Commercial Credit Approval Officer

Rockland Trust; Brockton (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Rockland Trust is seeking a Commercial Credit Approval Officer to underwrite and decision commercial loan proposals within their lending authority. You will collaborate with front line colleagues and customers to gather documents, apply underwriting guidelines, and structure loan proposals for sound risk management.

The role requires strong financial analysis, credit judgment, and knowledge of regulatory requirements, with opportunities to mentor colleagues and support the underwriting function

Qualifications

• Bachelors’ degree in Accounting and/or Finance.
• 3+ years of experience in financial analysis/business lending.
• 2+ years with credit approval authority.
• Strong knowledge of available credit enhancements including SBA and Capital Access.
• Deep understanding of lending related compliance and regulatory issues.
• Thorough understanding of the legal documentation requirements for basic business loans.
• Experience developing credit policies, guidelines, and/or processes is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Underwrite and decision commercial loan proposals within assigned lending authority or recommend decisions for requests exceeding authority.
• Collaborate with front line colleagues and customers to obtain required documents and clarifying information.
• Identify and apply credit policies, judiciously recommending approval of reasonable exceptions within risk tolerance.
• Properly structure loan proposals to balance simplicity and monitoring ease with credit conservatism.
• Proactively counter-offer SBA guarantees or other credit enhancements to meet customer needs while mitigating risk.
• Mentor and assist in the professional development of junior credit colleagues and back up the underwriting manager.
• Stay conversant with banking laws, regulations, and credit policy/guidelines to ensure compliance.
• Collaborate with Business Banking and Commercial Banking Partners throughout the loan origination process.
• Develop and sustain partnerships with front line and back office colleagues through clear communication and urgency.
• Participate in audits, regulatory exams, and other reviews and assist in responses.

Skills

Credit analysis

Credit judgment

Complex credit decisions

Business acumen

Regulatory knowledge

Communication skills

Legal documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance

Job description

Rockland Trust is a full-service commercial bank and financial services company committed to helping our neighbors reach their financial goals. Founded in 1907 and headquartered in Massachusetts, we proudly serve individuals, families, and businesses throughout New England with a strong emphasis on personal relationships, local decision-making, and community impact.

Rockland Trust is a full‑service commercial bank and financial services company committed to helping our neighbors reach their financial goals. Founded in 1907 and headquartered in Massachusetts, we proudly serve individuals, families, and businesses throughout New England with a strong emphasis on personal relationships, local decision‑making, and community impact.

With a broad range of banking, wealth management, and investment solutions, Rockland Trust combines the resources of a growing financial institution with the personalized service of a community bank. Our long‑standing philosophy—Where Each Relationship Matters®—guides how we work with our customers, colleagues, and communities every day.

At Rockland Trust, our employees are at the heart of our success. We foster a collaborative, inclusive, and values‑driven culture that encourages professional growth, innovation, and work‑life balance. We are deeply committed to community involvement, financial education, and creating a workplace where individuals can build meaningful, long‑term careers.

Rockland Trust is seeking a Commercial Credit Approval Officer responsible for underwriting and decisioning commercial credit proposals within their assigned lending authority.

Responsibilities And Essential Functions

• Utilize financial analysis, industry evaluation, credit underwriting guidelines, and superior judgment to efficiently underwrite and decision commercial business and real estate loan proposals within assigned lending authority or recommend decisions for requests exceeding individual lending authority.
• Collaborate with front line colleagues and/or directly with customers, as necessary, to obtain required documents and/or clarifying information needed to thoroughly underwrite.
• Accurately identify and apply credit policies/underwriting guidelines, prudently recommending approval of reasonable exceptions where the overall credit profile fits within the bank’s risk tolerance.
• Properly structure loan proposals to balance simplicity and monitoring ease with credit conservatism.
• Proactively counter-offer SBA guarantees or other credit enhancements, as necessary, to meet customer needs, while mitigating risk.
• Mentor and assist in the professional development of junior credit colleagues by reviewing their work, serving as an expert resource for the department, and backing up the underwriting manager, as necessary.
• Accurately identify and apply credit policies, judiciously recommending approval of reasonable exceptions where the overall credit profile fits within the bank’s risk tolerance.
• Assist/Coach front line colleagues, as necessary, to develop strategies for strengthening customer relationships (e.g. identify cross-sell opportunities, debt restructure strategies to strengthen liquidity or improve balance sheet leverage, succession planning, etc.).
• Stay conversant with banking laws, regulations, and credit policy/guidelines to ensure that all exceptions are properly identified and justified and that all credit actions comply with pertinent regulations.
• Collaborate with Business Banking, and Commercial Banking Partners, throughout the entire loan origination process to ensure an excellent customer and colleague experience.
• Develop and sustain strong partnerships with various front line and back office colleagues through complete, candid, and timely communication, a sense of urgency, and cooperative mindset.
• Participate in various initiatives and projects for the Commercial Banking Underwriting Department relating to technology and process improvement as needed, to improve the speed, efficiency, or operational integrity of the team.
• Participate in audits, regulatory exams, and other third party reviews and assist in the development of responses and follow up actions, as necessary.

Competency Areas

• Strong credit and financial analysis skills, including the ability to evaluate debt service coverage, analyze collateral, discern key financial trends and ratios, UCA cash flow, understand impact of emerging technology, trends, etc. on the bank’s loan portfolio, etc.
• Strong credit judgment, as demonstrated by the ability to consistently apply pertinent credit policies and regulations to render sound credit decisions within assigned credit approval authority.
• Ability to independently make and confidently defend complex credit decisions with senior leaders.
• Strong business acumen (i.e. awareness of business cycles, economic conditions and trends, good understanding of factors impacting most industries, etc.)
• Expertise in banking regulations and credit policies relating to most commercial lending situations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to succinctly and persuasively present key issues and substantiate conclusions
• Extensive understanding of most legal and documentation issues impacting commercial lending and ability to structure loans to mitigate legal risk.

Required Education And Experience

• Bachelors’ degree in Accounting and/or Finance.
• 3+ years of experience in financial analysis/business lending.
• 2+ years with credit approval authority.
• Formal credit training preferred.
• Strong knowledge of available credit enhancements including SBA and Capital Access.
• Deep understanding of lending related compliance and regulatory issues.
• Thorough understanding of the legal documentation requirements for basic business loans.
• Experience developing credit policies, guidelines, and/or processes is beneficial.

Benefits & Culture

Our goal is to offer our colleagues the most generous benefits package possible. We provide a comprehensive suite of benefits designed to support your health, financial security, and overall, well‑being. Benefits include: competitive compensation with performance‑based incentive awards, health and dental insurance, a 401(k) and DC retirement plan, LTD and life insurance, paid vacation, day care reimbursement, tuition assistance for undergraduate and graduate programs, an award-winning wellness program, and much more!

At Rockland Trust, you’ll find a respectful and inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Pay Transparency

Compensation for this role will be based on a variety of factors, including skills, experience, education, and internal equity. The salary range posted reflects the company’s good‑faith estimate of the range for this position at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary. In addition to base salary, certain positions may be eligible for additional compensation, including commissions, incentive awards or stipends.

Accessibility & Accommodations

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their roles.