Chief Lending Officer

Community Bankers Association of Illinois; Illinois; On-site; USD 140,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bank-supplemented health insurance

Life and disability insurance

Paid time away

401(k) with employer match

Bonus program

Job summary

First Secure Bank & Trust, Inc. in West Central Illinois seeks a dynamic Chief Lending Officer to lead the lending team and partner with the CEO to advance strategic objectives.

You will oversee loan origination, servicing, underwriting, and credit analysis, maintaining policy compliance and risk controls while delivering strong portfolio performance. Ideal candidates have deep experience in agriculture, commercial and residential lending, plus proven leadership, staff development, and executive

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and at least 12 years of lending experience.
• Experience in Agriculture, Commercial and Residential lending.
• Knowledge of USDA agricultural programs, Farmer Mac underwriting, and regulatory lending practices.
• Ability to supervise lending staff and manage departmental performance.
• Strong written and verbal communication and leadership capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the lending department and supervise loan origination, servicing, underwriting, and related lending operations.
• Oversee credit analysis, evaluation of collateral, and overall credit risk.
• Maintain underwriting standards per bank policy and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate with examiners, auditors, and regulators during examinations and reviews.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual lending reports for management.
• Develop staff, promote accuracy, accountability, and excellent customer service.
• Partner with CEO on lending strategy, loan growth, and risk management.

Skills

Lending operations

Credit analysis

Leadership & staff development

Regulatory & risk management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree + 12 years lending experience

Job description

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Chief Lending Officer

West Central Illinois Community Bank location

Position Overview

An independently owned, West Central Illinois community bank, is seeking an energized, experienced lender to work closely with CEO and management. Experience in Agriculture, Commercial and Residential lending required.

Reporting Relationship

The Chief Lending Officer reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer and collaborates with executive management, lending staff, operations, compliance, and other departments to support the bank’s lending objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Leadership and department management: Provide strategic leadership and supervision for the lending department, including loan origination, servicing, underwriting, and related lending operations.
• Credit administration: Oversee the review, analysis, and approval process for loan requests, including evaluation of creditworthiness, collateral, repayment capacity, and overall credit risk.
• Credit analysis: Review financial statements, tax returns, cash flow, collateral values, and other financial information to support sound credit decisions.
• Underwriting standards: Maintain underwriting standards that align with bank policy, regulatory requirements, and prudent credit practices.
• Risk management: Monitor portfolio quality, identify emerging trends, recommend corrective actions, and promote adherence to sound lending practices.
• Compliance and policy: Lead the development, implementation, and revision of lending policies, procedures, forms, and internal controls to support compliance and operational effectiveness.
• Examinations and audits: Serve as a key point of coordination with examiners, auditors, and regulatory representatives during examinations, audits, and reviews.
• Reporting: Prepare and present monthly, quarterly, and annual lending reports for management, including loan production, portfolio performance, delinquency, charge-off, exception, and risk management information.
• Third-party coordination: Coordinate with attorneys, title companies, appraisers, insurance providers, and other third parties regarding loan documentation, collateral, collections, and legal matters.
• Employee development: Oversee training, development, and performance management for lending employees to promote accuracy, accountability, compliance, and excellent customer service.
• Business development: Support relationship growth by identifying opportunities to cross-sell products and services that meet borrower needs and strengthen customer relationships.
• Executive collaboration: Partner with the Chief Executive Officer on lending strategy, loan growth, policy matters, risk management, and organizational objectives.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of lending operations, loan origination, loan servicing, underwriting, credit analysis, and collateral evaluation.
• Strong background in agriculture or agricultural lending preferred, including experience with USDA agricultural programs, Farmer Mac underwriting, and Raymond James agricultural programs.
• Exposure to Freddie Mac fixed-rate residential lending.
• Experience supervising lending employees and managing departmental performance.
• Ability to analyze financial statements, tax returns, cash flow, collateral documentation, and borrower repayment capacity.
• Working knowledge of lending regulations, examination expectations, compliance requirements, and risk management practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear management reports and communicate effectively with examiners, attorneys, borrowers, and staff.
• Strong judgment, decision-making, organization, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
• Commitment to professional service, ethical lending practices, confidentiality, and the long-term safety and soundness of the organization.
• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 12 years of lending experience.

Benefits

• Insurance: Bank-supplemented health insurance, including family coverage, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, and short-term disability insurance.
• Optional employee-paid coverage: Vision, dental, additional life insurance options, and AFLAC coverage.
• Paid time away: Vacation time, sick time, paid leave days, and paid holidays.
• Retirement and incentives: 401(k) plan with employer match, 401(k) profit sharing, bonus program, and additional benefits.
• Salary range: $140,000 to $175,000, based on experience.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to any protected status under applicable federal, state, or local law.