Vice President Business Lending

Purpose:

Role:

The Vice President of Business Lending is a pivotal leadership role responsible for driving growth in small to mid-size business lending within the credit union's membership base. The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker with a strong financial industry background, exceptional leadership skills, and a deep understanding of business lending practices.

Reporting directly to the Chief Lending Officer, this role will work closely with other members of the senior leadership and other members of Lending. The credit union is headquartered in Syracuse, New York and requires a minimum of 5 days in office per month on a hybrid-schedule.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

Operational Oversight & Loan Portfolio Management (40%)

- Develop and implement long and short-term growth strategies for the business lending team

- Develop business relationships leading to member business loans in line with credit union objectives.

- Maintain and grow a quality credit portfolio.

- Oversee the negotiation, structure, and underwriting business financing arrangements.

- Price and, if applicable, sell Empower FCU products in alignment with credit union objectives.

- Coach team to maintain contacts with key centers of influence, to develop a prospect pipeline.

- Deploying initiatives to support strategic plan for business lending.

- Experience developing product lines to support non-real estate commercial lending.

- Recommend product diversification strategy.

- Identify new markets and create service delivery expansion plan.

Leadership & Team Development (30%):

- Lead, mentor, and manage a business lending team, providing guidance, training, and support for consistent exceptional service and goal achievement.

- Promote a culture of integrity, promoting a team ethic aligned with Empower’s mission, purpose, values, and short- and long-term lending goals.

- Work with direct and indirect reports to monitor work processes and response times, ensuring staff deliver quality member service and actively support the culture.

- Set performance expectations and goals, establish metrics, and monitor individual and team performance to drive results and meet lending targets.

- Foster a positive and collaborative work environment, promoting teamwork, professional development, and employee engagement.

Lending, Business Development & Community Impact (20%):

- Actively participate in civic and community activities to enhance the credit union’s image and visibility.

- Partner with community impact teams to cultivate funding grants for small business lending initiatives.

- Establish and develop business relationships to promote the credit union’s business lending.

- Interface with members for addressing questions, concerns, and unresolved issues.

- Provide leadership and guidance in developing effective accountability systems linking individual, departmental, organizational, and Credit Union-wide priorities, goals, and objectives.

- Proactively identify lending opportunities within the community through relationship building and market research.

- Serve as the primary point of contact for large or complex loan requests, conducting thorough financial analysis and risk assessments.

- Develop and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders, actively promoting the bank's lending products and services.

- Stay updated on industry trends, regulations, and competitive market conditions to drive innovation and ensure competitiveness in lending offerings.

Compliance & Risk Management (10%)

- Ensure the team and direct reports comply with all lending regulations, specifically member-business lending regulations.

- Ensure compliance with lending regulations and Credit Union policy

- Collaborate with legal and compliance teams to develop and implement effective controls, policies, and procedures to mitigate lending risks.

- Provide guidance and support to loan officers on compliance and regulatory requirements, conducting periodic training and assessments.

- Monitor competitive environment activities, staying current on industry trends to support the Chief Lending Officer (CLO) in industry leadership.

- Work with collaboratively across all departments, CLO, and management staff to ensure effective lending products and services are available, delivered by well-trained, engaged, and knowledgeable staff, taking timely responsive action where appropriate.

Performance Measurements: See Dayforce (HRIS) For Performance/Goal Metrics upon hire and annually.

Knowledge and Skills:

Experience: Ten years to fifteen years of similar or related experience including:

- 10+ plus years of business lending experience

- Experience in lending to a broad range of businesses, industries and using a variety of loan types, including SBA 7a, C & I. 

- Experience with understanding and analyzing financial statements and tax returns

- Excellent negotiation skills and ability to build trust quickly

- Distributes qualities of strong leadership which align with Empower FCU Strategic Pillars and Values

Education: (1) A bachelor's degree, or (2) achievement of formal certifications recognized in the industry as equivalent to a bachelor's degree (degree in Business or related field with equivalent experience)

Interpersonal Skills:   Work frequently involves exercising advanced conflict resolution, giving material presentations, and resolving issues impacting multiple departments or divisions. Role also requires the ability to motivate or influence others as a material part of the role, with a significant level of diplomacy and trust. Obtaining cooperation (internally and/or externally) is an important part of the role and a high level of interpersonal skills is critical to the success of this position.

Other Skills: Must have in-depth understanding of and ability to interpret regulations affecting lending programs. Extensive knowledge of consumer, commercial and real estate lending practices and procedures. Should be able to run spreadsheet and word processing software.

This role may be right for you if you enjoy seeking out and building new business relationships and leading business efforts with professional excellence. You pride yourself on keen awareness of business principles and your ability to tailor solutions to needs. Your previous employers praise your ability to think creatively about new business generation, and your previous co-workers talk about your relentless optimism and strong drive to make a difference. Your friends consider you a great encourager and coach, and your family is proud of your passion in meeting community needs with foresight and goodwill.

Physical Requirements:  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit or stand for long periods at a time, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Work Environment: The work environment is dynamic and collaborative, fostering ability to use your experience, team-building skills, creativity and innovation. Team members enjoy a supportive atmosphere where professional growth and development are encouraged. As the position involves building and maintaining relationships with business members, some travel may be required to meet members, attend industry events, and explore new business opportunities. The credit union values work-life balance and provides flexible arrangements, when possible, to accommodate the needs of its dedicated team. While in-office noise is usually moderate.

 This Job Description is not a complete statement of all duties and responsibilities comprising the position.