Senior Loan Officer
Join California FarmLink’s lending team to support the prosperity of California farmers and ranchers, ensure equitable access to economic opportunity, and support environmental stewardship and vibrant local food systems. This position plays a key role in FarmLink’s agricultural lending as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), providing underserved farmers and ranchers with access to capital and technical assistance. The Senior Loan Officer will drive growth in FarmLink’s agricultural small business and microlending through strong relationships with farmers, ranchers and fishers, key supply chain actors, lenders, and diverse referral partners.
Business Development and Origination
- Build on existing network to expand FarmLink’s reach into diverse agricultural communities across the state to identify farmers that face barriers to accessing capital
- Cultivate relationships that are synergistic with FarmLink’s mission, and provide an efficient pipeline of high quality deal referrals that fit our target market
- Generate repeat business and receive borrower referrals
- Screen potential loan applicants for eligibility
- Conduct high-level financial analysis of applicant businesses to determine likelihood of approval, and appropriate loan structure
- Provide loan readiness and credit management technical assistance to prospective borrowers, and refer to internal/external service providers as needed
- Support Director of Lending in managing loan pipeline to ensure timely response to prospective borrowers, and appropriate pipeline composition
Lending
- Contribute to FarmLink loan production goals, primarily through small business and agricultural real estate lending, and collaborative lending arrangements with partners; loans typically range from $100,000 – $2,000,000
- Work with Loan Administration staff to prepare closing documents, schedule and conduct closings
Manage lending relationship with borrowers
- Support borrower success by providing business coaching and making referrals to internal/external service providers as needed
- Monitor portfolio for quality and performance, including support to manage delinquencies and collections, compliance with loan covenants, adjusting risk ratings quarterly, and restructures
Underwrite and make loan recommendations on small business and agricultural real estate loans
- Analyze financial information to assess business viability, repayment capacity, credit quality and document risk factors and mitigations
- Conduct research to obtain information necessary to complete underwriting
- Prepare written analyses
- Present loan requests to FarmLink Loan Committee
Risk Management and Policy
- Partner with and support Loan Administration staff to achieve program goals around loan performance and risk management
- Develop deep knowledge of FarmLink’s lending policies
- Identify and implement lending and servicing policy improvements
Capacity Building
- Support achievement of program goals as time allows, including projects in evaluation, investor relations and reporting, fundraising, communications, loan operations, or other areas
- Participate in professional development opportunities to grow knowledge and skills to carry out position responsibilities and support FarmLink’s mission
- A minimum of five years relevant lending experience at a CDFI, ag lender such as FSA or Farm Credit, community bank or other financial institution
- Strong financial analysis skills, experience exercising judgment, willingness to make hard decisions
- Bilingual, with the ability to communicate the written and spoken word in both English and Spanish
- Working knowledge (or ability to obtain working knowledge) of government guarantee programs such as USDA Farm Service Agency, Small Business Administration and others
- Fluency with Microsoft Office, Google Productivity Suite, CRM and loan management systems
- Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, well-disciplined, able to manage multiple and competing deadlines with calmness and courtesy
- Demonstrated self-starter that can work independently, take initiative, and prioritize time wisely
- Highly effective communicator and adept at building relationships
- Ability to provide excellent customer service to both clients and FarmLink team members - in person, on the phone and via email
- Possess flexibility, creativity, patience, and a desire to have a positive impact in the world
- An undergraduate degree in business administration, finance, community development or other relevant field is required. For this position, FarmLink may also consider the equivalent combination of education and work experience.
- Native Spanish speaker
- Experience in and knowledge of sustainable agriculture, with a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges farmers, ranchers and fishers face
Please email a thoughtful cover letter explaining your interest in the position and organization with resume to: humanresources@cafarmlink.org. No phone calls please. Posted March 2023; applications accepted on a rolling basis; open until filled.
The mission of California FarmLink is to invest in the prosperity of farmers and ranchers through lending, education, and access to land. We value equitable access to opportunity, resilient working landscapes, fairness and accountability, and learning from diverse farmers and ranchers. For more info, and to learn about FarmLink’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) visit our DEI Principles.
