How will this role impact First Command?
Reporting to the Chief Lending Officer, the Vice President, SBA Program Director leads the daily operation, business development oversight, and continued growth and optimization of the Bank's Small Business Administration (SBA) lending function. This role provides SBA technical expertise, team leadership, credit judgment, process discipline, and strategic support as the Bank continues to expand and refine its SBA lending program.
The SBA Program Director serves as the primary business leader for the SBA team, helping ensure SBA loans are originated, structured, underwritten, closed, serviced, and monitored in accordance with SBA requirements, Bank policy, regulatory expectations, and sound credit practices. In partnership with bank leadership, this leader helps shape and execute the SBA strategy by guiding responsible portfolio growth, overseeing SBA business development efforts, strengthening the program's lending capabilities, and ensuring the department has the structure, team alignment, and operating practices needed to scale.
What will the employee be doing?
- Lead the daily operations of the SBA lending function, including workflow oversight, prioritization, issue resolution, and coordination across SBA team members and internal partners.
- Serve as a primary escalation point for SBA-related questions involving eligibility, loan structure, documentation, closing, servicing, client needs, and internal process considerations.
- Provide SBA technical guidance across the loan lifecycle, including origination support, underwriting considerations, closing requirements, servicing actions, and guaranty preservation.
- Help ensure SBA lending activities are conducted in accordance with current SBA requirements, Bank policy, internal credit standards, and regulatory expectations.
- Provide leadership and direction to SBA business development efforts, including oversight of the SBA Business Development Officer, alignment of referral strategies with the Bank's target markets, and coordination between business development, credit, operations, and closing functions.
- Lead, coach, and develop SBA team members, including clarification of roles, responsibilities, communication expectations, decision points, and handoffs.
- Partner with bank leadership and internal stakeholders to refine and execute the SBA business strategy, support responsible portfolio growth, strengthen operating practices, prepare program updates for management and loan committees, and support audit, review, examination, and readiness activities.
- Stay current on SBA program requirements, regulatory changes, industry trends, and best practices, and translate relevant changes into practical guidance, process updates, and team communication.
Who will this employee lead?
This role leads and manages the SBA department, including all SBA team members. The role is responsible for coaching, developing, directing, and supporting team members in the execution of the Bank's SBA lending strategy.
What skills and qualifications does this employee need?
Education
- Bachelor's degree in business, finance, accounting, economics, or a related field required.
Work Experience
- 10 or more years of commercial lending experience required, including at least 5 years of direct SBA 7(a) lending experience in a leadership, management, or senior program oversight capacity.
- Strong working knowledge of SBA 7(a) lending required.
- Demonstrated people leadership experience within SBA or commercial lending required.
- Experience with SBA eligibility, underwriting, packaging, closing, servicing, liquidation, and guaranty preservation required.
- Experience interacting with SBA offices, audit, loan review, compliance, credit administration, regulators, or similar oversight functions preferred.
- Established SBA industry relationships, referral networks, or participation in SBA-focused trade organizations preferred.
Certifications
- Formal credit training preferred.
- Relevant SBA, National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL), Risk Management Association (RMA), Graduate School of Banking, or similar commercial lending training preferred.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Ability to lead an SBA lending function through daily execution, team leadership, business development oversight, and strategic growth.
- Strong technical knowledge of SBA 7(a) lending requirements, including eligibility, structure, underwriting, documentation, closing, servicing, and guaranty preservation.
- Sound credit judgment with the ability to balance responsible portfolio growth, client experience, SBA compliance, and risk management.
- The ability to promote clear processes, practical workflows, consistent execution, and strong internal coordination.
- Strong communication and presentation skills, including the ability to explain complex SBA, credit, and program matters to management and committee audiences.
- Collaborative leadership style with the ability to work effectively across Credit, Compliance, Operations, Risk, Legal, Audit, Portfolio Management, and Executive Leadership.
- High integrity, sound judgment, attention to detail, and commitment to building a sustainable SBA lending program.
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