Commercial Team Leader II

Head of Institutional Loans

We are seeking a senior-level investment and banking professional to build, manage, and scale a portfolio of leveraged credit assets held on the Bank’s balance sheet, with a primary focus on liquid leveraged loans. This role carries responsibility for portfolio strategy, P&L management, and risk-adjusted return generation, leveraging relative value analysis across public and private markets. The position requires close coordination with internal stakeholders across Credit, Finance and Compliance, as well as strong engagement with Street counterparties.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, manage, and scale a portfolio of liquid leveraged loans with direct accountability for P&L performance, including carry, mark-to-market outcomes, and realized gains/losses.

   

• Apply relative value analysis across issuers, sectors, and public ratings to optimize risk-adjusted returns.

• Collaborate with the Bank’s Credit colleagues to design, document, and maintain a comprehensive Portfolio Construction Plan, including risk limits, sector and issuer concentrations, ratings mix, liquidity thresholds and credit process.

• Actively manage portfolio positioning to optimize risk-adjusted returns, ROE, and capital usage within approved limits and governance frameworks.

• Oversee day-to-day portfolio management, including trade execution, deal evaluation, risk monitoring, valuation oversight, and performance attribution.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of research professionals, instilling disciplined underwriting, relative value thinking, and accountability.

• Partner closely with Credit, Finance, Middle & Backoffice and Accounting to ensure alignment on underwriting standards, valuation, accounting treatment, capital treatment, and regulatory requirements.

• Present portfolio performance, risk metrics, relative value positioning, and P&L drivers to senior management and relevant governance committees.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with Street counterparties, arrangers, sponsors and buy side participants.

• Monitor issuer fundamentals, market technicals, and macroeconomic conditions to proactively manage downside risk.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience managing leveraged loan portfolios with demonstrated P&L responsibility, ideally within a bank.

   

• Strong background in relative value investing across capital structures and public vs. private credit markets.

• Experience underwriting and managing credit investments, with a clear understanding of fundamentals, tranche liquidity and valuations.

• Deep knowledge of leveraged credit documentation, capital structures, and downside risk management.

• Proven ability to design and manage portfolios with defined return targets, risk budgets, and capital constraints.

• Experience operating within a regulated banking environment and effectively collaborating with internal control functions.

• Prior experience leading and developing teams.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly articulate strategy, risks, relative value views, and P&L outcomes to senior stakeholders.

• A disciplined, process-driven investor with a strong ownership mentality and judgment.

• CFA Charter holder and MBA in Finance preferred.

At Eastern Bank, we pride ourselves on supporting our employees by offering tremendous opportunity for individual growth. As an inclusive company, we work to ensure that our valued employees are treated fairly, recognized for their individuality, and encouraged to reach their fullest potential. These values have earned us a reputation as a great place to work and provide a strong reason why you should consider a career with us. We are proud to offer comprehensive compensation plans and a benefits program called Total Rewards that includes medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, retirement, vacation and tuition reimbursement.

Eastern Bank is an equal opportunity employer.  All job applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gen