SBA Specialty Finance Officer

BMO is the 8th largest bank in North America and the 4th largest commercial lender with aggressive growth ambitions in the U.S. We are driven by a single purpose : to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. Our Purpose informs our strategy, drives our ambition, and reinforces our commitments to progress : for a thriving economy, a sustainable future, and an inclusive society.

This exciting role provides Small Business Administration (SBA) lending expertise for an assigned territory within the BMO Commercial Bank serving the Emerging Middle Market and clients with $10 to $50 million revenues. Specialty Finance Officer will create an effective internal and external network for successful Commercial Banking / Emerging Middle Market (EMM) client acquisition opportunities. Assures that all SBA lending is conducted in compliance with internal controls and adherence to audit, regulatory, and compliance policies. Supports EMM Relationship Managers (and other internal lead sources) on identified SBA opportunities. In partnership with the assigned RM teams, and independently, implements, reviews, and revises short-term (3-12 months) and long-term (1-2 year) rolling sales strategies and tactical plans. Identifies profitable business prospects and creates a network of referral sources for the assigned territory that meets or exceeds sales, service, revenue, share of wallet, and loyalty targets. Supports the RM team in sales of commercial banking (EMM) products and comprehensive, holistic financial solutions, and identifies and initiates cross-sell opportunities in the best interest of the customer. Refers complex sales of financing, cash management, and personal banking products to the appropriate partners.

Develops and maintains relationships with service providers and internal business partners to align customer needs with tailored products and services.

Applies professional consultative sales and business development principles, practices, and techniques to identify, negotiate, and structure initial transactions within the Bank's risk appetite.

Conducts field-level financial analysis of prospective SBA lending opportunities and seeks to determine SBA loan program eligibility (per current SBA Standard Operating Procedures).

Proposes loan solution structures and terms according to current bank SBA offering.

Identifies risks and takes appropriate actions, including all documentation and other regulatory requirements to maintain operational integrity.

Reviews and monitors sales, revenue, and share of wallet performance against plan to identify gaps, develop action plans, and share best practices.

Provides expertise and experience to enhance the Bank's community presence.

Transfers prospective customer relationships to relationship managers for future revenue generation and to support customer retention efforts.

Acts as first level of escalation for client complaint issues and responds to and resolves complex client inquiries regarding SBA commercial banking products (and tertiary products and services).

Develops and delivers sales programs and initiatives to achieve sales results targeted to customer needs.

Develops referral strategies to achieve profitability objectives.

Collaborates with internal pricing teams on pricing decisions for sustained revenue growth.

Supports the execution of strategic initiatives in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Helps determine business priorities and best sequence for execution of business / group strategy.

Conducts independent analysis and assessment to resolve strategic issues.

Integrates information from multiple sources to enable more efficient processes, enhance analysis and / or streamline reporting.

Breaks down strategic problems, and analyses data and information to provide insights and recommendations.

Monitors and tracks performance and addresses any issues.

Designs and produces regular and ad-hoc reports, and dashboards.

Builds change management plans of varying scope and type; leads or participates in a variety of change management activities including readiness assessments, planning, stakeholder management, execution, evaluation and sustainment of initiatives.

Leads or participates in defining the communication plan designed to positively influence or change behavior; develops tailored messaging; and identifies appropriate distribution channels.

Identifies business needs, designs, develops tools and training programs; may include delivery of training to audiences; may have broader, enterprise-wide focus.

Applies territory management, relationship selling, and expansion strategies to analyze performance against market potential.

Follows security and safeguarding procedures and applies due diligence in accordance with Bank's policies and ethical standards for the prevention of loss due to fraud, robbery, counterfeiting, money laundering, or defalcation.

Adheres to business banking lending processes, policies, procedures, legal, regulatory, audit, and ethical requirements.

Maintains the confidentiality of customer and Bank information in compliance with Bank policies and procedures.

Participates in projects and other activities designed to improve the customer experience.

Liaises between clients and various departments across the organization to discuss issues, procedures, and provide product support and expertise.

Focus is primarily on Emerging Middle Market within BMO; may have broader, enterprise-wide focus.

Provides specialized consulting, analytical, and technical support.

Exercises judgment to identify, diagnose, and solve problems within given rules.

Works independently and regularly handles non-routine situations.

Broader work or accountabilities may be assigned as needed.

Qualifications :

Typically, between 7- 10 years of direct SBA lending / underwriting experience and post-secondary degree in related field of study or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

If a Credit Qualifiable job, Credit Qualifications and associated credit knowledge and skills according to the established qualification standards.

Advanced understanding of business banking products, lending process and directives, credit risk policies and standards, and supporting processes, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Good understanding of capital structures to identify referrals.

Strong knowledge of portfolio management and related credit qualification and adjudication standards, policies, and procedures.

Strong interpersonal, sales, customer service, and negotiation skills.

Deep knowledge and technical proficiency gained through extensive education and business experience.

Verbal & written communication skills - In-depth.

Collaboration & team skills - In-depth.

Analytical and problem-solving skills - In-depth.

Influence skills - In-depth.

Data driven decision making - In-depth.

Salary :

$88,800.00 - $165,600.00

Pay Type : Salaried

The above represents BMO Financial Group's pay range and type.

Salaries will vary based on factors such as location, skills, experience, education, and qualifications for the role, and may include a commission structure. Salaries for part-time roles will be pro-rated based on number of hours regularly worked. For commission roles, the salary listed above represents BMO Financial Group's expected target for the first year in this position.

BMO Financial Group's total compensation package will vary based on the pay type of the position and may include performance-based incentives, discretionary bonuses, as well as other perks and rewards. BMO also offers health insurance, tuition reimbursement, accident and life insurance, and retirement savings plans. To view more details of our benefits, please visit :

About Us

At BMO we are driven by a shared Purpose : Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. It calls on us to create lasting, positive change for our customers, our communities and our people. By working together, innovating and pushing boundaries, we transform lives and businesses, and power economic growth around the world.

As a member of the BMO team you are valued, respected and heard, and you have more ways to grow and make an impact. We strive to help you make an impact from day one - for yourself and our customers. We'll support you with the tools and resources you need to reach new milestones, as you help our customers reach theirs. From in-depth training and coaching, to manager support and network-building opportunities, we'll help you gain valuable experience, and broaden your skillset.

To find out more visit us at

BMO is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or any other legally protected characteristics. We also consider applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.

BMO is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to BMOCareers.Support@bmo.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

Note to Recruiters : BMO does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to BMO, directly or indirectly, will be considered BMO property. BMO will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. A recruiting agency must first have a valid, written and fully executed agency agreement contract for service to submit resumes.