The Strategy and Execution Manager, SBA Lending

Us Bank; Pasadena (CA); Hybrid; USD 139,000 - 164,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Life Insurance

Disability coverage

Parental leave

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

U.S. Bank seeks a seasoned SBA Lending Strategy and Execution Manager to translate strategy into a measurable portfolio of initiatives. You will drive execution across sales, credit, operations, risk, finance and technology, with executive dashboards and clear accountability.

You will lead a small team, establish governance over divisional KPIs, and ensure growth, credit quality, and operational capacity scale together in a regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Master's degree required or equivalent work experience.
• 10+ years of experience in project management activities.
• Two or more years of managerial experience.

Responsibilities

• Translate divisional strategy into a clear portfolio of initiatives with defined outcomes, milestones, owners, and success metrics.
• Own execution discipline across high‑priority initiatives tied to growth, operating efficiency, capacity expansion, and risk management.
• Anticipate execution risks, resource constraints, and interdependencies; surface trade‑offs and recommendations to leadership.
• Own divisional KPI governance and operating rhythm, including production, pipeline health, approvals, cycle times, capacity, and efficiency.
• Prepare executive‑level dashboards, narratives, and recommendations for the Division Head and EVP.
• Serve as central coordination point across Sales, Credit, Operations, Risk, Finance, and Technology for strategic initiatives.
• Identify and drive opportunities to simplify, standardize, and scale processes as volume grows.
• Build and manage a small strategy/execution team (1–3 resources in 12 months).
• Set expectations, coach performance, and foster an outcomes‑driven culture.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Analytical skills

Executive communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Banking knowledge

Sales & Operations knowledge

Education

Master's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Power BI

Job description

Job Description

At U.S. Bank, we’re on a journey to do our best. Helping the customers and businesses we serve to make better and smarter financial decisions and enabling the communities we support to grow and succeed. We believe it takes all of us to bring our shared ambition to life, and each person is unique in their potential. A career with U.S. Bank gives you a wide, ever-growing range of opportunities to discover what makes you thrive at every stage of your career. Try new things, learn new skills and discover what you excel at—all from Day One.

The SBA Lending Strategy and Execution Manager

The SBA Lending Strategy and Execution Manager, serves as a senior execution leader and trusted advisor to divisional leadership, responsible for translating strategy into measurable results as the division scales toward $1 billion+ in annual production. This role owns the strategic initiatives, operating cadence, and performance discipline of the division, ensuring growth, credit quality, operational capacity, and customer experience scale together. Reporting to the Division Head, with direct responsibility for cross functional delivery across Sales, Credit, Operations, Risk, Finance, Marketing, and Technology.

Basic Qualifications

• Master's degree, or equivalent work experience
• 10 or more years of experience in project management activities
• Two or more years of managerial experience

Preferred Skills/Experience

• Expert knowledge of assigned business line or functional area
• Demonstrated management and leadership skills
• Strong organizational and analytical skills
• Advanced knowledge of project management
• Ability to identify and resolve exceptions and to analyze data
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience in banking, specialty finance, SBA lending, or regulated financial services.
• Familiarity with Salesforce, Power BI, or similar reporting tools
• Experience in strategy, business management, program management, consulting, or financial services leadership roles.
• Proven track record leading complex, cross‑functional initiatives in a regulated, matrixed environment.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen with the ability to translate data into executive‑ready insights.
• Executive presence and communication skills; able to influence without authority.
• High judgment, ownership mindset, and comfort operating with ambiguity.
• Experience scaling a platform or operating model during growth periods.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy Execution & Portfolio Management

• Translate divisional strategy into a clear portfolio of initiatives with defined outcomes, milestones, owners, and success metrics.
• Own execution discipline across high‑priority initiatives tied to growth, operating efficiency, capacity expansion, and risk management.
• Anticipate execution risks, resource constraints, and interdependencies; proactively surface trade‑offs and recommendations to leadership.

Executive KPI Governance & Performance Management

• Own divisional KPI governance and operating rhythm, including production, pipeline health, approvals, cycle times, capacity, and efficiency.
• Prepare executive‑level dashboards, narratives, and recommendations for the Division Head and EVP.
• Ensure consistent, fact‑based decision support and forward‑looking visibility for leadership.

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Serve as the central coordination point across Sales, Credit, Operations, Risk, Finance, and Technology for strategic initiatives.
• Drive alignment on priorities, sequencing, and accountability in a complex, matrixed environment.
• Facilitate executive working sessions and steering discussions with clear framing and outcomes.

Operating Model & Process Improvement

• Identify and drive opportunities to simplify, standardize, and scale processes as volume grows.
• Partner with Credit and Operations to improve throughput, predictability, and quality while protecting credit discipline.
• Support change management and adoption of new processes, tools, and operating rhythms.

Team Leadership & Development

• Build and manage a small strategy / execution team (1–3 resources expected within 12 months).
• Set expectations, coach performance, and establish a high‑ownership, outcomes‑driven culture.

Measures of Success (12–24 Months)

• Strategic initiatives delivered with measurable impact on production capacity, cycle time, or operating efficiency.
• Trusted KPI governance and operating cadence for division leadership.
• Improved cross‑functional execution and reduced delivery friction.
• Demonstrated contribution toward sustainable progress on the $1B+ production roadmap.

This role requires working from a U.S. Bank location three (3) or more days per week

If there’s anything we can do to accommodate a disability during any portion of the application or hiring process, please refer to our disability accommodations for applicants.

Benefits

Our approach to benefits and total rewards considers our team members’ whole selves and what may be needed to thrive in and outside work. That's why our benefits are designed to help you and your family boost your health, protect your financial security and give you peace of mind. Our benefits include the following:

• Healthcare (medical, dental, vision)
• Basic term and optional term life insurance
• Short-term and long‑term disability
• Pregnancy disability and parental leave
• 401(k) and employer‑funded retirement plan
• Paid vacation (from two to five weeks depending on salary grade and tenure)
• Up to 11 paid holiday opportunities
• Adoption assistance
• Sick and Safe Leave accruals of one hour for every 30 worked, up to 80 hours per calendar year unless otherwise provided by law

Review our full benefits available by employment status here.

U.S. Bank is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status, and other factors protected under applicable law.

E-Verify

U.S. Bank participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program in all facilities located in the United States and certain U.S. territories. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about E-Verify program.

The salary range reflects figures based on the primary location, which is listed first. The actual range for the role may differ based on the location of the role. In addition to salary, U.S. Bank offers a comprehensive benefits package, including incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase 401(k) contribution and pension (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). Pay Range: $139,230.00 - $163,800.00

U.S. Bank will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment. U.S. Bank conducts background checks consistent with applicable local laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act as well as the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. U.S. Bank is subject to, and conducts background checks consistent with the requirements of Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA). In addition, certain positions may also be subject to the requirements of FINRA, NMLS registration, Reg Z, Reg G, OFAC, the NFA, the FCPA, the Bank Secrecy Act, the SAFE Act, and/or federal guidelines applicable to an agreement, such as those related to ethics, safety, or operational procedures.

Applicants must be able to comply with U.S. Bank policies and procedures including the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct and related workplace conduct and safety policies.

Posting may be closed earlier due to high volume of applicants.