The Regional Credit Officer (RCO) serves as the senior credit executive for an assigned market or region and is responsible for ensuring sound credit quality, consistent risk management practices, and prudent portfolio growth across Community Banking lending activities. The RCO partners closely with Relationship Managers, Market Presidents, Regional Presidents, Credit Administration, and Executive Management to support profitable growth while maintaining adherence to the Bank's credit culture, risk appetite, and regulatory expectations.
The RCO exercises delegated lending authority, provides leadership in structuring complex commercial credit facilities, and serves as a key advisor on credit strategy, portfolio composition, and emerging risk trends. The role supports a broad range of commercial lending activities, including Commercial & Industrial (C&I), owner-occupied real estate, investor commercial real estate, construction, healthcare, professional services, and other middle-market and community banking relationships.
Key Responsibilities:Credit Leadership & Risk Management
- Exercise delegated approval authority in accordance with Bank loan policy.
- Evaluate and approve complex commercial credit requests, modifications, renewals, and portfolio management actions.
- Ensure consistent application of credit policy, underwriting standards, and risk rating methodologies.
- Identify emerging credit risks, industry concentrations, geographic concentrations, and borrower-specific concerns.
- Monitor portfolio quality metrics, criticized assets, classified assets, delinquency trends, and concentration limits.
- Participate in development and execution of credit risk mitigation strategies.
- Assist in management of problem loans, workout strategies, and special asset situations.
Lending Partnership
- Provide guidance on loan structure, collateral, guarantor support, covenant design, pricing, and repayment sources.
- Participate in client meetings and prospect discussions as appropriate.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to lending teams on complex credit matters.
- Facilitate timely credit decisions while maintaining sound underwriting discipline.
Portfolio Oversight
- Monitor the overall health and performance of assigned regional loan portfolios.
- Evaluate trends within CRE, C&I, construction, healthcare, investor real estate, and other key portfolio segments.
- Assess industry, economic, and market conditions impacting portfolio performance.
- Recommend changes to underwriting standards, concentration limits, and risk appetite when warranted.
Leadership & Talent Development
- Mentor, coach, and develop Credit Officers, Underwriters, Portfolio Managers, and other credit professionals.
- Foster consistency in credit analysis and decision-making across regions.
- Support succession planning and talent development initiatives within Credit Administration.
- Assist in recruiting and developing future credit leaders.
Governance & Regulatory Support
- Serve as a voting member of Officer Loan Committee and other credit committees as assigned.
- Assist in maintaining and enhancing credit policies, procedures, and underwriting standards.
- Support regulatory examinations, internal audits, loan reviews, and external credit reviews.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable banking regulations and internal policies.
- Partner with Finance and Credit Administration regarding CECL, portfolio analytics, and risk reporting initiatives.
Strategic Initiatives
- Participate in enterprise-wide projects related to credit systems, portfolio management, process improvement, and risk management.
- Support the Bank's strategic growth initiatives and market expansion efforts.
- Assist the Chief Credit Officer in developing scalable credit infrastructure appropriate for a growing regional banking organization.
Education and Experience:Education
- Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or related field required.
- Advanced banking, credit, or financial certifications are preferred.
Experience
- Minimum 15 years of progressive commercial banking experience with significant credit and lending responsibility.
- Demonstrated expertise in both Commercial & Industrial (C&I) and Commercial Real Estate (CRE) lending.
- Experience approving and managing complex middle-market and community banking credit relationships.
- Prior lending authority within a commercial bank environment.
- Experience with syndicated credits, participations, and multi-bank relationships preferred.
- Experience working with regulatory examinations, loan review functions, and portfolio management processes.
- Familiarity with CECL, concentration management, and commercial portfolio analytics preferred.
Knowledge & Skills
- Strong understanding of commercial credit structuring, underwriting, and portfolio risk management.
- Advanced knowledge of commercial banking products and services.
- Strong analytical, financial statement, and cash flow analysis capabilities.
- Ability to balance risk management objectives with business development goals.
- Excellent executive presence and communication skills.
- Ability to influence decision-making across multiple business lines.
- Demonstrated leadership and talent development capabilities.
Supervisory Responsibility Future responsibility for Credit Officers within respective regions.
Position Type:This position is a full-time, exempt position. Typical work hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm.
Travel:Some travel between Third Coast Bank offices may be required.
