Senior Lending Specialist, Private Banking – Commercial

Jobtailor; Calgary; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Bank of Montreal in Calgary is seeking a senior credit professional to manage lending portfolios, advise relationship managers, and drive risk-aware decisions. You will perform underwriting, portfolio monitoring, and strategic analyses while supporting cross-functional teams to meet client needs and regulatory standards.

You will contribute to credit decision-making, prepare client proposals, and ensure accurate documentation and reporting, with emphasis on data-driven insights and collaboration.

Qualifications

• Typically 5–7 years of relevant experience with a related post-secondary degree or equivalent
• Deep knowledge of personal and commercial credit products and monitoring processes
• Understanding of loan and security documentation including registration and renewal
• Strong communication and relationship management capabilities
• Credit qualifications and standards aligned to portfolio requirements
• Extensive education and business experience contributing to technical proficiency
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills
• Advanced collaboration and teamwork abilities
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Influence skills for stakeholder engagement
• Data-driven decision making is essential

Responsibilities

• Provide credit analysis, portfolio management, and client relationship support for lending services
• Identify cross-sell opportunities and support strategic lending initiatives
• Prepare proposals and presentations for clients and prospects
• Ensure timely, accurate processing and documentation of lending activities
• Monitor risk, financials, and profitability of the portfolio
• Contribute to audits, controls, and compliance with bank policy
• Collaborate with deal teams and cross-functional groups on initiatives
• Develop change-management plans and performance dashboards
• Deliver training and tools for operational excellence

