Commercial Collateral Analyst I

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About the role

This role is responsible for monitoring, analyzing, and evaluating collateral securing commercial loans, including loans with borrowing base certificate requirements and asset-based lending structures. The Commercial Collateral Analyst reviews client reporting, reconciles borrowing base certificates to supporting documentation, evaluates collateral trends, and ensures borrowers remain within approved collateral availability and loan terms. The position works closely with Relationship Managers, Credit Officers, Line of Business Leaders, clients, and third-party vendors to resolve reporting issues, collateral concerns, documentation deficiencies, and over-advance situations.

The role requires strong financial, accounting, credit, and loan documentation knowledge, as well as independent judgment, sound decision-making, and effective communication.

Responsibilities

• Perform collateral valuation and borrowing base analysis.
• Analyze collateral securing commercial and Business Capital loans, including accounts receivable, inventory, machinery and equipment, real estate, and other business assets.
• Review collateral values to ensure borrowers are not over-advanced relative to eligible collateral and approved advance rates.
• Review, reconcile, and interpret borrower reporting, including borrowing base certificates and supporting documentation such as accounts receivable aging reports, inventory reports, reconciliations, and other required financial reporting.
• Identify ineligible collateral, concentrations, trends, changes in collateral quality, and reporting inconsistencies.
• Interpret findings and communicate concerns to the appropriate lending authority.
• Monitor loan availability, line holds, and collateral controls by applying borrowing base calculations and advances within the asset-based lending system.
• Direct appropriate modifications to line freeze or hold amounts on revolving lines of credit based on independent analysis of borrower reporting, collateral values, and loan documentation.
• Monitor and escalate over-advances, collateral deficiencies, or other material concerns.
• Coordinate with internal partners, clients, and third-party vendors to obtain required daily, weekly, or monthly reporting and resolve missing, incomplete, or unbalanced documentation.
• Independently coordinate third-party field exams, including vendor engagement, scope, timeline, and fee coordination.
• Administer and monitor loan documentation and reporting requirements by entering and maintaining customer reporting requirements in the asset-based lending loan/collateral system.
• Prepare BBC Templates and CMG collateral Review spreadsheets for new and existing customers.
• Manage exceptions, maturities, delinquencies, and portfolio maintenance.
• Monitor and assist with exception management, maturing loan reports, delinquency management, and updates to loan portfolio information.
• Clear Structured Capital and Corporate Banking financial BBC reporting items in applicable systems and help ensure loan files and collateral records remain accurate and current.
• Maintain accuracy, compliance, and process integrity by ensuring client-submitted documentation is accurate, complete, and consistent with loan approvals, credit policy, regulatory expectations, underwriting standards, and loan documentation requirements.
• Follow established processes while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and risk management.

Requirements

• Associate degree required, preferably in finance, accounting, business, or a related field; equivalent work experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 3 years of accounting, commercial lending, credit analysis, loan operations, asset-based lending, or related financial services experience.
• Experience with asset-based lending, cash flow lending, leveraged lending, mezzanine lending, or commercial loan collateral monitoring preferred.
• Working knowledge of borrowing base certificates, loan agreements, collateral reporting, accounts receivable, inventory, and supporting financial documentation.
• Ability to analyze financial and collateral data, identify trends, reconcile reporting, and draw sound conclusions.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy, documentation quality, and defined processes.
• Strong verbal, written, listening, and professional communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and follow up effectively with internal and external partners.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision while exercising sound judgment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, especially Excel, and ability to learn bank-specific loan, collateral, and reporting systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a related field.
• Prior experience in commercial credit, Business Capital, asset-based lending, loan documentation, or collateral monitoring.
• Familiarity with field exams, third-party collateral evaluations, and vendor coordination.
• Knowledge of commercial loan documentation, credit policy, regulatory standards, and underwriting requirements.
• Experience with asset-based lending systems or loan/collateral monitoring platforms.
• Strong understanding of accounts receivable eligibility, inventory analysis, advance rates, borrowing base formulas, and cash collateral activity.
• Ability to communicate complex analysis clearly to Relationship Managers, Credit Officers, senior leaders, clients, and vendors.

Level of Complexity and Scope

This role performs moderately complex to complex collateral analysis and loan monitoring activities for commercial and Business Capital relationships. The position requires the ability to interpret loan agreements, credit approvals, borrowing base requirements, financial reporting, collateral documentation, and borrower trends. The scope includes direct interaction with internal lending partners, credit teams, clients, legal counsel, and third-party vendors. Work requires strong analytical judgment, accuracy, and the ability to identify and escalate collateral, documentation, reporting, or over-advance concerns that may impact credit risk.

Degree of Independence and Decision-Making

This position works with limited supervision and requires independent analysis, judgment, and decision-making within established policies, procedures, loan approvals, and documentation requirements. The Commercial Collateral Analyst is expected to identify collateral deficiencies, interpret borrowing base results, determine appropriate line hold or freeze recommendations, and communicate required actions to internal partners. The role collaborates with Relationship Managers, Credit Officers, and the Director of Business Capital, while also independently managing assigned monitoring, documentation, and reporting responsibilities. Escalates complex, unusual, or high-risk matters as appropriate.

Physical Requirements

• Frequently sits, stands, walks, sees, hears, and speaks.
• Frequently uses a computer, keyboard, mouse, telephone, and standard office equipment.
• Occasionally lifts, carries, pushes, or pulls up to 10 pounds.
• Occasionally drives or travels to attend meetings, training, or business-related events.
• Requires the ability to communicate clearly with internal partners, clients, and vendors.

Compliance

The associate is responsible for meeting all compliance requirements imposed by State and Federal law and regulation, as well as all related First Financial Bank policies and procedures. This includes all Bank Secrecy Act, Anti-Money Laundering, OFAC, and Suspicious Activity reporting requirements, as well as all other lending and deposit compliance requirements.

Development and Training

• Complete required bank, compliance, credit, collateral monitoring, and system training.
• Continue developing knowledge of commercial lending, asset-based lending, loan documentation, collateral analysis, borrowing base structures, and regulatory requirements.
• Participate in ongoing coaching, process updates, and professional development as needed to support accuracy, risk management, and portfolio monitoring responsibilities.

Pay

$52,000/year to $67,000/year

Benefits

We have relevant, thoughtful benefits and programs that support every aspect of our associates' holistic wellbeing. Please review our Benefits Guide.

All roles are incentive eligible with the exception of Co-Op, Intern, or Student positions.