Senior Lending Officer, Agriculture

General Purpose

This position is the driving force behind the continued sustained growth of our 15 branches. This position will manage the overall credit risk of the agricultural loan portfolios through effective planning, credit review, sales and lending techniques, providing financial solutions to farmers and agricultural businesses. This position will have a particular emphasis on agricultural lending and economics, loan evaluation and monitoring, client relationship management, field visits and assessment (as necessary), regulatory compliance, risk management, reporting and documentation.

• Work closely with the President/CEO and other senior management members to prepare and achieve strategic business and tactical initiatives.
• Meet production as determined by President and CEO
• Develop and maintain a robust agricultural loan portfolio.
• Work with Market President and management regarding bank loan policies and procedures, agriculture lending operations strategies, underwriting, risk management and loan pricing.
• Assist Chief Credit Officer manage the risk of the agricultural loan portfolio.
• Help set guidelines and policy related to the accurate and timely servicing of the agricultural loan portfolio, including loan documentation.
• Control bank quality, ensuring policy and guidelines are followed consistently by personnel, implementing best practices in lending and credit administration.
• Responsible for growing the agricultural team and supervising the activities of subordinates in credit review, appraisal review, risk management and agricultural lending roles.
• Interview applicants and request specified information for loan application.
• Analyze applicant’s financial status, credit, and property evaluation to determine feasibility of granting a loan or submits request to credit analyst (if available) for verification and recommendation.
• Correspond with or interview applicants or creditors to resolve questions regarding application information.
• Study economic trends of a firm(s) or individual(s) branch or industry to predict probable success of a new customer or the future success of an existing customer.
• Visit establishments to determine the condition of plant equipment and compare methods of operation with accepted practices in the industry.
• Evaluate the results of site visits. Prepare reports of findings and suggests credit limitations to management.
• Gather data and information needed to ascertain the likelihood of repayment and develops a strategy for mitigating the risks associated with potential problems of repayment.
• Approve loans within specified limits or prepare written presentation for appropriate committee for approval.
• Order and ensure the accuracy of the necessary documentation for preparation of closing documents.
• Prepare written instruction to have the closing documents drawn up, in accordance with the approval and or the appropriate lending regulations as well as all bank policy regulations.
• Analyze potential loan markets to develop prospects for loans.
• Responsible for all collection of loans made and/or loans that may be assigned.
• Manage various problem loan assets.
• Ensure loan agreements are complete and accurate according to policy.
• Compose letters and other correspondence with no instruction.
• Compliance with requirements of Signature Banking.

• Knowledge of the banking industry procedures, workflow and regulatory requirements at a state and federal level.
• Understanding of various credit structures, credit philosophy and credit underwriting for agriculture.
• Knowledge and understanding of equipment loans and valuation, crop and animal production and inventory loans, federal crop insurance assignments, statutory and licensing requirements.
• Understand how to sell bank products and services.
• Interpersonal skills needed to work effectively within all levels of management throughout the organization.
• Competence with figures and an analytical mind with the ability to make accurate evaluations and sound lending recommendations for agriculture.
• Understand financial statements and credit analysis for agriculture.
• Ability to analyze complex agricultural financial…