capabilities.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work effectively across all levels of the organization.

Target Production Profile

Ideal candidates will demonstrate a history of:

• Consistent commercial loan production over multiple years.
• Strong treasury management utilization within client portfolios.
• High client retention and relationship longevity.
• Sound credit performance and portfolio quality.
• Deep business community engagement and referral networks.