Special Assets Credit Manager

Columbia Bank Northeast; Fair Lawn (NJ); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare plan

ESOP

Paid time off

401k

Job summary

Columbia Bank seeks a Special Assets Credit Manager to lead credit-risk analysis and portfolio surveillance of complex commercial loan relationships across departments. You will evaluate borrower performance, collateral, and repayment capacity, and prepare reviews for management and regulators.

The role requires 5+ years in commercial credit, strong communication, and advanced Excel skills. The position offers a hybrid schedule, competitive benefits, and opportunities to influence risk

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, Risk Management, or a related field.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in commercial credit, underwriting, portfolio management, credit risk, credit review, special assets, or a related commercial banking discipline.
• Strong commercial credit underwriting and financial analysis skills, including financial statements, cash flow, collateral, covenant compliance, repayment capacity, and risk-rating assessment.
• Experience with criticized/classified asset administration, risk-rating methodologies, and identification and escalation of material credit risks.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience preparing and presenting credit analyses and management reports to senior management, committees, auditors, and regulators.
• Experience working across commercial lending, credit administration, loan operations, appraisal, legal, risk management, and other internal or external stakeholders.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and commercial banking systems, with experience developing reporting tools, dashboards, and analytical solutions to support decision-making.
• Strong understanding of data integrity with the ability to reconcile information across banking systems, financial statements, loan documentation, and other source records.

Responsibilities

• Administers the credit-risk analysis and portfolio surveillance functions of the Special Assets Department, including ongoing financial analysis and monitoring of criticized and classified commercial loan relationships.
• Performs comprehensive financial and credit analysis of criticized and classified commercial loan relationships, including borrower and guarantor financial performance, cash flow, debt service coverage, leverage, liquidity, contingent liabilities, collateral coverage, secondary repayment sources, and other factors affecting repayment capacity and credit risk.
• Prepares quarterly Credit Review Memoranda incorporating financial, collateral, and credit-risk analysis to support portfolio management, risk-rating justification, loss mitigation, and internal and regulatory review requirements.
• Monitors collateral-related risk components, including valuation, insurance, lien position, lien perfection, and other matters affecting collateral coverage and the Bank's secured position.
• Develops and delivers reporting, dashboards, risk assessments, and management information for departmental oversight, senior management, committees, auditors, and regulators.
• Supports audit, loan review, and regulatory examinations by coordinating information, validating supporting documentation, and responding to inquiries within assigned responsibilities.
• Represents the Special Assets Department in meetings, presentations, examinations, and discussions relating to assigned responsibilities and departmental initiatives, as requested by management.

Skills

Credit risk analysis

Financial analysis

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, Risk Management, or related field

Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Risk Management, or related discipline

Tools

Excel

Job description

Columbia Bank is a full-service consumer and commercial bank serving individuals, businesses, and communities across New Jersey, Staten Island, and Brooklyn. Through our banking, title, insurance, and wealth management businesses, we provide a broad range of financial solutions tailored to our customers’ needs. We are also committed to strengthening the communities we serve through employee volunteerism, community partnerships, and the Columbia Bank Foundation.

Why this Role Matters:

The Special Assets Credit Manager is responsible for the analysis, administration, and portfolio surveillance of complex criticized and classified commercial loan relationships. The position evaluates borrower and guarantor financial performance, collateral support, repayment capacity, risk ratings, and emerging credit concerns and provides analytical support and recommendations regarding credit and resolution strategies. Working closely with the Director of Special Assets, the position serves as a key analytical resource supporting the administration and oversight of complex criticized and classified commercial credit relationships

The position works across Commercial Lending, Credit Administration, Loan Operations, Legal, Appraisal and other departments to support effective credit administration and informed decision-making.

What You'll Deliver/Areas of Impact:

Credit Risk Analysis and Portfolio Surveillance

• Administers the credit-risk analysis and portfolio surveillance functions of the Special Assets Department, including the ongoing financial analysis and monitoring of criticized and classified commercial loan relationships to identify changes in credit quality, emerging risks, and matters requiring management attention.
• Performs comprehensive financial and credit analysis of criticized and classified commercial loan relationships, including borrower and guarantor financial performance, cash flow, debt service coverage, leverage, liquidity, contingent liabilities, collateral coverage, secondary repayment sources, and other factors affecting repayment capacity and credit risk.
• Prepares quarterly Credit Review Memoranda incorporating financial, collateral, and credit-risk analysis to support portfolio management, risk-rating justification, loss mitigation, and internal and regulatory review requirements.
• Monitors collateral-related risk components, including valuation, insurance, lien position, lien perfection, and other matters affecting collateral coverage and the Bank's secured position.

