Community Loan Officer (Denver Metro)
Company: Colorado Enterprise Fund
Location: Denver, CO
Job Function: Business Development
Background
Who We Are:
Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF) is a nonprofit business lending organization dedicated to the success of small businesses in Colorado. We target our financing resources to underserved communities – primarily
Black, Latino, women and veteran owned businesses, especially those located in low to moderate income areas. We’re committed to creating meaningful impact in Colorado’s communities by providing
equitable and affordable business financing for entrepreneurs who cannot access bank loans or other financial resources.
At CEF we see our community impact through job creation, wealth building for disadvantaged populations, and the growth and success of the businesses we fund. As a Community Development
Financial Institution (CDFI), we offer loans, grants, and free business coaching to entrepreneurs to help them succeed. We were founded in 1976, and in our 45+ years of business lending, we have financed
over 5,500 businesses with loans totaling over $182 million, which has helped create and maintain over 31,800 jobs in Colorado. Our average loan size is $45,000. In addition to our lending work, we were able
to help deploy over $67 million in business grants to Colorado businesses impacted by COVID 19. We have received numerous awards recognizing the impact of our lending, including the National
Nonprofit Lender of the Year from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Martin Luther King Business Ethics Award and the Impact Catalyst Award.
Take a look at our website at https://coloradoenterprisefund.org/
Summary
We have an immediate opening for an exceptional, experienced Community Loan Officer (CLO). This is an important role with the ability to make a large impact in the Colorado small business
community. We’re looking for someone who believes what Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Whatever your life’s work do it well. A person should do their job so well that the living, the unborn and the dead could
do it no better.” We need someone who understands that serving others will make them the most successful. We are looking for a great CLO who fits well within our dynamic culture of “aggressive
teamwork” and who believes deeply in providing the right products and services to prospects and customers.
The main duties of our CLO’s at CEF is to connect with referral sources such as banks, SBA offices, SBDC’s and other community organizations to cultivate and manage loan applications to completed
funding. Your ability to build trust will be critical to your success both with referral sources and Colorado small business owners. Your dynamic, curious, intelligent, persistent, creative, driven
character will be your primary differentiators. This role requires a self–motivated driven individual who is comfortable building relationships across a wide variety of spectrums. Key attributes for success
include:
• Highly Relational… You will need to connect with and build relationships with others every day. You will need to have incredible listening skills, the ability to tune into the conversation your counterpart is willing to have, and a healthy dose of humility to make this work.
• Critical Thinking… even when identifying multiple “correct” options, the ability to quickly determine if a business can be supported through a CEF loan will be critical to customer satisfaction.
• Positive Attitude… with a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
• Self–Confident… comfortable talking with anyone and having conversations on topics where they may know more than you.
• Urgency… We need someone who gets busy, right now. If you like to drive action and activity, this is the right job for you.
• Empathy & Cultural awareness… The ability to put yourself into your counterpart’s shoes and understand how the world must look to them.
• Excellent Communications Skills… Spoken and written communications skills are tremendously important to be effective in this role.
• Organized and CRM proficient… if you think you can keep the details of your activities and your solutions in your head or on paper notes, you can’t handle the level of activity in this job.
• Flexible… Comfortable with change and working under pressure.
• Passion…you believe entrepreneurship is a means of economic mobility and you are energized by being an advocate for our customers.
Responsibilities
The Community Loan Officer is responsible for loan cultivation, advancement, and the growth of CEF’s small business lending portfolio. This role is focused on outreach within the small business community,
interfacing with banks, financial institutions, other nonprofit and economic development organizations, and the business community at large. The position is directly responsible for the cultivation, origination,
and packaging of business loans less than $100,000. This is a key business partner role; constantly examining and developing methods that increase CEF’s market presence, production, and processing efficiency.
Essential Duties/Responsibilities
• Develop new and manage existing partnerships to produce loans that align with CEF’s mission leveraging a wide variety of loan programs
• Meet monthly lead, application, and loan targets
• Close minimum of $500,000 in new loans within first 12 months, $1M within 24 months
• Successfully establish and maintain business relationships with bank partners, community leaders and current / potential borrowers
• Effectively communicate with clients and internal departments
• Serve as the key relationship manager of loan applicants
• Participate and support in loan packaging by gathering required loan documentation with applicants
• Assemble and submit complete loan packages to underwriting staff
• Successfully manage the quality of your loan portfolio (delinquency and write–offs)
• Conduct site, collection, and follow–up visits to current clients
• Conduct collateral inspections for loan applicants
• Participate in loan closings
• Confer with CEF’s Loan Committee and Underwriting Manager(s) concerning various issues of loan policy and overall credit quality of your portfolio
Requirements
Education/Experience
• Bachelor’s Degree preferred, especially in Business, accounting, finance, economics, or other similar areas. Coursework in these areas will be considered.
• Minimum 2 years of direct small business lending experience, business development, and or sales experience including commercial real estate lending, mortgage lending, fixed asset financing, working capital loans or accounts receivable financing.
• Working knowledge of business financial statements and tax returns is essential.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
• A strong sense of ownership, accountability, critical thinking skills; must also be able to work successfully in an autonomous environment
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills that can drive action and influence decision making activity
• Experience with client relationship management (CRM) software
• Experience with Microsoft Office suite; particularly Word, PowerPoint and Excel
It Would Be Great If You Had
• In–depth knowledge of credit and cashflow assessment
• Existing referral partner relationships throughout Colorado
• Bilingual (Spanish/English)
Compensation and Benefits
Salary: $65,000-$80,000
Benefits
CEF has a generous benefits package. We currently provide health, vision, dental and life insurance, as well as short–term disability coverage. CEF also offers a 403b retirement plan with employer matching
up to 3% of an employee’s contribution. CEF also offers a Flexible Spending Account for childcare and health care. Our paid time off policies include ten (10) paid holidays per year, paid vacation, and paid
health and wellness time. We offer flexible work arrangements.
How to Apply
What Next?
If you’re a sales professional and you’ve gotten this far and remain enthused about joining our team, then you should take the initiative. Please submit your CV and cover letter to heather@syntuity.com, recruiting specialist, to start the process. We look forward to hearing from you!