Senior CRE Credit Officer

Come Grow with Us and Join an Award-Winning Organization! Stearns Bank is looking for a Senior CRE Credit Officer. This is a remote-eligible position headquartered out of St. Cloud, Minnesota.

JOB SUMMARY

This position ensures that the bank’s national Commercial Real Estate (“CRE”) and Acquisition, Construction & Development (collectively “CRE/Construction”) loan underwriting and loan-level monitoring and management activities are strong and efficient and compliant with loan policy and regulatory requirements. This position works directly with lenders and credit analysts on new CRE/Construction loan opportunities and with lenders, portfolio managers, and credit analysts on ongoing monitoring, credit review, and management of credit risks for booked CRE/Construction loans to ensure continual identification and mitigation of credit risks, ongoing compliance with loan policy, credit underwriting guidelines, credit approval authorities, and credit approval internal controls, assuring credit-strong asset quality and safe and sound practices and are maintained in compliance with regulatory requirements and best-practices guidance. This position will work with and support our Chief Credit Officer, OLC, CR LPM and ERM to ensure high-quality, ongoing credit and loan staff training to maintain thorough and effective, efficient and continuous development of lenders, portfolio managers and credit analysts. This position will serve on OLC and CR LPM and assist with Top 50 loan review, portfolio review, and asset quality audits and exams with a focus on our CRE/Construction loans with direct consultation and mentoring of lenders, portfolio managers, and credit analysts on more complex and/or sensitive CRE/Construction credits.

Starting annual salary of $170,000.00. Employment offers will be dependent upon the selected candidate’s relevant qualifications and experience.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve on Officer Loan Committee (OLC) and the Credit Review & Loan Portfolio Management (CR LPM) Committee.
• Present to and consult with ERM, ALCO and Board on our CRE/Construction credit quality, loan approval process, and post-closing monitoring and ongoing credit reviews.
• Work directly with lenders and credit analysts on the front-end, vetting and structuring deals with borrower to ensure credit risks are identified and mitigated, to evaluate the CRE collateral and project risks, assess strength of primary and secondary repayment sources, including take-out financing and guarantor/sponsor strength, and assist lenders and credit analysts to identify exceptions to loan policy and underwriting guidelines, collateral requirements and strengths, and applicable financial covenants and reporting and to advise and assist management of asset quality and initial and ongoing assessment of accurate risk rating and accrual status.
• Work directly with the credit analysts to ensure relevant CRE resources/data are used and incorporated in our credit analysis and credit memo write-ups.
• Proactively provide solutions and options for managing the CRE credit risks identified in our national portfolio, our Top 50 loan relationships, and individual CRE/construction, bridge and mini perm loans.
• Work directly with RECA and the lenders/credit analysts to identify the types of appraisals and valuations in relation to CRE loans, annual reviews, PLRs, and Top 50 reviews, ensuring and reviewing FIRREA compliance.
• Work directly with our Construction Management team to review construction management process and reporting, assisting as needed in identifying and resolving construction and project delays and issues, and work with Construction Manager to review construction status reports for all construction loans and identifying improvements to construction management process, including project and general contractor screening and vetting process prior to loan approval.
• Work with Chief Credit Officer to improve Credit-Strong training program for credit analysts and lending staff to ensure continuous skill advancement and compliance with our loan policy, underwriting guidelines, credit approval authorities and internal controls, credit process and procedures, and regulatory guidance and recommendations.
• Assist Chief Credit Officer in the continuous improvement and efficiency of our after-action credit analysis and enhanced review initiatives to ensure continuous learning and ongoing improvement of credit underwriting and asset quality.
• Assist Chief Credit Officer and CR LPM in loan review and asset quality audits and exams.
• Work with Chief Credit Officer to develop expertise and enhanced knowledge of regulatory requirements and guidance to improve credit quality through continuous improvement of underwriting and credit analyst analysis and proactive loan-level portfolio management by lending staff.
• Assume additional responsibilities as the need arises.

REQUIREMENTS

• Literacy in English.
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 lbs.
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time, twist, bend, sit, walk, use hands to twist, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, such as computer mouse, computer keyboard, calculator, stapler, telephone, staple puller, etc., reach with hands and arms, balance, stoop, kneel, talk, or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Business Administration or Finance; or 5 plus years related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proficient on Microsoft Excel and Word software.
• Strong oral/written communication skills.
• Strong math and analytical proficiency necessary.
• Flexible.

THE COMPANY

Founded in 1912, Stearns Financial Services Inc. (SFSI) is a $2.4 billion well-capitalized, independent financial holding company based in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Specializing in nationwide small business lending and equipment financing, Stearns has maintained outstanding customer service, fast decisions, and customized finance solutions to their customers for decades.

Stearns Bank has earned itself a stellar reputation amongst customers and competitors alike. This reputation goes beyond just word-of-mouth, as Stearns has been recognized by the Independent Community Banker’s Association (ICBA) as a top-performing bank in the nation based on a 3-year average Return on Assets for banks $1 billion or more. Stearns has also been recognized by American Banker as a top-performing bank in the nation over a 3-year period for Return on Equity for banks from $2 billion to $10 billion.

As a Star Tribune Top Workplaces award recipient and an award recipient of the Minnesota Business Magazine 100 Best Places to Work in Minnesota, Stearns takes pride in their team and holds their employees in extremely high regard. We offer a competitive salary and benefit package including our Employee Stock Ownership Program-one of the best long-term incentive programs in the nation.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER /AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, or creed, religion, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran’s status, status with regard to public assistance, or any other class protected by Federal, State, local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.