The Senior Credit Underwriter is an experienced, versatile member of the bank's credit team responsible for underwriting commercial credit requests ranging from traditional community banking transactions to the bank's largest and most complex commercial and industrial (C&I) relationships, including sponsor-backed transactions. The role requires the judgment and flexibility to evaluate borrowers with tax-return-based financial information as well as companies that provide audited, reviewed, and interim company-prepared financial statements. The Senior Credit Underwriter partners closely with relationship managers and credit officers to structure sound transactions, deliver timely credit decisions, and maintain strong credit quality. The position may also support commercial real estate transactions and is expected to mentor junior credit analysts assigned to the same relationship manager portfolios.
Key Responsibilities: - Underwrite and analyze a broad range of commercial credit requests, from smaller traditional community banking relationships to large, complex C&I and sponsor-backed transactions.
- Analyze business financial performance, cash flow, leverage, liquidity, capital structure, industry conditions, repayment capacity, and transaction risks.
- Evaluate traditional community banking borrowers using business tax returns, guarantor tax returns, personal financial statements, credit reports, and global cash flow analysis.
- Analyze audited, reviewed, and company-prepared financial statements, including interim reporting, for larger and more complex borrowers.
- Spread and interpret business financial statements and tax returns, reconcile material differences, and identify trends or emerging risks.
- Prepare clear, well-supported credit memoranda that summarize the request, financial analysis, structure, collateral, key risks, mitigants, and recommendation.
- Assess transaction structure, covenant packages, collateral support, guarantor strength, and overall risk profile in accordance with the bank's credit standards.
- Monitor borrowing base reports and related collateral or availability information, identify exceptions or adverse trends, and escalate concerns as appropriate.
- Underwrite renewals, modifications, amendments, and other servicing requests for existing commercial relationships.
- Partner with relationship managers and credit officers to structure transactions that meet client needs while appropriately mitigating risk.
- Participate in loan committee or other approval discussions and present underwriting conclusions as needed.
- Monitor existing portfolio performance, including financial reporting, covenant compliance, collateral performance, and changes in borrower risk.
- Underwrite commercial real estate transactions when needed, including analysis of property cash flow, guarantor support, collateral value, and repayment sources.
- Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior credit analysts supporting the same relationship manager portfolios, including review of analytical work and development of sound underwriting judgment.
- Support credit initiatives, process improvements, and special projects across the commercial lending and credit teams.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field preferred.
- At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in commercial credit analysis or underwriting, preferably within a community or regional bank.
- Demonstrated experience underwriting both traditional community banking credits and larger, complex C&I transactions.
- Experience with sponsor-backed or leveraged transactions preferred.
- Strong knowledge of financial statement and tax return analysis, global cash flow, loan structuring, collateral analysis, covenant design, and credit risk assessment.
- Experience analyzing guarantor tax returns, personal financial statements, and business tax returns.
- Experience analyzing audited, reviewed, and interim company-prepared financial statements.
- Experience with borrowing base lending and monitoring borrowing base reports.
- Commercial real estate underwriting experience preferred.
- Ability to manage competing priorities and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex credit conclusions clearly and concisely.
- Demonstrated ability and willingness to coach and mentor junior credit staff.
- Proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook, is required.
- Experience with Moody's CreditLens is a plus.
- Experience using Microsoft Copilot or similar AI-enabled productivity tools is a plus.
- Formal credit training preferred.
- This role is hybrid requirement at least 3 days in office at our Buckhead Corporate Office in Atlanta, GA.
