Commercial Senior Credit Officer

Citizens is currently recruiting for a Commercial Senior Credit Officer to support its Asset Finance line of business. This role is a highly visible leadership role requiring line of business expertise, excellent credit skills, and strong decision making and interpersonal skills.

The Senior Credit Officer will be responsible for evaluating, analyzing, and approving credit proposals relating to equipment financing transactions. This role requires a deep understanding of credit risk principals, financial analysis, asset valuation and specific knowledge of the leasing and equipment finance industries. 

The successful candidate will work closely with sales, portfolio management and legal teams to ensure credit quality and regulatory compliance, while supporting business objectives.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary credit approver for complex and high-exposure leasing transactions across multiple industries. Evaluate and act on credit opportunities—including new originations, renewals, and modifications—by approving, declining, or escalating recommendations to the appropriate higher authority.
• Provide independent credit risk assessment and decision-making in alignment with the bank’s risk appetite and regulatory expectations.
• Partner with front-line business units to structure transactions that balance client needs with prudent risk management. Objectively identify risk and proactively partner with coverage, product and portfolio teams in the areas of customer selection and creation of protective, balanced credit structures with a focus on maintaining portfolio quality and protecting the Bank's balance sheet.
• Oversee portfolio monitoring, including risk rating accuracy, concentration risk, and early identification of problem credits. Communicate with executive risk management and loan workout specialists to effect restructure of problem credits and minimize losses.
• Lead or contribute to credit policy development, underwriting guidelines, and risk-adjusted return frameworks specific to leasing.
• Engage in client facing due diligence and assist business partners with originating and onboarding new credit relationships.
• Ensure all credit delivery activities have been completed in a timely, efficient and prudent manner while facilitating an environment for the efficient delivery to customers of products and services that require credit exposure.
• Provide leadership in conjunction with first line business partners in establishing credit culture, risk appetite, and business strategy.

Experience and Skills:

• 10 years of combined experience in underwriting and credit risk approval. Significant experience in leasing/equipment finance operating in a large, complex bank environment is preferred
• Extensive experience with non-investment grade credit analysis, underwriting and portfolio management 
• Significant experience in underwriting cash flow and enterprise value dependent transactions is highly preferred 
• Experience partnering with multiple commercial banking product areas to responsibly allocate capital across a credit relationship.
• Strong administrative and reporting skills
• Proven communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and act independently in a dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated ability to balance risk and return, promoting responsible expansion of credit relationships while leading stewardship of the Bank’s balance sheet.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, accounting, or a related quantitative field required.

Hours & Work Schedule

Hours per Week: 40

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday core business hours

Pay Transparency 

The salary range for this position is $165,000 - $247,500 per year, plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to the work location, and relevant skills and experience.