Relationship Manager

ThinkingAhead; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 104,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

ThinkingAhead seeks a Relationship Manager to own the West Tennessee market (Memphis/Jackson and surroundings). You will build relationships with banks, CPAs, attorneys, and developers, offering SBA 504 and LIHTC lending solutions as a mission-driven capital partner.

You are a self-starter with strong networking skills, capable of building deal flow from scratch, and representing a trusted lender in the region.

Qualifications

• SBA 504 lending experience; LIHTC or broader CDFI lending is a strong plus.
• You're a self-starter who can succeed without an existing book of business.
• Strong networker across banking, CRE, and community development in Memphis/West Tennessee.
• Energetic, mission-driven professional who elevates peers.

Responsibilities

• Develop the West Tennessee market and build relationships with banks, CPAs, attorneys, developers, and municipal officials across Memphis, Jackson, and surrounding region.
• Demonstrate deep knowledge of SBA 504 and LIHTC lending; NMTC knowledge is a bonus.
• Maintain a referral-driven pipeline that yields deal flow.
• Execute deals by delivering clean credit packages and coordinating underwriting through closing.
• Represent the organization at industry events and become a trusted regional lender.

Skills

SBA 504 lending

CDFI lending

Relationship building

Networking

Self-starter

Job description

Relationship Manager – West Tennessee (Memphis / Jackson)

Confidential Search | Mission-Driven Small Business Lender

Most Relationship Manager roles ask you to maintain a book of business someone else built. This one is different: you'd be the first person on the ground for a well-established, mission-driven lender entering the West Tennessee market.

If you've ever wanted to plant a flag and own the outcome, while also feeling extremely proud of the good you are putting out into your community, this is might be for you.

The Organization:

Our client is a well-established, mission-driven lender with decades of experience helping businesses grow through creative, flexible financing. As a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Certified Development Company (CDC), they specialize in SBA 504 and Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) lending — deploying capital that helps business owners and their banking partners get deals done that traditional financing alone can't reach.

They're not a bank; they're a capital partner. The organization banks call in when a deal needs more flexibility, more creativity, or a structure conventional lending can't offer.

What You'll Own

• The West Tennessee market. You’ll build relationships with banks, credit unions, CPAs, attorneys, real estate developers, and municipal officials across Memphis, Jackson, and the surrounding region.
• Loan program expertise. Deep knowledge of SBA 504 and LIHTC (CDFI) lending, with working knowledge of New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) as a bonus.
• A referral-driven pipeline. A consistent, proactive calling program that turns relationships into deal flow.
• Deal execution. Delivering clean, accurate credit packages and staying engaged with underwriting and closing through the full deal lifecycle.
• Visibility. Representing the organization at industry events and becoming a known, trusted name in West Tennessee's small business lending community.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• SBA 504 lending experience. LIHTC or broader CDFI lending experience is a strong plus.
• You've built something before, or you're hungry to. This role rewards self-starters who don't need an existing book of business to succeed.
• You are a strong networker and are relationship driven across banking, commercial real estate, and community development circles in Memphis and West Tennessee.
• You bring energy, not just activity. This organization is looking for someone who elevates the people around them and is mission-driven with their work.

Why This Role

• Genuine market-building autonomy — rare in commercial lending, where most RM roles are managing what already exists.
• A strong, stable, mission-driven organization with decades of track record and an established brand in the region.
• A product set (SBA 504 + LITC) that lets you offer real solutions banks can't structure on their own.
• The chance to be the name people think of first when SBA 504 or CDFI financing comes up in West Tennessee.

Compensation:

$115,000 per year