Sr. Credit Manager

CalPrivate Bank•Newport Beach, CA

About The Position

The Senior Credit Manager plays a pivotal role in growing the loan portfolio in a prudent manner, structuring mutually beneficial loan solutions, and operational excellence leading the team of Credit Managers. The Senior Credit Manager leads the Bank’s Credit Management function, overseeing a team responsible for underwriting, structuring, and approving commercial loan transactions within delegated authority. This role ensures credit quality, production efficiency, and consistent application of credit standards across Commercial Real Estate (CRE), Commercial & Industrial (C&I), and SBA lending. The Senior Credit Manager plays a central role in supporting loan origination, approval, closing, collateralization, and ongoing credit administration. The position also designs and administers the Bank’s credit training program to ensure strong credit competencies across lenders, analysts, and credit staff and reinforcing the Board’s and Chief Credit Officer’s (CCO) vision for exceptional credit quality, strategic growth, and operational efficiency. The Senior Credit Manager acts as a mentor, technical expert, and solutionist—helping teams execute effectively, grow the loan portfolio, and efficiently mitigate transaction level risk within the commercial and SBA loan portfolios. This position also serves as a bridge between the Market Leaders, Relationship Managers, Client Service teammates and ensure alignment, communication, and progress toward the Bank’s strategic goals.

Requirements

15+ years of progressive experience in lending, commercial credit, loan structuring, collateralization, loan processing, and leadership.
10+ years in a management or coaching role, with proven ability to grow loans safely, drive efficiencies, and promote accountability while developing high-performing teams.
Strong background in loan structuring, risk identification, cash flow analysis, collateral analysis, and problem loan resolution.
Expertise with nCino, Co-Star, IBIS, and/or similar loan management platforms and analytical tools to streamline credit analysis, collateral analysis, and loan growth.
Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills, with the ability to influence and align across markets and departments.
Proven success in reinforcing a disciplined, performance-driven credit culture.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead credit approval activities related to CRE, C&I, and SBA segments to ensure credit quality, compliance, and growth objectives are met.
Approve commercial loan transactions within delegated authority, ensuring compliance with policy, risk appetite, and regulatory expectations.
Manage Credit Manager team and ensure an efficient and organized organization function.
Guide credit managers and underwriters in analyzing borrower financials, cash flows, collateral, structure, and conditions for CRE, C&I, and SBA loan requests.
Safeguard credit quality by providing direction on risk ratings, covenants, underwriting standards, and policy exceptions.
Support lenders and credit managers in developing optimal loan structures that balance client needs, credit soundness, and bank profitability.
Partner closely with loan operations, closing teams, and collateral departments to ensure accurate documentation, perfection of liens, and smooth loan closings.
Review and resolve structural, documentation, or collateral-related issues throughout the approval and closing process.
Collaborate with the CCO, loan committees, and senior leadership on complex or high-risk transactions.
Collaborate with other department leaders with compiling recurring reports to monitor overall credit quality and development of the quarterly CECL calculation and supporting documentation.
Partner with Client Services department to manage, monitor, and ensure timely payments, collections, and management of maturing loans.
Champion the use of technology (including nCino, CoStar, IBISWorld, portfolio analytics, and workflow tools) to increase efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
Partner with internal and third party technological and product teams for development and continuous improvement of portfolio management processes, credit workflows, and risk monitoring systems.
Implement automation, reporting enhancements, and data-driven decision tools to support real-time portfolio insights.
Ensure departmental procedures, templates, procedures, and processes are well documented, refreshed as needed, and changes communicated to all applicable parties with training delivered as needed.
Support development and refinement of credit policies, underwriting guidelines, and approval processes.
Ensure uniform application of credit procedures and adherence to regulatory expectations.
Contribute to reporting and analytics on credit pipeline, quality, turnaround times, and portfolio trends.
Assist with internal audits, regulatory exams, and loan review engagements as needed.
Deliver structured onboarding, working with new hires to guide them through CalPrivate systems, processes, and forms, fostering confidence and consistency.
Provide structured coaching and personalized feedback to reinforce accountability, high quality and risk focused analysis, and a production-oriented culture.
Establish and maintain performance standards for each member of the Portfolio Management team.
Collaborate within and cross departmentally to ensure processes and procedure development incorporates consideration of other team members and departments
Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement across all banking markets.
Design, implement, and administer a comprehensive credit training program for credit managers, underwriters, lenders, and analysts.
Develop curriculum covering financial analysis, risk rating, cash-flow lending, deal structuring, regulatory requirements, and portfolio risk principles.
Drive continuous skill development and competency assessment across the credit organization.
Ensure training supports consistent application of underwriting and risk assessment standards.