Director of Credit Management

Northwest Bank•Buffalo, NY

About The Position

The Director of Credit Manager (DCM) manages a team of Underwriters and Portfolio Managers to ensure high quality, timely and consistent analysis in support of the Commercial, Commercial Real Estate, Equipment Finance, Sponsor Finance, Corporate Finance, SBA and other Northwest verticals. Recommends new business opportunities including appropriate loan structure and assessment of credit risk aligned with risk appetite and strategic goals. Oversees portfolio of existing relationships, including annual reviews, renewals, modifications with timely identification and escalation of credit issues. Ensures adherence to all applicable bank policies and regulations. Responsibilities may be allocated by region and/or credit products supported.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Business, Finance, or related field
8-12 years in an area related to commercial credit including credit administration, underwriting, loan review, special assets and /or commercial lending specifically related to commercial, CRE, Corporate, Sponsor, SBA products.

Responsibilities

Manage a team of Underwriters and Portfolio Managers working closely with business line partners to efficiently and strategically grow and manage commercial loan portfolio
Ensure high quality, timely and consistent analysis in support of the Company for new business opportunities, and annual reviews and modifications of existing loan relationships, consistent with bank policy and process requirements. Responsibilities may be allocated by region and/or credit products supported
Management of the production pipeline, past due annual reviews, workflow and staff workload distribution
Coordinate with Portfolio Managers and Lenders to obtain required financial and other information necessary for initial underwriting and on-going credit monitoring
Ensure sustained satisfactory reviews by regulators, internal auditors, external auditors, and loan review for depth of underwriting, appropriateness of structure, identification of Policy Exceptions, stress tested analysis of credits underwritten, and timeliness of annual review completion
Ensure timely recognition of potential credit quality issues identified through underwriting and prompt communication
Efficiently determine the credit worthiness of new loan requests
Oversee the preparation of Credit Memos and Modifications, providing guidance as necessary
Ensure accurate and timely Risk Ratings for all loans under review
Determine the appropriate level of credit underwriting and due diligence to appropriately characterize the risk profile of each credit
Identify credit strengths, weaknesses, and mitigating factors
Ensure loan covenants are meaningful and appropriate for the level of credit risk
Meet or exceed established service level expectations
Maintain a working knowledge of macro-economic issues affecting regions across the bank footprint
Work with commercial lending to establish and maintain service level expectations for all credit underwriting functions
Direct supervision, establishment of performance expectations, and mentoring of Commercial Credit Managers, members of Portfolio Management, and credit analysts
Establish development plans for more experienced analysts and Commercial Credit Managers, including educational and certification opportunities that enhance their skills and benefit the bank
Develop, from system data, performance metrics for production inclusive of credit memos (new business, annual reviews), modifications, and spreads
Responsible for all compliance related matters associated with underwriting
Ensure loan policy exceptions, annual reviews and loan maturity extensions/renewals are tracked, reported, and acted upon to minimize delinquencies
Ensure that loan requests are accurately presented prior to submission to appropriate approval authority.
Ensure complete data integrity in origination and annual review process.
Monitor, develop, and suggest revisions to workflows and procedures as necessary to enhance efficiency and minimize expenses
Identify potential for credit losses and mitigating risk accordingly including transfer of individual credits to Special Assets
Recommend improvements Credit Administration to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of credit processes, nCino system utilization, and credit policy.
Complete other projects as assigned