Director Credit Risk Review

Community Financial System, Inc.•Syracuse, NY

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Credit Risk Review is responsible for leading the independent credit review function for a mid-sized, regional bank with diversified commercial and retail lending portfolios. This role ensures the integrity of the Bank’s credit risk management framework by independently evaluating asset quality, underwriting practices, risk ratings, and adherence to internal policies and regulatory expectations. The Director will provide objective assessments to senior management and the Board of Directors’ Risk Committee, identifying emerging risks, portfolio trends, and opportunities to strengthen credit risk governance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field (MBA or CFA preferred).
12+ years of progressive credit risk experience, including: Commercial and/or retail credit underwriting, Credit risk management or loan review.
5+ years in a senior leadership or management role.
Deep knowledge of: Commercial lending (CRE, C&I) structures and risk drivers, Retail credit risk (mortgage, consumer lending), Credit risk rating systems and criticized/classified asset frameworks, Commercial credit scoring models, such as Moody’s RiskCalc, Retail credit underwriting models and scorecards.
Strong understanding of regulatory expectations for credit review functions.
Minimum ten (10) years of progressive experience in all forms of Lending (both commercial and consumer) with knowledge of current portfolio risk management techniques; experience with CRE, C&I, floor plan, agricultural, special assets, and asset based lending is desired.
All applicants must be 18 years of age or older.

Nice To Haves

MBA or CFA preferred.
Experience with portfolio analytics, stress testing, and CECL preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage the Credit Risk Review (CRR) function as an independent second/third line of defense aligned with regulatory expectations (e.g., SR 13 3 / OCC guidance).
Develop and execute a risk-based credit review plan covering commercial, CRE, C&I, consumer, and residential portfolios.
Report regularly to executive management and the Board Risk Committee on credit quality, risk rating accuracy, and emerging risks.
Ensure independence from the credit approval and portfolio management functions.
Assess the quality of credit exposures across: Commercial Real Estate (CRE), Commercial & Industrial (C&I), Small Business / SBA, Retail portfolios (mortgage, home equity, auto, unsecured).
Evaluate portfolio trends, concentrations, and risk appetite alignment.
Identify and escalate systemic weaknesses in underwriting, structure, or policy adherence.
Oversee periodic loan reviews to validate: Risk ratings / internal credit grading accuracy, Borrower financial performance and repayment capacity, Collateral valuation and monitoring, MIS for commercial and retail lending asset quality and underwriting trends.
Ensure timely identification of criticized/classified assets.
Perform root-cause analysis on credit issues and losses.
Ensure compliance with: Interagency Guidelines Establishing Standards for Safety and Soundness, OCC/FRB guidance on credit risk review and asset quality, CECL-related credit quality inputs (as applicable).
Evaluate effectiveness of credit policies, underwriting standards, and risk management practices.
Support regulatory examinations and internal audit coordination.
Develop robust reporting on: Risk rating accuracy and migration trends, Criticized and classified asset levels, Portfolio stress indicators and early warning signals.
Leverage analytics to enhance risk identification and monitoring.
Provide actionable insights, not just findings.
Track and validate remediation of identified findings.
Recommend enhancements to underwriting, monitoring, and credit risk governance.
Promote best practices across commercial and retail lending teams.
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of credit review professionals.
Set performance expectations and ensure high-quality, consistent reviews.
Foster a culture of independence, accountability, and constructive challenge.
As an integral member of CFSI, this position is responsible to provide assistance wherever necessary to help the Company in achieving our goals.