Chief Lending Officer

First Resource Bank, a thriving community bank headquartered in Exton, PA and consistently recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work,” is seeking an experienced, commercial-minded and people-focused Chief Lending Officer to join our Executive Team.

The Chief Lending Officer (CLO) provides strategic direction, executive leadership and oversight for the Bank’s lending function. As a member of the Executive Team, the CLO collaborates in developing and executing the Bank’s strategic plan while ensuring lending practices support the Bank’s mission, growth objectives, profitability, credit culture and commitment to exceptional customer service.

The CLO is accountable for responsible loan portfolio growth; sound credit administration; disciplined lending processes; regulatory compliance; and effective partnership across Lending, Credit, Loan Operations, Retail Banking, Finance, Risk and other functional areas. This role oversees all lending activities and is expected to strengthen full banking relationships by coordinating lending sales efforts with deposit, treasury management, digital banking and other relationship-expansion opportunities.

In addition, the CLO must foster the culture of a “Best Place to Work” and support an environment where employees want to come to work every day. A successful CLO will demonstrate executive presence, strong business development discipline, sound credit judgment, comfort leading through others and the ability to build scalable processes for a high-growth community bank.

Enterprise Lending Leadership & Strategy

• Participate in the Bank’s long- and short-term strategic planning; translate enterprise strategy into lending goals, priorities and measurable outcomes.
• Develop and support the Bank’s loan growth strategy, including loan portfolio mix, target markets, relationship profitability and production goals consistent with budget, capital, liquidity and risk appetite expectations.
• Set Lending Department strategic plans to align with the Bank’s business plan and establish target goals for lenders and lending team members.
• Provide executive leadership for the lending function, ensuring clear priorities, strong governance, disciplined execution and a high-performing, client-focused culture.
• Lead departmental planning parameters; monitor department performance, budget-related activities, staffing needs and strategic initiatives.

Loan Portfolio Growth, Sales Leadership & Full Relationship Expansion

• Lead commercial lending sales efforts and provide coaching, accountability and support to lenders in developing new business, deepening existing relationships and retaining high-value clients.
• Partner closely with the Chief Retail Banking Officer to integrate lending and retail sales efforts so each loan relationship is evaluated for full relationship onboarding, including deposit accounts and other appropriate Bank solutions.
• Establish consistent expectations for relationship planning, cross-functional calling, referral follow-up and onboarding execution so lending relationships become full banking relationships whenever practical.
• Coordinate with Retail Banking, Treasury Management, Marketing and other teams to improve lead generation, customer handoffs, customer communications and relationship profitability.
• Research and evaluate feasibility of new lending products or enhancements; develop and implement plans for expansion of lending programs while maintaining competitiveness and credit discipline.

Lending Process, Credit Administration & Loan Operations Partnership

• Collaborate with Credit and Loan Operations leadership to design, maintain and continuously improve a clear, efficient and well-controlled lending process from prospecting and application through underwriting, approval, documentation, closing, funding, servicing, renewals and exception resolution.
• Coordinate with Credit to ensure underwriting standards, loan presentations, approval workflows, policy exceptions and portfolio monitoring expectations are clearly understood and consistently applied.
• Coordinate with Loan Operations to ensure timely and accurate loan documentation, collateral tracking, closing workflows,…