Commercial Lending Trainee: Build Relationships & Credit

First Northern Bank & Trust Co.; Palmerton (Carbon County); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

First Northern Bank & Trust Co. seeks a Commercial Loan Officer in Training to develop credit, relationship-management, and business-development skills for serving local businesses and professionals.

You will shadow experienced lenders and credits staff while gaining hands-on experience in prospecting, credit analysis, loan structuring, documentation, closing, and portfolio administration. In this trainee program, you’ll participate in community activities, learn the bank’s markets, customers,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, economics, agriculture, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Prior experience in community banking, credit, financial analysis, business development, agriculture, real estate, or customer service is preferred.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, organizational, and time‑management skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build rapport and explain financial information clearly and professionally.
• Interest in developing long‑term customer relationships and becoming actively involved in the communities served by the Bank.
• Ability to learn lending policies, credit concepts, loan documentation, Bank products, and applicable requirements.
• Proficiency with standard office software and the ability to learn Bank systems.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, work independently when appropriate, and manage multiple priorities accurately in a team‑oriented environment.
• Willingness to travel within the Bank’s market area and attend business or community events outside normal business hours when required.
• Must meet any registration, licensing, background, and training requirements applicable to the position.

Responsibilities

• Job shadowing, mentoring, and rotational experiences in commercial lending, credit administration, loan operations, and other community-bank functions.
• Learn the Bank’s markets, customers, products, credit culture, and relationship‑banking philosophy.
• Support calling efforts to develop relationships with local businesses, professionals, real estate investors, nonprofit organizations, and community partners.
• Participate in chambers of commerce, civic organizations, business associations, networking events, and Bank‑sponsored community activities as assigned.
• Assist with identifying customer needs and coordinating appropriate lending, deposit, and other Bank solutions through internal referrals.
• Gather and review borrower, guarantor, collateral, industry, and local market information.
• Analyze business and personal financial statements, tax returns, cash flow, debt‑service capacity, collateral, repayment sources, and other credit factors under supervision.
• Prepare accurate credit presentations, loan requests, annual reviews, renewals, and related memoranda for review and approval.
• Learn to recommend practical loan structures, terms, pricing, covenants, collateral, and risk controls that meet customer needs while remaining consistent with Bank policy and delegated authority.
• Coordinate directly with customers and internal partners to support documentation, closing, booking, funding, and post‑closing follow‑up.
• Monitor assigned credits for financial reporting, covenant compliance, payment performance, collateral requirements, documentation exceptions, and emerging risks, including changes affecting the local market or borrower.
• Maintain regular contact with customers, respond promptly to questions, and help resolve service issues through a high‑touch, relationship‑based approach.
• Maintain complete and accurate customer, prospect, and loan records in designated systems.
• Follow all applicable Bank policies and procedures, including requirements related to lending, fair lending, privacy, information security, Bank Secrecy Act, anti‑money laundering, and customer identification.
• Escalate credit concerns, policy exceptions, suspicious activity, customer complaints, and operational issues promptly to the appropriate manager.
• Work collaboratively with branch, credit, operations, deposit, and senior leadership teams to provide coordinated service and support Bank goals.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Time management

Problem solving

Relationship-building

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, economics, agriculture, or a related field

Job description

First Northern Bank & Trust Co. seeks a Commercial Loan Officer in Training to develop credit, relationship-management, and business-development skills for serving local businesses and professionals.

You will shadow experienced lenders and credits staff while gaining hands-on experience in prospecting, credit analysis, loan structuring, documentation, closing, and portfolio administration. In this trainee program, you’ll participate in community activities, learn the bank’s markets, customers,