Chief Credit Architect: Growth, Risk & Strategy

NPAworldwide; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

NPAworldwide is seeking a Chief Credit Officer to lead credit philosophy, underwriting standards, and portfolio-risk management for a growing specialty-lending platform. This executive will partner with the CEO, President, and Board to ensure disciplined growth, asset quality, and a strong credit culture.

The CCO will oversee credit administration across commercial lending, equipment finance and leasing, SBA, and fintech-related lines, directing policy development, risk-rating, portfolio

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Accounting, Economics, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• At least 15 years of progressive commercial banking or specialty finance experience.
• Extensive experience leading commercial credit administration.
• Prior experience as a Chief Credit Officer, Deputy Chief Credit Officer, Chief Risk Officer, or senior credit executive preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex commercial loan and lease portfolios.
• Strong knowledge of: Commercial and industrial lending; Commercial real estate; Commercial equipment finance and leasing; SBA lending; Credit policy and underwriting standards; Enterprise risk management; Loan grading and risk-rating systems; Banking regulations, examinations, and regulatory expectations.
• Experience presenting to executive leadership and Boards of Directors.
• Demonstrated ability to support growth while preserving asset quality and credit discipline.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team.
• Partner with senior leadership to develop long-term growth strategies.
• Help define and advance the organizations overall credit philosophy and strategic direction.
• Present portfolio performance, credit trends, risk assessments, and recommendations to the Board of Directors.
• Promote a culture of accountability, sound judgment, transparency, and exceptional client service.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to lending, operations, finance, compliance, and executive leadership.
• Develop, implement, and continually refine credit policies, procedures, and underwriting standards.
• Establish and maintain the organizations credit parameters while supporting responsible business growth.
• Oversee commercial credit underwriting, approval, documentation, and monitoring processes.
• Review and approve complex commercial credit relationships.
• Ensure consistency and quality across commercial lending, equipment finance and leasing, SBA, and other specialty lending activities.
• Direct loan grading, risk-rating, credit review, and portfolio-management processes.
• Monitor credit concentrations, industry exposure, geographic risk, collateral quality, and emerging trends.
• Ensure underwriting practices address collateral valuation, useful life, residual values, liquidation considerations, and concentration risk.
• Monitor overall portfolio performance and asset-quality trends.
• Identify emerging risks and develop strategies to minimize credit losses.
• Oversee criticized and classified asset management.
• Establish appropriate risk-mitigation strategies and escalation processes.
• Ensure sound allowance and loan-loss reserve methodologies.
• Oversee concentration monitoring, stress testing, portfolio segmentation, and risk reporting.
• Partner with lending leadership to address developing concerns proactively.
• Balance portfolio growth with long-term credit quality and risk-adjusted returns.
• Maintain compliance with applicable banking regulations and supervisory expectations.
• Lead or support interactions with regulators; Ensure governance, documentation, controls, and audit readiness.
• Oversee internal and external credit reviews.
• Respond to examination findings and implement corrective actions.
• Maintain high standards for credit files, approval documentation, reporting, and policy adherence.
• Recruit, lead, develop, and mentor high-performing credit professionals.
• Build succession plans and strengthen the organizations credit bench.
• Establish clear expectations, accountability, and performance standards.
• Promote collaboration among credit, lending, operations, compliance, finance, and risk teams.
• Encourage timely, thoughtful credit decisions while maintaining appropriate risk discipline.
• Build a credit organization capable of supporting continued growth and evolving business needs.
• Measure success by strong portfolio credit quality, risk-adjusted returns, and governance.

Skills

Executive leadership

Credit judgment

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Accounting, Economics, or related field

MBA preferred

Job description

NPAworldwide is seeking a Chief Credit Officer to lead credit philosophy, underwriting standards, and portfolio-risk management for a growing specialty-lending platform. This executive will partner with the CEO, President, and Board to ensure disciplined growth, asset quality, and a strong credit culture.

The CCO will oversee credit administration across commercial lending, equipment finance and leasing, SBA, and fintech-related lines, directing policy development, risk-rating, portfolio