AVP Commercial Lending
With over $600 million in assets, Northern Credit Union is a progressive financial institution located in Watertown, NY that serves the counties of Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Oswego, Clinton, Franklin, Onondaga, and Madison. Northern employees are People First, Visionary individuals who treat one another with respect, fairness & compassion. United by their Core Values, they are driven to improve the financial lives of those they serve through empowerment and personalized solutions. They are friendly and enthusiastic who work in a fast-paced, high-energy environment that’s a five-time Best Credit Union to Work For winner. As Northern Credit Union continues to grow and succeed, they are looking for a lending executive to lead their commercial team as the AVP of Commercial Lending.
Through the lens of Northern’s Leadership Principles, this key leader is responsible for inspiring, developing, and leading the Commercial Lending Sales teams. Responsibilities include enthusiastically role modeling the member advocacy philosophy and taking pride in being the Standard of Excellence, inspiring teams to blend exceptional member service with value-added programs and providing education and guidance to members on the use of Northern’s multiple delivery channels. The AVP of Commercial Lending will mentor, develop, and provide guidance and support to ensure highly engaged, people-focused internal owners that consistently exceed expectations. This leader will strengthen Northern’s culture by executing strategies and planning resources that successfully enable Northern to be profitable, efficient, and well capitalized in support of Northern’s culture, mission, vision, and strategic direction.
Essential Job Functions:
Proactively serves as the role model and demonstrates individual commitment to Northern’s growth by:
Elevating leadership through a humble, hungry and people smart approach to coaching and mentoring teams.
Exhibiting high energy, a positive attitude, creativity, and passion for consistently delivering exceptional member service.
Maintaining an active, positive, professional image and reputation for Northern in the community while spreading the Ownership philosophy internally and externally.
Researching, developing, and recommending enhancement plans to further promote our Credit Union Culture and to deliver solutions to become the Standard of Excellence.
Advocating and role modeling cross-department communication and collaboration by inviting owner participation on teams, listening to owner ideas, holding meetings, and publishing regular announcements.
Effectively encouraging individual and group input, listening to ideas, and recognizing behavior and actions that support Northern’s Core Values, Mission and Vision.
Maintaining strict confidentiality of all transactions, member information and Credit Union documentation.
Strengthens Northern’s people-first culture by providing inspirational leadership that leads to an engaged workforce enabling our organization to be profitable, efficient, and well capitalized while demonstrating and creating an “Ownership” atmosphere by:
Establishing and communicating clear performance standards along with creating an understanding of the “Why” of the shared vision, developing the team, and holding each team member accountable to be effective with delivering outstanding service to internal and external owners.
Consistently role modeling the complete team player mentality while providing leadership that progressively builds confidence and inspires team members to challenge boundaries in pursuit of reaching their maximum potential.
Effectively communicating team achievements and successful service accomplishments to internal owners, rewarding team members who deliver upon well-executed plans, inspiring the organization, team, and individual goals to ensure that all actions are driven by positive initiatives.
Leading and motivating team members by providing direction on day-to-day tasks in establishing department goals and objectives that meet/exceed the needs of our internal owners, as the primary focus of knowing that volume, and families helped, will follow as a byproduct.
Assisting in the overall direction of the team through actions including hiring, department scheduling, one on ones, team huddles, training, meetings, projects, and following department budget requirements to meet short and long-term goals of the Credit Union.
Proactively educating Internal and External Owners through effective communication and training to increase knowledge of Commercial Lending systems and programs.
Proactively seeks solutions to expand member relationships and enhance the success of the Commercial Lending Team by:
Stimulating and driving optimum commercial lending growth with skillful direction of lending resources for the development of relationships with all owners and community through adept execution of well-crafted, proactive, and innovative strategies.
Ensuring team develops an ongoing referral network for potential lending and deposit growth with commercial real estate brokers, business brokers, small businesses, professional associations, accountants, and lawyers.
Motivating the team to collaborate with Member Relations to find the right solutions for members as well as providing guidance on best practices for member communications with current consumer lending options as well as future opportunities.
Coordinating with the Marketing team the organization of special events, including but not limited to the business community and educational seminars.
Collaborating with the Marketing team to identify advertising opportunities and special product promotions, optimizing outreach to build awareness, brand image, credibility, and new business, maximizing return on investment.
With the goal of ensuring an exceptional member experience, ensures the efficiency and compliance of operations in the Commercial Lending team by:
Proactively identifying and managing risk through careful review of member financial statements, overdraft reports, past due loan reports, watch reports, and loan review reports. Acts as workout lender when necessary. Works with Credit Solutions Leadership, VP of Lending, and the member to minimize loss.
Meeting with existing or potential members, visits loan sites, negotiates loan terms and conditions, approves loans within established lending limits and recommends acceptance to the Loan Committee.
Ensuring credit inquiries and UCC filings are researched to determine credit worthiness and appropriate collateral positioning is achieved.
Providing suggestions and recommendations based on research and analysis of products and related services, and implementing strategies to improve overall efficiencies and streamline department processes which will benefit the organization as well as providing detail of risk measurements.
Assuring compliance with all credit union policies and procedures as well as applicable consumer laws and regulations in coordination with department managers, and the VP of Lending.
Overseeing effective Financial Education and lending training programs created and delivered in collaboration with the Training and Development department to ensure up-to-date compliance.
Continuously testing Northern’s originations and underwriting philosophies to ensure their effectiveness. Inspires a vision of education for members and internal owners on the impact of future success of members’ financial security.
Assists the VP of Lending in establishing and executing upon Northern’s strategic plan by:
Recommending and executing short and long-term strategic business objectives for Commercial Lending Team.
Proactively building out and advancing the Commercial Department’s program through lending, deposit, and commercial channels.
Maintaining knowledge of relevant developments, regulations, best practices and innovations, trends, market conditions, technological advances, and competitor activities relative to commercial lending sales, products, and service delivery systems and channels as well as providing timely and pertinent analysis and recommendations as appropriate.
Qualifications, Skills, and Experience:
Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university is required.
5+ years of progressive leadership experience within the financial industry and related commercial lending experience is required.
Must be technologically savvy especially as it relates to self-service options and keeps abreast of evolving consumer needs and trends.
A significant level of trust, credibility and diplomacy is required. In-depth dialogue, conversations and explanations with customers, direct and indirect reports and outside vendors can be of a sensitive and/or highly confidential nature. Communications may involve motivating, influencing, educating and/or advising others on matters of significance. Typically includes subject matter experts as well as first level to middle managers.
The position is expected to have a noticeable impact on current financial or strategic organizational goals and objectives. The effects of the job could impact a segment of customers and/or employees across several functional areas. Decisions or results that could have an organization wide impact would be initiated at a more senior level.
The incumbent must exhibit exceptional leadership qualities and be a well-organized, self-motivated professional with excellent listening and communication skills including an excellent command of verbal and written presentations is essential.
The successful candidate will consistently demonstrate sound, independent judgment and have a proven track record for multi-tasking and performing duties in a fast-paced environment; must adapt well to new or non-traditional environments and display a commitment to the community, to increasing member engagement and to Northern’s objectives.
A full working knowledge and ability to utilize a broad range of PC-based software programs, including Microsoft Office Suite and other internal database programs.
Base Salary - $112,722.59 to $147,948.39
To apply submit your resume here.
