Director, Commercial Lending Operations

About the role

First Entertainment Credit Union is seeking a strategic, results-driven Director of Commercial Lending Operations to lead commercial lending operations, including originations, underwriting, processing, funding, portfolio management, and portfolio review. This role is responsible for profitable growth, sound credit quality, efficient operations, and continued development of CRE, C&I, and related business lending solutions. The position reports to the Chief Lending Officer and is a full-time, hybrid opportunity based in Hollywood, CA.

Responsibilities

• Execute and monitor the strategic and operational activities of the commercial lending department, identifying new business opportunities and market segments.
• Lead and manage the commercial lending team, providing mentorship and support.
• Oversee underwriting, structuring, approval, and administration of commercial credit relationships, ensuring sound credit decisions, appropriate risk identification, risk mitigation, loan structure, covenants, risk ratings, and compliance with policy, laws, and regulations.
• Serve as the senior credit expert for complex CRE transactions, including investor-owned and owner-occupied, income-producing, mixed-use, multifamily, industrial, office, and retail properties. Provide supervisory analysis and approval of credit relationships, evaluating cash flow, borrower and guarantor strength, collateral value, market conditions, DSCR, LTV, global cash flow, concentration risk, and covenant structure.
• Lead and enhance C&I and SBA lending capabilities, including business lines of credit, term loans, equipment financing, borrower cash flow analysis, collateral monitoring, and servicing expectations.
• Represent Commercial Lending with regulators, examiners, auditors, and other oversight bodies, including NCUA, DBO, and SBA, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, audits, examinations, and commercial lending requirements.
• Partner with Sales to ensure loan product acquisition and retention through the sales channel is properly coordinated. Utilize available resources to ensure a smooth workflow between commercial lending and business services.
• Proactively research and develop commercial products, services, and innovative concepts to introduce into the Credit Union portfolio to maintain a competitive position in commercial loan and related services.
• Review, approve, and present credit presentations to Senior and Executive leadership completed by your team. Provide coaching, editing, and feedback where necessary. Stay updated on market trends and regulatory changes affecting commercial lending and effectively communicate these trends.
• Co-manage the budgets, policies, procedures, pricing, underwriting standards, funding practices, reporting, and back-office administration for CRE, C&I, SBA, loan participations, and related commercial products.
• Collaborate with internal functions, such as underwriting, risk management, and compliance, to streamline processes, resolve issues, and ensure timely loan closings.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college is highly preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in commercial lending in a full-service financial institution or comparable experience in a related position.
• At least 5 years in a managerial or leadership role.
• SBA lending experience and understanding is a strong plus, including familiarity with SBA program requirements, eligibility, underwriting, documentation, guaranty, servicing, and post-closing expectations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of CRE and C&I underwriting, including investor and owner-occupied real estate, business lines of credit, term loans, equipment loans, construction lending, loan participations, and related collateral structures.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate and structure commercial loan proposals and pricing.
• Strong understanding of commercial credit analysis, including cash flow, global DSCR, tax returns, rent rolls, lease review, appraisal review, guarantor/sponsor strength, industry and market risk, risk ratings, covenants, and portfolio concentration management.
• Demonstrated experience managing commercial portfolios after closing, including annual reviews, covenant compliance, financial statement tracking, collateral monitoring, renewals, modifications, maturity management, criticized/classified assets, and problem loan resolution.
• Demonstrated ability to build, scale, and manage a commercial lending platform across underwriting, credit administration, loan operations, servicing, portfolio management, and risk management.
• Strong knowledge of NCUA commercial lending regulations, SBA requirements, loan review practices, allowance methodologies, commercial credit administration, and commercial credit risk management best practices.
• Experience presenting commercial credit matters, portfolio performance, emerging risks, examination responses, and strategic lending recommendations to executive management, boards of directors, auditors, examiners, and regulatory agencies.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills across all levels of audience.
• Proven ability to drive results and manage a team effectively.
• Proficiency in loan origination software and Microsoft Office suite, namely Excel.

Pay

The targeted pay for California is between $130,000 and $170,000.