VP/Credit Officer Team Lead

VP/Credit Officer Team Lead

If you like to work with people in a family atmosphere, enjoy great benefits and provide unequaled personal service to every customer, consider a career with Bell Bank.

Company Information:

Bell Bank was founded in 1966 and headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota. It is the largest family-and employee-owned bank in the upper Midwest, and one of the largest in the nation, with assets of more than $10 billion. Bell Bank has full-service banking locations in North Dakota, Minnesota and Arizona. Bell has empowered more than $26 million in charitable giving through its unique Pay It Forward initiative, through which every employee chooses each year how to help individuals, families and organizations in need.

Bell Bank has been recognized as a top workplace by American Banker, Forbes and Fortune.

If you want to work for an established, growing, forward-looking organization with world-class employees, this is the place for you. Let Bell Bank be your destination workplace.

This position is responsible for functions associated with the commercial credit risk management of the bank. This position will manage a team of commercial credit assistants/officers performing duties that include direct supervision, workflow management, training and development, and performance management. This position must possess the technical skills needed to provide independent comprehensive written evaluations of complex commercial loans and relationships. This position will work closely with the Credit Underwriting Director, Credit Manager/Team Leads, Commercial Credit underwriting teams, Commercial Loan Documentation group, Commercial Bankers and other groups that intersect with Commercial Credit. .

Bell's Values:

As stewards, dedicated to the growth and reputation of this independently owned organization, we are committed to:

• Promoting and sustaining our family atmosphere.
• Providing unequaled personal service to each and every customer.
• "Paying it forward" by giving back to the communities we serve.

Our Bottom Line:

Happy Employees! Happy Customers!

Job Summary:

This position is responsible for functions associated with the commercial credit risk management of the bank. This position will manage a team of commercial credit assistants/officers performing duties that include direct supervision, workflow management, training and development, and performance management. This position must possess the technical skills needed to provide independent comprehensive written evaluations of complex commercial loans and relationships. This position will work closely with all positions within commercial credit risk management oversight and commercial banking teams.

Primary Duties:

Management/Leadership:

• Partner with Credit Underwriting Leadership to recruit top talent in the market and make recommendations for new employees to fill positions within the credit underwriting team.
• Develop, maintain and update job descriptions for positions supervised.
• Manage daily work flow and effectively allocate workloads to achieve maximum efficiency.
• Assess training needs of credit assistants/officers supervised, recommend development plans, and monitor progress through daily management and oversight of work.
• Mentor other Bank team members in the credit administration process.
• Ensure credit assistants/officers supervised have a thorough understanding of the bank's credit policies, procedures, processes, credit analysis/underwriting, risk assessments and documentation requirements.
• Conduct review of loan presentations (LPs) to ensure the borrower and guarantor financial analysis is adequate and the LP is complete and prepared in accordance with company standards.
• Discuss with the credit officer and lending officer, if appropriate, the terms under which the credit should be structured.
• Prepare credit officers for meetings with clients, including interviewing prospective small, midlevel, and large business loan customers in an effort to make a preliminary determination as to the nature and feasibility of the credit request.
• Assist with Credit Quest data integrity and the training of this underwriting solution.
• Monitor FTO schedule to ensure appropriate department coverage for positions supervised.
• Handle personnel issues for the positions supervised in accordance with Bell Bank standards.
• Prepare and conduct periodic performance reviews and recommend salary adjustments for the positions supervised.

Credit Underwriting and Analysis:

• Be able to perform tasks for all Bell Bank Credit Team positions at a proven level that would meet or exceed expectations, including the following.
  • Spread and analyze financial statements.
  • Prepare independent, written credit evaluation of new, renewal or modification loan proposals as well as annual credit reviews.
  • Identify trends and analyze performance in order to develop an assessment of credit risks.
  • Participate in the maintenance of the accuracy of the Bank's loan risk rating system and validate that loan risk ratings accurately reflect the risks inherent in the credit.
  • As required, monitor credit quality through the review of financial information such as interim financial statements, to provide early warning of possible deterioration.
  • Attend joint client calls with commercial lending officers, when appropriate.
  • Participate in loan committees as needed and utilize assigned approval authority for annual reviews and other designee requests as appropriate.
  • Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of the Bank's credit policies, procedures, processes and manage to best practices to ensure adherence to loan conditions.
  • Be well versed in small commercial lending (SCL) process and rules in order to mentor team members and review work within the SCL process.
  • Provide guidance to the loan document representative and commercial lending coordinator in preparation of loan documentation.

Bell Bank Standard Duties:

• Know by name and face as many customers and employees as possible, calling them by name as often as possible.
• Know and practice LOCBUTN, our Golden Rules, and Bell Bank Customer Service Standards.
• Know, understand, and live the company values and bottom line.
• Conduct activities consistent with established Bell Bank policies, procedures and systems, the Bell Bank Employee Conduct policies, the Bank Secrecy Act and all applicable State and Federal laws and regulations.
• All employees are responsible for information security including compliance with policies and standards which protect sensitive information.
• Prompt and reliable attendance.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Job Skills Required:

• B.A. in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field.
• 1-3 years management experience
• Six or more years of credit, lending, or examining experience.
• Proven ability to work productively and efficiently without direct supervision.
• Working knowledge of loan documentation.
• Exceptional written and communication skills.
• Proficiency with computer technology.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks in a high volume work flow environment with multiple priorities, interruptions and potential short-term deadlines.
• Ability to work well in a collaborative, cohesive and cooperative team environment.
• Effective time management and organizational skills.

Bell Bank provides competitive compensation and an excellent benefits package.

Bell Bank

Equal Opportunity Employer