First Entertainment Credit Union is seeking a strategic, results-driven Director, Commercial Lending Operations to lead commercial lending operations, including originations, underwriting, processing, funding, portfolio management, and portfolio review. This role is responsible for profitable growth, sound credit quality, efficient operations, and continued development of CRE, C&I, and related business lending solutions.
The Director, Commercial Lending Operations develops and implements lending strategies to achieve business growth and profitability targets. The role also partners with the CLO to oversee commercial credit policies, portfolio risk management, credit administration standards, and post-closing portfolio oversight. Provide portfolio analytics, emerging risk assessments, and lending recommendations to management, committees, and governance bodies.
This is a full-time, hybrid opportunity reporting to the Chief Lending Officer and is based in Hollywood, CA. The targeted pay for California is between $130,000 and $170,000.
Responsibilities
- Execute and monitor the strategic and operational activities of the commercial lending department as well as identifying new business opportunities and market segments.
- Lead and manage the commercial lending team, providing mentorship and support.
- Oversee underwriting, structuring, approval, and administration of commercial credit relationships, ensuring sound credit decisions, appropriate risk identification, risk mitigation, loan structure, covenants, risk ratings, and compliance with policy, laws, and regulations.
- Serve as the senior credit expert for complex CRE transactions, including investor-owned and owner-occupied, income-producing, mixed-use, multifamily, industrial, office, and retail properties. Provide supervisory analysis and approval of credit relationships, evaluating cash flow, borrower and guarantor strength, collateral value, market conditions, DSCR, LTV, global cash flow, concentration risk, and covenant structure.
- Lead and enhance C&I and SBA lending capabilities, including business lines of credit, term loans, equipment financing, borrower cash flow analysis, collateral monitoring, and servicing expectations.
- Represent Commercial Lending with regulators, examiners, auditors, and other oversight bodies, including NCUA, DBO, and SBA, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, audits, examinations, and commercial lending requirements.
- Partner with Sales to ensure loan product acquisition and retention through the sales channel is properly coordinated. Utilize available resources to ensure a smooth workflow between commercial lending and business services.
- Proactively research and develop Commercial products, services, and innovative concepts to introduce into the Credit Union portfolio to maintain a competitive position in Commercial loan and related services.
- Review, approve and present credit presentations to Senior and Executive leadership completed by your team. Provide coaching, editing and feedback, where necessary.
- Stay updated on market trends and regulatory changes affecting commercial lending and effectively communicate these trends.
- Co-manage the budgets, policies, procedures, pricing, underwriting standards, funding practices, reporting, and back-office administration for CRE, C&I, SBA, loan participations, and related commercial products.
- Collaborate with internal functions, such as underwriting, risk management, and compliance, to streamline processes, resolve issues, and ensure timely loan closings.
- Perform other responsibilities as assigned.
At First Entertainment, your role and every role are essential to our Mission [We build lifelong financial relationships with the people in entertainment based on a deep understanding of how they live and work], Core Values [ Members First + Ownership + Integrity + Innovation + Inclusivity + One Team], and we expect you to uphold them.
Requirements
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited college is highly preferred.
- Minimum of 10 years’ experience in commercial lending in a full-service financial institution or comparable experience in a related position.
- At least 5 years in a managerial or leadership role.
- SBA lending experience and understanding is a strong plus, including familiarity with SBA program requirements, eligibility, underwriting, documentation, guaranty, servicing, and post-closing expectations.
- Comprehensive knowledge of CRE and C&I underwriting, including investor and owner-occupied real estate, business lines of credit, term loans, equipment loans, construction lending, loan participations, and related collateral structures.
- Demonstrated ability to negotiate and structure Commercial loan proposals and pricing.
- Strong understanding of commercial credit analysis, including cash flow, global DSCR, tax returns, rent rolls, lease review, appraisal review, guarantor/sponsor strength, industry and market risk, risk ratings, covenants, and portfolio concentration management.
- Demonstrated experience managing commercial portfolios after closing, including annual reviews, covenant compliance, financial statement tracking, collateral monitoring, renewals, modifications, maturity management, criticized/classified assets, and problem loan resolution.
- Demonstrated ability to build, scale, and manage a commercial lending platform across underwriting, credit administration, loan operations, servicing, portfolio management, and risk management.
- Strong knowledge of NCUA commercial lending regulations, SBA requirements, loan review practices, allowance methodologies, commercial credit administration, and commercial credit risk management best practices.
- Experience presenting commercial credit matters, portfolio performance, emerging risks, examination responses, and strategic lending recommendations to executive management, boards of directors, auditors, examiners, and regulatory agencies.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills across all levels of audience.
- Proven ability to drive results and manage a team effectively.
- Proficiency in loan origination software, and Microsoft Office suite, namely excel.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college
- Minimum of 10 years' experience in commercial lending in a full-service financial institution or comparable experience
- At least 5 years in a managerial or leadership role
- SBA lending experience and understanding (program requirements, eligibility, underwriting, documentation, guaranty, servicing, post-closing)
- Comprehensive knowledge of CRE and C&I underwriting (investor and owner-occupied real estate, lines of credit, term loans, equipment loans, construction lending, loan participations)
- Ability to negotiate and structure commercial loan proposals and pricing
- Strong understanding of commercial credit analysis (cash flow, DSCR, tax returns, rent rolls, appraisal review, guarantor strength, covenants, concentration management)
- Experience managing commercial portfolios after closing (annual reviews, covenant compliance, collateral monitoring, renewals, problem loan resolution)
- Demonstrated ability to build, scale, and manage a commercial lending platform across underwriting, credit administration, loan operations, servicing, portfolio management, and risk management
- Strong knowledge of NCUA commercial lending regulations, SBA requirements, loan review practices, allowance methodologies, and commercial credit risk management best practices
- Experience presenting commercial credit matters, portfolio performance, emerging risks, and examination responses to executive management, boards, auditors, and regulators
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Proven ability to drive results and manage a team effectively
- Proficiency in loan origination software and Microsoft Office suite, namely Excel
What the Team is Saying
First Entertainment Credit Union Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off is advertised at a minimum of four weeks for full‑time new hires in year one, plus sick days, holidays, and volunteer time off. Hybrid work is also available for eligible roles, supporting work‑life balance.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, and vision coverage are provided alongside life and AD&D, FSAs, an Employee Assistance Program, and gym reimbursement. Options are noted to include Kaiser and Anthem in recent materials.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with employer match is offered, with potential annual profit‑sharing contributions. These programs sit alongside other financial perks such as reduced‑rate employee loans.
First Entertainment Credit Union Insights
What We Do
Named one of the top 10 Credit Union in California by Forbes, First Entertainment Credit Union has been the financial ally since 1967 for the creators of entertainment and those who support them. With more than 2.1 billion in assets and over 90,000 members, we are constantly looking for talents to help us build a high trust, high performance and workplace of choice culture while growing our business. As a teammate, you will enjoy an inclusive workplace culture and an employer-of-choice environment. At First Entertainment Credit Union we believe Your Story Matters and that includes our members, employees, community, and those interested in joining our growing team.
Why Work With Us
At First Entertainment, we believe our teammates are capable of great things. We celebrate their commitment to excellence and aim to foster that dedication through both professional and personal growth. We don't believe in merely employing workers but in empowering future leaders. We help our teammates bring their own career stories to life.
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Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
