Senior Credit Officer

Farm Credit Illinois; Illinois; On-site; USD 85,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with 3% employer contribution

6% employer match

Vacation days

Sick days

13 paid holidays

Parental leave

Volunteer leave

Medical, dental, vision, life ins.

Job summary

Farm Credit Illinois, a cooperative serving farmers and agribusiness in Illinois, seeks a Senior Credit Officer to provide advanced credit analysis and underwriting support for large, complex relationships. You will collaborate with lending teams to assess risk, structure financing, and maintain a high-quality loan portfolio.

The role emphasizes applying the 5 C’s of Credit, developing narratives, and serving as a technical credit resource across the Association.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, agriculture, business, or a related field
• 5 years of related experience in credit analysis or underwriting
• Equivalent combination of education and experience acceptable

Responsibilities

• Analyze and underwrite large and complex loan requests by evaluating financial information, assessing risk, determining eligibility, and developing comprehensive credit recommendations.
• Apply the 5 C’s of Credit, financial projections, collateral analysis, and risk assessment tools to support lending decisions.
• Serve as a trusted credit resource by partnering with lending teams and supporting credit administration.
• Participate in Credit Services Division and Association Loan Committees by evaluating loan opportunities and making recommendations within delegated authority.
• Develop written credit narratives and covenants to support portfolio quality and risk management.
• Provide credit training and guidance to lending staff and contribute to process improvements.
• Monitor industry and economic trends to strengthen underwriting decisions.

Skills

Credit analysis

Underwriting principles

Regulatory requirements

Analytical decision making

Excel proficiency

Verbal and written communication

Production agriculture understanding

Education

Bachelor’s degree in finance, agriculture, or business

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Technology tools for analysis

Job description

About Farm Credit Illinois

Farm Credit Illinois (FCI) is an agricultural financial cooperative owned by more than 17,400 farmers, rural landowners, and agribusiness voting stockholders in the southern 60 counties of Illinois. Dedicated to Helping Farm Families Succeed, FCI provides competitive and flexible financing, crop insurance expertise, and Rural 1st® country life lending. FCI manages an $8 billion loan portfolio, sells 1.5 million acres of crop insurance coverage, and employs approximately 300 staff in the Mahomet headquarters and 14 regional offices. The U.S. Farm Credit System is a network of locally owned cooperatives supporting rural communities, farm families, and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services today and tomorrow.

Why Join Us

• Competitive compensation package. Grade and salary commensurate with experience, with an annualized base salary range of 85,000.00 - 140,000.00plus a bonus based on team and individual performance. This range is a good‑faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of this posting.




• Comprehensive benefit package includes 401(k) with 3% employer contribution and 6% employer match


• vacation days


• sick days


• 13 paid holidays


• parental leave


• volunteer leave


• medical, dental, vision, and life insurance as further described at https://www.farmcreditfoundations.com/fcfbenefits/




• Professional development and career growth opportunities.


• Opportunity to work for a reputable and community-focused financial institution dedicated to a positive, collaborative work environment that encompasses the association’s mission to serve our members and the agricultural industry as we strive to help farm families succeed

The Role

The Senior Credit Officer provides advanced credit analysis,underwriting expertise, and loan decisioning support for large and complexcredit relationships. This role partners closely with lending teams to evaluaterisk, structure financing solutions, support sound credit administration, andhelp maintain a high‑quality loan portfolio while serving as a technicalcredit resource across the Association.

What You Will Contribute

• Analyze and underwrite large and complex loan requests by evaluating financial information, assessing risk, determining eligibility, and developing comprehensive credit recommendations.


• Apply the 5 C’s of Credit, financial projections, collateral analysis, and risk assessment tools to support sound lending decisions and appropriate loan structures.


• Serve as a trusted credit resource by partnering with lending teams, supporting credit administration, evaluating lending standards, and providing technical expertise on complex credit matters.


• Participate in Credit Services Division and Association Loan Committees by evaluating loan opportunities, determining appropriate structures and terms, and making loan approval recommendations and decisions within delegated authority.


• Develop written credit narratives, loan servicing plans, covenant recommendations, and troubled debt restructuring evaluations to support portfolio quality and risk management.


• Provide credit training and guidance to lending staff while contributing to process improvement initiatives and enhancing underwriting consistency across the Association.


• Monitor industry, agricultural, and economic trends and leverage those insights to strengthen underwriting decisions and portfolio risk management.

What We Are Looking For

Required Skills

• Expert knowledge of credit analysis, underwriting principles, and regulatory requirements.


• Understanding of production agriculture, finance, and macroeconomic factors that influence lending and credit decisions.


• Advanced analytical and decision-making skills with the ability to evaluate complex information, identify key risks, and exercise sound judgment.


• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and technology tools to support efficient analysis, reporting, and workflow management.


• Strong verbal and written communication skills

Minimum Qualifications

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


• 5 years of related experience in credit analysis or underwriting


• or an equivalent combination of education andexperience sufficient to perform the essential functions of the role

Farm Credit Illinois is an Equal Employment / Affimative Action employer. We do not discriminate in hiring based on any characteristic protected by law.

If you need a reasonable accommodation during any part of the employment process, please contact [e-mail]. Requests will be reviewed on a case‑by‑case basis.