Chief Credit Officer

The Chief Credit Officer (CCO) will play a vital leadership role in shaping and maintaining a strong, community-centered credit culture. As a trusted steward of the Bank’s credit portfolio, the CCO will be responsible for setting credit policy, refining underwriting standards, and ensuring sound, consistent credit decisions that support both the Bank’s mission and its customers.

This role will lead all areas of portfolio credit management, including underwriting, credit screening and analysis, appraisal oversight, asset recovery, loan collections, loss forecasting, and ongoing credit quality monitoring and reporting. The CCO will implement specific performance metrics to ensure data-driven insight into portfolio health and risk exposure.

Key responsibilities include:

• Chairing the Asset Recovery Committee, Credit Risk Subcommittee, and Collections Working Group.
• Serving as a core voting member of the Bank’s Loan Approval Committees, ensuring that credit decisions align with sound risk management and the Bank’s community-oriented mission.
• Partnering closely with commercial and residential lending teams to ensure high-quality service and responsible credit growth within our local markets.
• Overseeing and supporting the effective utilization of the Loan Origination System (LOS), streamlining credit workflows and improving operational efficiency.

With four direct reports, the CCO will take a strategic approach to team development, enhancing the Bank’s credit infrastructure by identifying skill gaps, recruiting top talent, and fostering a culture of mentorship and continuous improvement.

Position Responsibilities

Strategy, Leadership & Administration:

Collaborates with executive leadership to develop, maintain, and enforce the Bank’s credit policy guidelines, ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations and protecting the overall credit quality of the organization.

Provides strategic direction and hands-on support across key credit functions, including underwriting, portfolio management, loan review, credit policy, and special assets/workout. Ensures each function operates efficiently, consistently, and in accordance with established credit standards.

Oversees day-to-day operations within the credit department, ensuring quality control, effective resource allocation, and organized workflows. Supports the functionality and optimization of the Loan Origination System (LOS) to enhance operational efficiency and data integrity.

Participates in the Asset/Liability Committee (ALCO), contributing insight into strategic asset composition, yield management, and asset class allocation. Plays a key role in the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) process, focusing on credit risk metrics, emerging risks, and portfolio reporting.

Leads performance management efforts including appraisals, coaching, disciplinary actions, and career development. Manages staffing, recruitment, and training initiatives to build a highly effective, cross-trained credit team with strong internal bench strength.

Prepares and presents regular updates on credit trends, loan portfolio performance, and risk exposures to the Board of Directors and executive management. Ensures timely and transparent communication regarding credit quality, concentrations, and other key risk indicators.

Underwriting, Loan Policy, Credit Approval & Loan Review:

Maintains the segregation of an independent credit risk function.

Sets standards and directives for credit underwriting, including:

• Credit Limits
• Industry exposures
• Collateral Advance Rates and Evaluation Guidelines
• Financial Performance Benchmarks and Thresholds
• Credit Offering Templates

Ensures efficient enforcement of credit policy during approval processes to validate policy compliance.

Reviews and approves/declines commercial loans, including construction, commercial, and multi-family loans prior to submission to Loan Committee and/or Loan Oversight Committee (LOC); making recommendations on loan structure, terms, and pricing to mitigate undue credit risk.

Oversees appraisal engagements and reviews to ensure independence.

Manages participation loan sales and purchases, including negotiations.

Prepares and distributes credit information on loan quality trends, growth, and concentrations; collaborates with lending staff on local real estate data and industry sector studies, resulting in position papers and underwriting directives.

Ensures accurate risk rating of individual loans and maintains an effective risk rating system aligned with industry standards.

Reviews CECL reports and recommends methodological adjustments to ensure adequate reserves.

Ensures compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations, including timely completion of training and correction of policy deviations.

Interfaces with regulatory agencies, loan review, and other credit vendors.

Participates in various committees including ALCO, Loan/Credit, Asset Recovery, and Board ERM Committee, contributing to strategic discussions and planning.

Oversees stress testing of the Commercial Real Estate portfolio.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, LGBTQ, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

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