Reporting, Coordination and Support

• Actively contributes to departmental operations, initiatives, and team objectives.
• Coordinates administrative and information requirements among Commercial Lending, Credit Administration, Loan Operations, Legal, Appraisal, and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinates recurring requirements, including appraisals, financial reporting, insurance, covenant documentation, litigation milestones, and other required deliverables.
• Maintains accurate data and reporting systems while supporting initiatives that improve data quality, analytics, and operational efficiency.
• Develops and delivers reporting, dashboards, risk assessments, and management information for departmental oversight, senior management, committees, auditors, and regulators.
• Supports audit, loan review, and regulatory examinations by coordinating information, validating supporting documentation, and responding to inquiries within assigned responsibilities.
• Represents the Special Assets Department in meetings, presentations, examinations, and discussions relating to assigned responsibilities and departmental initiatives, as requested by management.

Industry, Systems and Technical Knowledge

• Maintains current knowledge of applicable banking regulations, interagency guidance, commercial lending practices, problem-loan and loss-mitigation strategies, risk-rating principles, and industry trends affecting criticized and classified commercial credit administration.
• Maintains proficiency with commercial banking, credit administration, financial analysis, reporting, and data-management systems used by the Bank.
• Uses available technology to organize and analyze data, identify credit trends and exceptions, develop management reporting, and improve the accuracy and efficiency of departmental processes.
• Maintains an understanding of data integrity and governance principles necessary to support reliable portfolio surveillance, management reporting, audit, and regulatory review.
• Evaluates and appropriately utilizes emerging analytical and productivity technologies, including artificial intelligence tools where authorized by Bank policy.
• Participates in professional development, knowledge sharing, and collaborative departmental activities that promote team effectiveness, operational consistency, and continuous improvement.

Other Responsibilities

• Performs other job-related duties and participates in departmental projects and initiatives as assigned.

What You'll Need to Succeed:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, Risk Management, or a related field.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in commercial credit, underwriting, portfolio management, credit risk, credit review, special assets, or a related commercial banking discipline.
• Strong commercial credit underwriting and financial analysis skills, including financial statements, cash flow, collateral, covenant compliance, repayment capacity, and risk-rating assessment.
• Experience with criticized/classified asset administration, risk-rating methodologies, and identification and escalation of material credit risks.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience preparing and presenting credit analyses and management reports to senior management, committees, auditors, and regulators.
• Experience working across commercial lending, credit administration, loan operations, appraisal, legal, risk management, and other internal or external stakeholders.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across organizational functions while maintaining accountability and exercising sound professional judgment.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and commercial banking systems, with experience developing reporting tools, dashboards, and analytical solutions to support decision-making.
• Strong understanding of data integrity with the ability to reconcile information across banking systems, financial statements, loan documentation, and other source records.
• Demonstrated aptitude for learning and effectively applying new systems, methodologies, analytical tools, and technologies.
• Strong organizational and project-management capabilities with demonstrated ownership of recurring and ad hoc deliverables, competing priorities, and deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Risk Management, or a related discipline.
• Formal commercial credit training or equivalent demonstrated underwriting experience.
• Professional certification or advanced training in commercial credit, enterprise risk management, financial analysis, portfolio management, or a related discipline

Technology Qualifications

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and Teams.
• Comfortable using multiple systems and digital tools in a fast-paced banking environment.
• Strong computer skills, including virtual collaboration, document management, and reporting tools.
• Exposure to or willingness to learn emerging workplace technologies is highly desired.

How We Take Care of You:

Build a stronger future for yourself, your family and the communities we serve. At Columbia Bank, meaningful work comes together with a collaborative and rewarding culture, opportunities to learn and grow, and a total rewards package designed to support your health, financial security and overall wellbeing. Benefits include healthcare choice, retirement savings with company support, employee ownership, wellness resources, education and student loan programs, paid time off and financial protection. Join a company where your contribution is valued, your growth is supported and your career can make a meaningful impact.

• Medical, Dental, Vision and Rx which are contributory.
• Employee Stock Option Program (ESOP).
• Life Insurance, Long Term Disability and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (LTD&AD&D).
• Paid Time Off (PTO) which includes Personal and Vacation Time.
• Paid Sick Time.
• Bank Holidays.
• Employees may participate in the 401k program.

The hours that you will dedicate to work:

• This role is eligible for a hybrid schedule: 3 days in the office and 2 days work from home, based on business needs. This arrangement may change without notice.

Columbia Bank and its affiliates is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and veterans.