Commercial Credit Analyst II

WHO WE ARE

City First Bank N.A. is a mission-driven Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) principally focused on a transformative impact in underserved, urban markets with the highest needs to drive equitable economic development. Our credit activities are purely commercial and focused on the following segments: Multifamily Affordable Housing, Not-for-Profit Finance, and Small Business Finance. As a depository and commercial lending provider with over $1.3 billion in bank assets as of December 31, 2024, our unified organization has over 100 employees in Washington DC and Los Angeles/Inglewood, CA.

ROLE SUMMARY

The role will directly report to and support the Senior Credit Officer in management of the Bank’s loan portfolio. This role will also assume responsibility for the more complex lending relationships in the portfolio, including occasional underwriting, and serves as a senior subject matter expert internally and externally. The Commercial Credit Analyst II would handle all aspects of the relationships in the assigned portfolio including approvals, annual reviews, monitoring and watch reporting. The position will not have business development responsibilities; however, the individual must be able to recognize such opportunities and refer these to the appropriate area of the bank.

In addition to individual portfolio assignments, the position will assist the Senior Credit Officer in measurement and tracking of portfolio metrics. The individual will need to have a broad working knowledge of a credit portfolio including loan loss reserves, risk rating assignments, general loan accounting, and risk management. Attention to detail and ability to research and resolve issues as they arise is critical to the position as the individual will also work closely with the Senior Credit Officer and play a primary role in the bank’s CECL methodology selection, development, and implementation process.

The position requires a demonstrated ability to work across multiple areas of the financial institution while providing competent, courteous, and professional customer service to external and internal customers. The successful individual in this position is one that thrives on high quality service, strong initiative using their accumulated knowledge and experience, problem solving, and an eagerness to adapt and develop new banking skills, e.g. CECL model development.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Portfolio Management – 40%

• Portfolio Management duties will include monitoring a portfolio of commercial loans risk rated of all ratings, perform analysis to determine the financial viability of the customer, develop and implement a strategy and plan for the collection of the loans. Coordinate with the relationship management team, attorneys, accountants and third-party guarantors during the monitoring/renewal or collection process.
• Assists with the identification of potential problem loans, recommends risk rating changes, and assumes responsibility for loans newly identified as criticized and classified problems loans with the goal to upgrade the risk rating of the loan to performing.
• Portfolio Manager must possess the ability to recognize revenue opportunities in the portfolio and to follow through on routine requests for credit or other bank services.There are no incremental sales targets; however, must ensure retention of existing clients and that credit needs are met to the extent the bank is comfortable.

Credit Support and Underwriting – 60%

• Credit Support duties will include analyzing and spreading the customer’s financial information, assessing the collateral, performing a delinquency review, performing industry comparisons, assessing the risk rating, and preparing the business, personal and global debt service coverage ability. In addition, written presentations will be prepared that detail the findings of the analysis.
• Assists with monthly management and Board reporting activities including research of items that present anomalies to the portfolio. Ability to manage time accordingly to produce necessary and accurate reporting is a priority.
• Work on the ongoing CECL implementation process and to assist in the management of the ALLL during the transition and required parallel tracking period. Individual will be responsible for the data integrity management portion of the CECL adoption and implementation.

Leadership and Supervision

• Creates an atmosphere within the organization that attains and maintains a high level of morale and embraces our Vision, Values, Mission, and Team Expectations while providing “best in class” customer service to internal and external clients.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of annual department goals and individual

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Required Education/Experience:

• HS Diploma or equivalent
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or related field required; 3 additional years of commercial credit underwriting and analysis experience may be substituted for bachelor’s degree.
• 4+ years of commercial credit, financial statement analysis, portfolio management and customer service experience required
• Completion of formal or in-house credit training required

Preferred Education/Experience:

• Experience structuring and pricing loan transactions to achieve organizational goals preferred.

CERTIFICATIONS

• None required

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Required Knowledge & Skills:

• Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite and other (credit analysis) systems and a hands-on working knowledge of a bank core system, e.g. FIS, FiServ, etc. Strong ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong supervisory experience.
• Uncompromised attention to detail and demonstrated eagerness to problem solve through research and application of experience/knowledge.
• Experience with commercial, construction, and real estate loan underwriting, and broad understanding of the bank’s balance sheet, e.g. ALLL.
• Solid knowledge of and skills in personal computer operation, word processing and spreadsheet software.
• Knowledge of related state and federal lending and compliance regulations and other bank lending policies.

Preferred Knowledge & Skills:

• Strong supervisory experience.
• Uncompromised attention to detail and demonstrated eagerness to problem solve through research and application of experience/knowledge.
• Organized, detail oriented, ability to articulate matters over the phone or in person, capable of working independently, can plan, set priorities, meet deadlines and work with little supervision while performing most duties
• Strong ability to interact pro-actively with all levels of the organization.