CHIEF CREDIT OFFICER

SUMMARY: Responsible for the leadership and oversight of the Bank's credit administration and credit risk management functions. Ensures the overall quality, profitability, and risk profile of the loan portfolio through sound underwriting, portfolio management, risk rating administration, and allowance for credit losses (ACL) oversight. Develops and maintains the Bank's loan policy, credit risk framework, and lending authorities while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and internal standards. Provides leadership and development to credit personnel, promotes a strong credit culture, and partners with executive leadership and the Board of Directors to support the Bank's strategic growth, profitability, and risk management objectives. Serves as Chair of the Credit Committee and primary liaison for loan-related regulatory examinations and independent loan reviews.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following, other duties may be assigned.

1. Responsible for reviewing all proposed changes to the bank's loan policy and recommends final changes to Senior Leadership and the Board of Directors.
2. Ensures lending policies and procedures remain consistent with regulatory guidance, industry best practices, and the Bank's risk management objectives
3. Establishes, monitors, and makes adjustments to all lending authorities.
4. As a member of the Senior Management Team, contributes to the development and execution of the Bank's strategic plan, annual budget, and business objectives, ensuring credit strategies support the Bank's growth, profitability, and risk management goals.
5. Provides regular reporting and recommendations to Senior Leadership, Credit Committee, and the Board of Directors on portfolio performance, asset quality, concentration risk, emerging credit trends, and other key credit risk matters.
6. Oversees the Bank's credit risk management practices, loan review activities, risk rating administration, and the identification and mitigation of emerging credit risks.
7. Provides leadership and guidance to Commercial Bankers, Portfolio Managers, and Credit Analysts in the structuring, underwriting, and approval of commercial credit relationships, ensuring consistency with the Bank's credit philosophy and risk appetite. This is inclusive of attending and supporting Commercial Bankers on sales calls.
8. Reviews, approves, declines, or recommends commercial credit requests within delegated authority, ensuring compliance with Bank policy, regulatory requirements, underwriting standards, and profitability objectives.
9. Oversees the Bank's credit approval process and lending authorities, ensuring sound credit decisions, appropriate risk rating, and consistent application of credit standards across the organization.
10. Manages a portfolio of key workout and/or participation relationships, as needed.
11. Oversees the Bank's credit risk management framework, including portfolio monitoring, risk rating administration, concentration management, and identification of emerging credit risks to ensure the overall quality and performance of the loan portfolio.
12. Monitors loan performance, problem assets, collections, workouts, foreclosures, and OREO administration, ensuring appropriate action plans are developed and executed to mitigate risk and minimize loss exposure.
13. Leads ongoing assessment of portfolio risk through problem loan reviews, stress testing, and analysis of economic and industry trends, recommending strategies to maintain credit quality and support the Bank's risk appetite.
14. Oversees the Bank's credit reporting framework, including portfolio performance, asset quality, concentration risk, risk ratings, and other key credit metrics, ensuring timely and accurate reporting to Senior Leadership and the Board of Directors.
15. Monitors and reports on portfolio trends, classified assets, non-performing loans, delinquency levels, and emerging credit risks, providing recommendations to support sound credit decisions and risk management practices.
16. Oversees the Bank's loan risk rating system and Allowance for Credit Losses (ACL) methodology, ensuring consistency, regulatory compliance, and appropriate reserve levels based on portfolio performance and risk characteristics.

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Proven leadership and management experience with the ability to develop, mentor, and hold teams accountable for performance and results.
2. Extensive knowledge of commercial lending, credit underwriting, loan structuring, portfolio management, and financial statement analysis
3. Strong understanding of credit risk management practices, including risk rating systems, concentration management, problem loan administration, and portfolio monitoring.
4. Demonstrated ability to balance growth, profitability, and risk management objectives while maintaining a sound credit culture.
5. Strong analytical, negotiation, decision-making, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate complex credit relationships and risk exposures.
6. Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively communicate credit matters to executive leadership, the Board of Directors, regulators, auditors, and lending staff. (Enhanced from the current communication requirement.)
7. Thorough knowledge of banking operations, products and services, credit administration, and applicable regulatory and statutory requirements.
8. Maintains a high level of expertise in legal and regulatory requirements related to commercial lending, credit administration, and risk management.
9. Demonstrated strategic planning and business acumen with the ability to contribute to organizational goals, growth initiatives, and long-term planning efforts.
10. Ability to utilize technology, reporting tools, and portfolio analytics to support informed decision-making and risk oversight.

Benefits Available:

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Dependent Life Package

Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D)

Salary Continuation

Long-Term Disability

Voluntary Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Child(ren)

Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D) for Employee, Spouse, and Child(ren)

Health Savings Account

Flexible Spending Accounts

401(k) with 4% employer match

21 Days of PTO, accrued per pay period

Employee Incentive Program

Highland Bank

Your Business. Our Bank

Highland Bank is an Equal Opportunity Employer