Director Commercial Lending & Business Services

Air Academy; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 125,000 - 156,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick and vacation time

Medical, dental, vision plans

401(k) with company match

Tuition reimbursement after 90 days

Job summary

Air Academy Credit Union seeks a Director of Commercial Lending and Business Services to lead strategy and the team responsible for commercial lending and related services. You will oversee credit quality, profitability, liquidity, and capacity, while guiding relationship growth with business members and partners.

You’ll translate performance metrics and market conditions into actionable recommendations for executives and the Board, driving operational excellence and member experience.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, economics, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of progressive commercial lending experience; 10 years preferred.
• 2-4 years of direct people-management experience.
• Experience leading a commercial lending function or managing a commercial loan portfolio.
• Strong experience in commercial credit, underwriting, portfolio management, and risk management.
• Demonstrated success building relationships with business members, community partners, and referral sources.
• Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience with portfolio concentrations, lending limits or caps, participations, and problem assets is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of our commercial lending strategy.
• Evaluate opportunities to serve business members while managing credit quality, profitability, liquidity, portfolio concentrations, and lending capacity.
• Translate portfolio performance, market conditions, and emerging risks into clear recommendations that help leadership make informed, forward-looking decisions.
• Set clear priorities and expectations for the Commercial Lending and Business Services team.
• Coach employees, support professional growth, and build accountability, collaboration, and sound judgment.
• Ensure the team has the capabilities and operating practices needed to carry out the strategy and serve business members effectively.
• Represent AACU within the business community and develop relationships with business members, community organizations, and referral sources.
• Use connections to understand local business needs, identify opportunities, and inform our approach to commercial lending and business services.
• Evaluate member needs, market trends, technology, and operating processes to recommend priorities for business services.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen business deposits, treasury-management relationships, and related services.

Skills

People leadership

Portfolio management

Credit risk

Relationship building

Strategic thinking

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/finance

Job description

Salary Range: $124,800.00 To $156,100.00 Annually

Director of Commercial Lending and Business Services

Lead the strategy. Develop the team. Strengthen business relationships.

Businesses need a financial partner who understands their goals and brings sound judgment to every relationship. As Director of Commercial Lending and Business Servicesat Air Academy Credit Union, you’ll lead the team and strategy that support those relationships.

Your primary focus will be people leadership, portfolio oversight, and the continued development of commercial lending and business services. You’ll balance growth opportunities with credit quality, profitability, and available lending capacity while helping the team deliver consistent experience for business members.

You’ll also bring recommendations to executive leadership, the Commercial Loan Committee, and the Board, and represent AACU in the business community.

The Opportunity

Set the Commercial Lending Strategy

Lead the development and execution of our commercial lending strategy. Evaluate opportunities to serve business members while managing credit quality, profitability, liquidity, portfolio concentrations, and lending capacity.

Translate portfolio performance, market conditions, and emerging risks into clear recommendations that help leadership make informed, forward-looking decisions.

Lead and Develop the Team

Set clear priorities and expectations for the Commercial Lending and Business Services team. Coach employees, support professional growth, and build accountability, collaboration, and sound judgment.

Ensure the team has the capabilities and operating practices needed to carry out the strategy and serve business members effectively.

Oversee Commercial Portfolio Quality and Risk

Provide leadership across commercial credit, underwriting, portfolio management, loan administration, participations, problem assets, and regulatory requirements.

Monitor portfolio performance and concentrations, anticipate potential challenges, and guide actions that support a strong, sustainable portfolio.

Improve Operations and Member Experience

Partner with Operations, Lending, Risk, Finance, Technology, Marketing, and branch teams to support efficient, scalable processes and effective controls.

Identify opportunities to improve workflows, clarify responsibilities, and strengthen the business member experience from application through ongoing relationship management.

Build Business and Community Relationships

Represent AACU within the business community. Develop relationships with business members, community organizations, economic-development partners, professional advisors, and referral sources.

Use those connections to understand local business needs, identify opportunities, and inform our approach to commercial lending and business services.

Advance Business Services

Evaluate member needs, market trends, technology, and operating processes to recommend priorities for business services.

Identify opportunities to strengthen business deposits, treasury-management relationships, and related services so AACU can support more of each business member’s financial needs.

You’ll Thrive Here If You…

• See the full relationship. You understand how commercial lending, deposits, business services, organizational risk tolerance, and member needs connect.
• Connect strategy with execution. You can move between portfolio details and broader organizational priorities, then turn that perspective into action.
• Develop people. You set expectations, provide useful feedback, and help employees build confidence and capability.
• Exercise sound judgment. You weigh opportunity and risk, ask thoughtful questions, and make well-supported recommendations.
• Build trust. You communicate credibly with business owners, colleagues, executives, committees, and the Board.
• Make complex information actionable. You translate financial, credit, and market information into clear decisions and priorities.

What You’ll Bring

• A bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, economics, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• At least 5 years of progressive commercial lending experience; 10 years preferred.
• 2-4 years of direct people-management experience, including coaching, employee development, performance management, and accountability.
• Experience leading a commercial lending function or managing a commercial loan portfolio.
• Strong experience in commercial credit, underwriting, portfolio management, and risk management.
• Demonstrated success building relationships with business members, community partners, and professional referral sources.
• Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience with portfolio concentrations, lending limits or caps, participations, and problem assets is strongly preferred.

Why AACU?

At Air Academy Credit Union, our work centers on helping members make financial progress and strengthening the communities we serve.

In this role, you’ll contribute both to the decisions that guide our commercial portfolio and to the people, processes, and services that support business members. You’ll have the opportunity to bring forward ideas, develop the team, and help determine how commercial lending and business services evolve.

We’re looking for a leader who values that combination of financial discipline, people development, and community connection.

What You Get

Full-time AACU employees receive benefits including:

• Paid sick and vacation time
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
• 401(k) retirement plan with a 6% company match
• Tuition reimbursement after 90 days of employment

Pay & Schedule

This is a full-time position, generally 40 hours per week. Additional hours may be required based on business needs, community events, or department responsibilities.

Ready to bring your commercial lending expertise and leadership experience to AACU? We’d like to hear from you.

AACU is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, familial status, ancestry, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by local, state, or federal law.