Credit Manager in Ann Arbor, Michigan at Bank of Ann Arbor

Position Overview

The Credit Manager plays a central role in maintaining the safety and soundness of the bank’s credit portfolio. This position leads credit underwriting, approval, and portfolio oversight across commercial, commercial real estate, and private banking relationships.

The role blends strong technical expertise with decisive, results-oriented leadership—ensuring credit decisions align with the bank’s appetite, regulatory expectations, and growth objectives, while fostering accountability, collaboration, and disciplined execution across lending and risk functions. At times, there could be periods of work induced stress and extended hours.

Key Responsibilities

Credit Risk Management & Underwriting

• Oversee credit underwriting and approval processes across all assigned portfolios.
• Approve loans within delegated authority; escalate as appropriate to Senior Management or Loan Committees, including the Board of Directors.
• Ensure high-quality credit analysis, including financial, cash flow, collateral, and guarantor evaluation.
• Apply credit policy and regulatory guidance consistently across all decisions.

Portfolio Oversight & Risk Monitoring

• Monitor and assess overall portfolio performance, including covenant compliance, policy exceptions, and emerging risk trends
• Lead periodic and annual credit reviews to validate risk ratings, loan structure, guarantor support, and overall credit quality
• Oversee the real estate appraisal and appraisal review process to ensure compliance and sound collateral valuation
• Identify, analyze, and escalate emerging credit risks, supporting timely and well-informed risk mitigation strategies
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Chief Credit Officer by providing proactive insight into developing risks, complex credits, and trends that may adversely impact portfolio performance
• Support the development and execution of portfolio strategies to maintain credit quality and align with the bank’s risk appetite

Problem Loan & Risk Mitigation

• Partner with Special Assets and lending teams on problem loan identification and resolution strategies
• Support credit actions including modifications, downgrades, and exit strategies
• Drive timely resolution of credit issues through disciplined follow-through and accountability

Leadership & Collaboration

• Partner closely with relationship managers, loan operations, compliance, and finance to support prudent growth
• Coach and develop credit analysts, ensuring strong analytical standards, sound judgment, and consistent execution
• Provide clear direction on complex transactions and structuring considerations
• Foster an environment of constructive dialogue by respectfully challenging assumptions and encouraging balanced, well-supported credit decisions

Reporting & Governance

• Oversee the preparation of reports on portfolio trends, risk metrics, and exception reporting to senior management and committees
• Support internal audits, loan review, and regulatory examinations with timely and accurate information
• Recommend enhancements to credit policy, processes, and underwriting standards

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive commercial credit experience, including underwriting and portfolio management.
• Strong experience analyzing complex financials, global cash flow, collateral structures, and guarantor support.
• Solid understanding of commercial lending structures, risk rating systems, and loan policy governance.
• Knowledge of applicable banking regulations and supervisory expectations.
• Prior leadership or mentoring experience preferred.
• Artificial Intelligence (Ai) experience preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong credit judgment and risk assessment, with the ability to balance risk and growth objectives
• Advanced financial analysis and problem-solving skills with a practical, solutions-oriented mindset
• Willingness to respectfully challenge others and engage in constructive conflict to arrive at the best credit decision
• Confidence to form, articulate, and advocate for well-reasoned viewpoints
• Results-oriented with a strong sense of ownership and accountability
• Ability to make sound, timely decisions within authority limits and drive issues through to resolution
• Clear, confident and persuasive written and verbal communication skills
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with multiple competing priorities
• Demonstrated ability to influence, guide, and align others toward a defined outcome
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust, and foster collaboration across functions
• High level of professional maturity, objectivity, and sound judgment

Leadership Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day direction, coaching, and quality oversight to credit analysts and support staff including workflow prioritization, performance feedback, and team development.
• Clearly communicate expectations, establish priorities, and hold team members accountable for results and quality standards
• Lead with a proactive, action-oriented approach that drives execution and ensures work is completed effectively and on time
• Serve as a role model for professionalism, sound judgment, and constructive engagement across the organization
• Lead by example in supporting the bank’s commitment to community engagement by actively participating in and promoting community service initiatives and fostering a culture that reflects the values and visibility expected of a community banking organization.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.