Business Banking Senior Underwriter I

M&T Bank•Buffalo, NY

About The Position

Evaluate, structure, underwrite, and manage credit risks of Business Banking relationships across new-money and portfolio-management activities. This experienced individual-contributor role within the 1st Line of Defense supports deal structuring, underwriting analysis, and ongoing portfolio monitoring. It balances disciplined risk management with business growth by underwriting credit requests, recommending competitive financing solutions, and monitoring portfolio risk with proactive mitigation. The role assesses new transactions and existing portfolio exposures, supports underwriting of moderately complex credits, and contributes to ongoing risk management. It operates with autonomy appropriate to experience and may independently support exposures up to $3 million and/or partner with 2nd Line of Defense Senior Credit Officers on larger relationships. Credit approval authority may be included commensurate with experience and responsibilities. There are no formal managerial responsibilities, though the role supports, trains, and guides junior team members and contributes to team development.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and at least 3 years of commercial or business banking credit underwriting experience; alternatively, a combined minimum of 7 years of higher education and/or work experience, including at least 7 years of relevant experience.
Strong ability to analyze financial statements, tax returns, and cash flow.
Demonstrated ability to support underwriting and management of commercial credit relationships.
Effective written and verbal communication skills.
Strong partnership skills across credit and sales teams, with the ability to negotiate and mediate compromises.
Ability to develop and support credit recommendations.
Self-motivated, with the ability to manage workload and make decisions independently with minimal oversight in a fast-paced environment.
Comfort making decisions with imperfect information.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools.

Nice To Haves

Completion of a formal commercial credit training program.
Proficiency in commercial underwriting (nCino) and accounting systems.
Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Strong ability to manage change and multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

Underwrite and evaluate Business Banking loan applications and existing portfolio exposures, including financial statements, cash flow, collateral, and guarantor support.
Conduct continuous credit monitoring, identify emerging risks or deteriorating credit conditions, and take proactive mitigation steps, including restructuring or modifications when appropriate.
Facilitate deal-screen activities between the 1st and 2nd Lines of Defense for new requests, identifying key risks, recommending mitigants, and implementing enhancements.
Structure credit solutions with terms, conditions, covenants, and controls aligned with risk profiles and policy.
Prepare clear, well-supported underwriting analyses, including assessments of credit quality, risk ratings, and policy compliance.
Partner with Relationship Managers and Sales teams throughout the deal lifecycle and ongoing portfolio management.
Adhere to credit policy, regulatory expectations, and internal control standards, documenting exceptions and mitigation strategies.
Participate in process and quality-improvement initiatives to enhance underwriting consistency and effectiveness.
Provide training, guidance, and support to junior underwriters and business partners as needed.
Participate in assigned projects and working groups.
Maintain urgency and high standards for timeliness, accuracy, and operational effectiveness across underwriting and portfolio management.
Follow the Company’s risk and regulatory standards, policies, and controls in accordance with its Risk Appetite.
Identify risk-related issues that need escalation to management.
Promote a culture of belonging that reflects the M&T Bank brand.
Maintain M&T internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points and applicable issues raised by external regulators.
Complete other related duties as assigned.