Lead Business Relationship Specialist

About the role

The Lead Business Relationship Specialist partners with Commercial Relationship Managers (CRMs) and Business Development Officers (BDOs) to provide high-level support that enables the successful prospecting, development, and retention of banking relationships. This position serves as a subject matter expert and resource for the Business Relationship Specialist team, helping to ensure consistent service delivery, efficient workflows, and adherence to F&M policies, procedures, and risk management standards.

Responsibilities

The Lead Business Relationship Specialist will manage and service their own client relationships while also providing leadership, guidance, and support to the Business Relationship Specialist team. Key responsibilities include:

• Fostering a positive F&M customer experience and responding to customers’ requests/inquiries within 24 hours
• Providing administrative and portfolio assistance to assigned CRMs, including collecting financials, monitoring maturities, loan renewals, and loan reviews
• Attending in-person service and sales calls with CRMs/BDOs to promote business relationship building and a positive customer experience
• Assisting CRMs in initiating credit requests and loan renewals, and assisting Treasury Management with servicing and onboarding tasks
• Serving as an escalation point for complex customer service and operational requests, working collaboratively with internal teams to facilitate timely resolution

Leadership, Team Support, and Collaboration

The Lead Business Relationship Specialist will serve as a subject matter expert and resource to Business Relationship Specialists, providing guidance and support on processes, procedures, systems, and complex customer or loan-related matters. Key responsibilities include:

• Assisting with onboarding, training, and mentoring new and existing Business Relationship Specialists
• Coordinating team workflow and prioritization to ensure timely completion of customer requests, portfolio management, and administrative responsibilities
• Providing guidance and support to Business Relationship Specialists in resolving complex or escalated customer, operational, and portfolio-related issues
• Collaborating with internal teams, including operations and treasury management, to deliver seamless banking services to clients

Risk Management

The Lead Business Relationship Specialist will be responsible for monitoring daily overdrafts and past-due payments, responding to Connect inquiries and Business Relationship Specialist group emails, and running credit reports and performing OFAC checks. Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring current and accurate Resolution is on file for borrowing purposes and CIP requirements
• Communicating daily with Loan Operations, Loan Processing, and Loan Review to ensure errors and missing documentation is resolved, and the loan file is perfected
• Ensuring accuracy of loan documents and extended credit is within policies, procedures, and guidelines
• Assisting CRMs in evaluating and managing problem loan and collection activities

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position will supervise a team of Business Relationship Specialists, carrying out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the bank’s policies and applicable laws, including training, performance appraisals, rewarding and disciplining employees, addressing complaints, and resolving problems.

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.

• Possess effective interpersonal skills to relate to all audiences
• Possess effective customer service and sales skills
• Understand business financials and other pertinent documents
• Proficient organizational skills with ability to function in a flexible work environment
• Excellent PC skills to include MS Office products, Word, Excel, and Outlook

Education and/or Experience

Associate’s degree or equivalent from two-year college or technical/trade school; or a minimum of three years’ related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience. A minimum of three years’ supervisory experience is required.

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred work-related experience should consist of working in a financial, legal, or title institution’s operations, sales, or customer service areas. Intermediate experience, knowledge, and training in branch operation activities, terminology, and products and services relating to retail and commercial account customers is preferred.

Work Environment

Work is primarily performed in an office setting where the noise level is usually moderate. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, calculators, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Physical and Mental Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The employee regularly sits and uses hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls
• The employee frequently is required to talk or hear
• The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, or crouch
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds