Senior Lender/Chief Credit Officer

Position Title: Senior Lender / Chief Credit Officer

Reports To: President & CEO FLSA Status: Exempt Location: Wanamingo, MN

Position Summary

The Senior Lender / Chief Credit Officer (CCO) is a key member of the executive leadership team and a hands-on leader in all aspects of the bank’s lending and credit functions. This role combines strategic oversight with direct portfolio management, customer engagement, and credit administration. The CCO is responsible for ensuring the quality, profitability, and growth of the loan portfolio through sound lending practices, active community involvement, and disciplined risk management. In addition to managing organic loan growth, the CCO will play a leading role in evaluating lending portfolios and markets associated with potential acquisitions or expansions.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as an active member of the bank’s senior management team, with contribution to overall strategic direction and execution.
• Lead development of lending strategies that drive growth and profitability while maintaining strong asset quality.
• Lead in development of warm-lead generation networks and application/underwriting infrastructure to support.
• Direct involvement in key lending relationships, including structure of complex and/or high-value credits.
• Mentor, coach, and develop lending staff, fostering a culture of accountability, customer service, and professional/portfolio growth.
• Mentor staff to be active in community events, business organizations and networks to promote and grow the bank.

Credit Administration

• Responsibility over the administration of lending policies.
• Strengthen lending related policies as needed to align with portfolio changes and growth of the bank.
• Enhance, maintain, and enforce credit policies, credit presentation standards, and approval processes.
• Review and approve credits within delegated authority; chair the Loan Committee and present credits to the Board.

Participation Credit Management

· Partner with the CEO to identify, evaluate, and expand participation credit opportunities through networking and market relationships.

· Lead the credit review process for all participation transactions, ensuring consistency with internal policy, regulatory expectations, and sound risk management.

· Oversee compliance, documentation, and covenant monitoring for all purchased and sold participations.

· Ensure proper file maintenance, reporting, and communication with lead banks and internal lending staff.

· Provide recommendations to the CEO and Board Credit Committee on participation approvals, renewals, and exit strategies.

Portfolio & Growth Management

• Monitor loan portfolio performance, trends, and concentrations
• Lead efforts to identify and address problem loans early, developing effective workout and recovery strategies.
• Drive organic loan growth through staff coaching/mentoring and business development.
• Build and maintain own portfolio through acquisition of clients over time.
• Fund loan growth through relationship banking and capturing customer deposits.
• Collaborate with the CEO and Board on identifying acquisition or expansion opportunities and conducting lending-related due diligence, including loan file review, market assessments, portfolio risk assessment, and integration planning.

Community & Customer Engagement

• Actively participate in community events, business organizations, and networking activities to promote the bank.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, prospects, and community leaders.

Regulatory & Compliance

• Responsibility to ensure lending practices meet or exceed applicable policies and regulatory requirements.
• Responsibility to ensure loan files are complete and meet policy and regulatory requirements.
• Assist in preparing and reporting on bank portfolio information for regulators and board.

Other duties as assigned

Required Skills and Qualifications

· Degree in Finance, economics. accounting, business, or similar

· 7-10+ years of commercial lending or credit risk management experience, including 5+ years in a leadership role overseeing credit operations and portfolio risk. Experience in a community bank preferred

· Proficiency in credit analysis, risk management, and lending strategy

· Proven track record of portfolio growth and profitability while retaining strong credit quality

· Demonstrated success of building high functioning teams

· Experience working with regulators during audits and exams

Working Conditions

• Full-time, onsite position with regular travel within the bank’s market area.
• Participation in after-hours community events and customer meetings is expected.
• Flexibility in scheduling to meet bank and client needs

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person