Skills

Credit analysis

Portfolio management

Client relationship management

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Communication skills

Collaboration

Data-driven decision making

Influence skills

Education

Post-secondary degree in related field

Job description

• Provides a superior level of customer service and portfolio management in lending services for all existing and potential clients and in support of a team of specialists and relationship managers.
• Provides technical expertise for proactive credit analysis, structuring, decisions, and portfolio monitoring.
• Applies lending expertise to a lending and deposit portfolio of accounts or part of the lending process (e.g. underwriting, funding, monitoring).
• Provides advice and support where needed with a focus on unique and complex credit transactions for prospects and clients.
• Identifies cross-selling opportunities to increase client penetration for banking, investments and deposits.
• Prepares new business proposals or presentations to clients/prospects.
• Participates in activities for client meetings and account opening documentation.
• Provides day to day technical support and management of accounts for team members and customers.
• May act as lead relationship manager.
• Ensures timely resolution of all client questions and concerns, both internal and external.
• Performs client sales & service support activities as required to meet client needs and maintain overall service standards.
• Determines client needs and ensures timely and accurate completion of transaction processing.
• Provides after sales support and handles exceptions tactfully, accurately and efficiently in accordance with Bank policy.
• Recommends and implements solutions based on analysis of issues and implications for the business and the client.
• Assists in the development of strategic plans.
• Identifies emerging issues and trends to inform decision-making.
• Maintains detailed knowledge and understanding of the integrated private banking services and offerings and lending procedures.
• Partners with the leadership team on strategic direction and complex line-of-business projects.
• Conducts independent analysis and assessment to resolve strategic issues.
• Supports the execution of strategic initiatives in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders in order to deliver on business objectives.
• Coordinates the management of databases; ensures alignment and integration of data in adherence with data governance standards.
• Completes comprehensive analysis for risk, financial and profitability rating and assessments.
• Breaks down strategic problems, and analyses data and information to provide insights and recommendations.
• Monitors and tracks performance, and addresses any issues.
• Designs and produces regular and ad-hoc reports, and dashboards.
• Builds change management plans of varying scope and type; leads or participates in a variety of change management activities including readiness assessments, planning, stakeholder management, execution, evaluation and sustainment of initiatives.
• Coordinates account management activities with deal team members and internal groups.
• Performs audits and quality checks, to ensure decisions are adequately documented and clearly communicated.
• Manages operational audits and controls for banking and account administration.
• Manages day to day portfolio administration activities through the completion of a wide variety of credit, non-credit, and related activities.
• Monitors the timely and accurate setup & maintenance of accounts, including account setups, collateralization, and documentation.
• Provides input into the planning and implementation of operational programs.
• Executes set-up, maintenance, and advancement of lending products and related account administration as per guidelines.
• Verifies and processes loan drawdowns, ensuring they are within the terms of the credit authorization and completion of required security documentation.
• Reviews and actions overdrafts and other monitoring reports in a timely manner.
• Sets up and completes margin / covenant tests within established timeframes.
• Maintains control of security collateral including preparation and registration.
• Identifies, diarizes, and monitors accounts for security renewals, registrations, and other expiry dates to meet compliance requirements.
• Monitors and controls the integrity of lending documentation.
• Collects fees applicable to credit terms and conditions or account agreement.
• Identifies business needs, designs/develops tools and training programs; may include delivery of training to audiences.
• May specialize as either a funding specialist or a credit underwriting specialist.
• As a funding specialist, facilitates the funding process acting as a final and independent control point for legal documentation and ensures that the security/legal documentation reflects what was approved; all terms and conditions noted in the credit application have been met; proper execution/perfection of all documents prior to funding/releasing funds; assesses significance of any security or conditions shortfalls, credit and fraud risks.
• As a credit underwriter, focuses on underwriting and making recommendations loan applications; interacting directly with Clients, Prospects, Bankers and Risk Management to provide expertise regarding the adjudication of applications.
• Mitigates identified risks and makes credit recommendations/decisions in accordance with sound credit-granting principles and compliance with the Bank’s philosophy and principles outlined in corporate risk policy and supporting policies and procedures.
• Identifies and escalates irregularities and discrepancies to management as per guidelines.
• Participates in assigned audits and compliance reviews.
• Ensures proper adherence to the code of conduct and ethical guidelines.
• Follows security and safeguarding procedures and applies appropriate due diligence for the prevention of loss due to fraud, counterfeiting money laundering or defalcation in accordance with Bank policy.
• Protects the Bank’s assets by adhering to all banking, investment and lending regulations, policies, and procedures, legal and ethical requirements, process requirements, bank guidelines, and established risk guidelines.
• Focus is primarily on business/group within BMO; may have broader, enterprise-wide focus.
• Provides specialized consulting, analytical and technical support.
• Exercises judgment to identify, diagnose, and solve problems within given rules.
• Works independently and regularly handles non-routine situations.

Requirements

• Typically between 5 - 7 years of relevant experience and post-secondary degree in related field of study or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• In-depth knowledge of personal (primarily) and commercial credit and non-credit products, monitoring/operational processes and applications.
• In-depth understanding of loan and security documentation, including registration and renewal routine.
• Expert communication and relationship management skills.
• If a Credit Qualifiable job, Credit Qualifications and associated credit knowledge and skills according to the credit portfolio requirements and qualification standards.
• Deep knowledge and technical proficiency gained through extensive education and business experience.
• Verbal & written communication skills - In-depth.
• Collaboration & team skills - In-depth.
• Analytical and problem solving skills - In-depth.
• Influence skills - In-depth.
• Data driven decision making - In-depth.

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in credit analysis, portfolio management, and client relationship management, with a strong focus on compliance and risk assessment in lending services. Proficient in data-driven decision making and effective communication to support complex credit transactions and strategic initiatives.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Credit Analysis
• Portfolio Management
• Client Relationship Management
• Risk Assessment
• Data-Driven Decision Making

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Credit Documentation
• Loan Underwriting
• Operational Processes
• Financial Analysis
• Credit Recommendations
• Compliance Standards
• Portfolio Monitoring
• Security Registration
• Transaction Processing
• Cross-Selling Strategies

Soft Skills

• Communication Skills
• Collaboration Skills
• Analytical Skills
• Problem Solving Skills
• Influence Skills

Certifications & Qualifications

• Credit Qualifications

Industry Keywords

• Lending Services
• Banking Regulations
• Investment Products
• Client Service Standards
• Change Management