Credit Officer - Project Finance, Director

SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group. Headquartered in Tokyo and with a 400-year history, SMBC Group offers a diverse range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has more than 130 offices and 80,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries.

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, which is one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG’s shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York (NYSE: SMFG) stock exchanges.

In the Americas, SMBC Group has a presence in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Backed by the capital strength of SMBC Group and the value of its relationships in Asia, the Group offers a range of commercial and investment banking services to its corporate, institutional, and municipal clients. It connects a diverse client base to local markets and the organization’s extensive global network.

The Group’s operating companies in the Americas include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SMBC Capital Markets, Inc., SMBC MANUBANK, JRI America, Inc., SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., Banco Sumitomo Mitsui Brasileiro S.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd.

The anticipated salary range for this role is between $178,000.00 and $231,000.00. The specific salary offered to an applicant will be based on their individual qualifications, experiences, and an analysis of the current compensation paid in their geography and the market for similar roles at the time of hire. The role may also be eligible for an annual discretionary incentive award.

In addition to cash compensation, SMBC offers a competitive portfolio of benefits to its employees.

Role Description

SMBC is seeking a Credit Officer with strong credit and quantitative skills to analyze the credit risk and various elements of project finance transactions in North America and Latin America. Coverage includes renewable and conventional power, natural resources and infrastructure.

As part of SMBC’s 2LoD, the Credit Officer’s main responsibility entails the review of credit applications submitted by the front office (1LoD) and to prepare executive summaries for the management of the Credit Department.

Responsibilities

• Analyze various risk elements of project finance transactions in North America and Latin America, and present written executive summaries to the management of the Credit Department.
• Oversee the maintenance of credit quality and provide feedback to business units to ensure consistent and complete credit applications. Also, provide guidance, as necessary, to business units to ensure compliance with internal standards.
• Provide feedback to the front office on deal structures to mitigate identified risks.
• Closely review transaction grading models to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Monitor and supervise problem loans including Warning/Special Mention Obligors and present written memorandum/reports to management.
• Manage compliance with internal policies, work flow procedures, regulations, etc.
• Utilize deep understanding of US Regulatory Classification guidelines to review and approve proposed risk ratings.
• In-depth knowledge of project finance, in addition to corporate finance and accounting, is required.
• Critical thinking and ability to analyze a vast and complex amount of information and quickly render credit decisions.
• Experience in facing the regulators at the SNC, TLR, etc exams and knowledge of regulatory ratings is a plus.
• Risk sensitivity and ability to steer decisions through discussions with the business units.

Qualifications and Skills

• Minimum of 5 -7 years relevant work experience preferably in the credit department of a major project finance bank.
• Superior attention to details, ability to quickly individuate and focus on the key risks factors of highly structured transactions and visually present complex concepts with graphs, tables and flow charts.
• Flexibility to work under tight deadlines and in a multitasking environment.

SMBC’s employees participate in a Hybrid workforce model that provides employees with an opportunity to work from home, as well as, from an SMBC office. SMBC requires that employees live within a reasonable commuting distance of their office location. Prospective candidates will learn more about their specific hybrid work schedule during their interview process.

Hybrid work may not be permitted for certain roles, including, for example, certain FINRA-registered roles for which in-office attendance for the entire workweek is required.

SMBC provides reasonable accommodations during candidacy for applicants with disabilities consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please let us know at accommodations@smbcgroup.com.