Job Description:

The Community Bank President/Senior Commercial Banker plays a pivotal role in cultivating profitable business banking relationships, with a primary emphasis on proactively identifying and pursuing new, substantial business opportunities with exceptionally complex, high impact clients. As the Community Bank President, this individual provides strong oversight of the branch (with retail deposits under $100 million) and engages actively with the local community to foster meaningful relationships and promote the bank’s presence. This person is instrumental in driving revenue growth through the recommendation and implementation of financial solutions that will help clients achieve their goals, by leveraging exceptional communication, strategic, and development skills.  This role requires a deep and sophisticated understanding of market dynamics, industry trends, with exceptional business acumen.   

Qualifications:  This person should have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, or the equivalent. Strong experience in lending and credit analysis is required. This person should exhibit deep knowledge of business financial concepts and display superior service, communication, presentation, sales, and negotiation skills. Demonstrated ability to navigate complex business needs and serve as a strategic partner offering clients in-depth advice and perspective. Regular and frequent networking with business professionals, industry experts, and building deep, long-term relationships with existing and prospective clients is expected.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Lead the team and develop an atmosphere of teamwork, open communication and unity. Provide oversight of all services offered. Actively mentor staff and ensure they are trained, evaluated, and motivated to perform their responsibilities in an effective and progressive manner.

• Proactively initiate, pursue, and foster highly complex new business relationships with high impact and revenue potential by employing strategic and targeted prospecting techniques. 

• Develop and execute multi-faceted sales strategies to achieve and exceed revenue goals, fostering long-term relationships with existing and prospective high revenue clients. 

• Regularly engage with high impact business clients to cultivate significant, meaningful connections through in-depth interviews and perspective sharing. Serve as a trusted strategic advisor, offering expert guidance on products and solutions to enhance client profitability.  

• Analyze intricate financial data craft and present tailored financial solutions. Negotiate and establish terms for business banking relationships, ensuring compliance within guidelines.  

• Apply exceptional credit judgment to evaluate complex credit risks associated with prospective clients. Present comprehensive credit proposals, collaborating with credit teams for prudent risk management; ensuring credit quality and optimal loan performance. 

• Stay abreast of industry trends, identify opportunities for growth, and keep an eye on competitors to maintain a competitive edge. 

• Collaborate frequently with internal stakeholders to leverage products and services that align with clients’ financial needs and objectives.  

• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of Cash Management products and services, skillfully implementing cross-selling strategies to enhance client satisfaction and overall business success. 

• Attend pertinent loan, team, and business development, meetings to actively contribute to decisions impacting the Business Banking Department. 

• Act in accordance with FBT policies and procedures as set forth in the employee handbook.

• Adhere to compliance procedures and participate in required compliance training.

Compensation Grade

First Bank & Trust is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Read our complete Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement. Applicants who would like to request reasonable accommodation to the application or interview process should call Human Resources at 800.843.1552 or email [email protected].