Benefits Overview

A career at CoBank can offer you the opportunity to make a personal impact on the people and communities where we do business. When you choose a career with CoBank, you make a difference by doing work that matters. In order to be the best, we hire the best!

Remarkable Benefits offered by CoBank

• Competitive Compensation & Incentive
• Hybrid work model - flexible work arrangements for most positions
• Benefits Packages, including: Medical, Dental and Vision coverage, Disability, AD&D, and Life Insurance
• CoBank University robust curriculum –associate training and development, including higher education tuition reimbursement
• Outstanding 401k – up to 6% matching and an additional 3% non-elective contribution
• Time-Off Packages – Vacation 15 days, 10 Paid Sick Days, and 11 Paid Holidays
• Community Impact – United Way Angel Day, Volunteer Day and Associate Directed Contribution
• Associate Resource Groups – creating a culture of diversity and inclusion
• Recognize a fellow associate with “GEM” awards, including a monetary value
• On-site Fitness Center and Cafe
• ECO transportation pass provided to every Denver associate

Job Description

At CoBank, our Senior Portfolio Officer/Senior Portfolio Manager manages, analyzes, and underwrites credit for the portfolio businesses owned by Financial Sponsors and other non-traditional investors, whose investments are concentrated within the food, beverage, and agribusiness sectors. Contributes to the design, structure, and content of pitches for lead arranger or agency opportunities, and recommends credit decisions as appropriate. Supports CoBank’s engagement of and collaboration with the Farm Credit System, and facilitates (in collaboration with CoBank Capital Markets and CoBank Legal Loan Processing) both primary loan origination and secondary loan trading activities with other banks and investors. Develops and advances their own individual assigned functional specialization. Portfolio business analysis includes current, historical, and projected financial condition and repayment capacity. Prepares clear, substantive, credit reports for loan committee in conformity with bank policies and procedures. Consults with lending staff and other origination channel contacts on appropriate loan structures. Takes a leadership role in managing the credit origination process from application through final approval, closing, booking, and servicing. Approves or co-sponsors credits within prescribed credit limits. Adds value to Financial Sponsor relationships through the management of portfolio businesses, and supports the achievement of profitability and credit quality goals through interactions with CoBank staff and portfolio customers. Improves processes to make them more efficient. Generates business insight through data analytics to aid business decisions including portfolio risk management. Critically examines and rebalances current portfolio holdings when necessary in collaboration with CoBank Capital Markets and CoBank Credit Approvals Group.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Reviews audits, interim statements, projections, and other pertinent financial information to provide analysis of financial trends. Acquires information from published industry reports, trade groups, journals, and other external sources to supplement and enhance the analysis of information provided by the Financial Sponsor or investor.
• Identifies strengths and weaknesses of the borrower entity(ies) and evaluates specific risks to the bank. Prepares projection models to test loan-structuring alternatives. Evaluates validity of the borrower’s business plan based on an assessment of the industry outlook, competition, technology, management, and capital structure. Provides estimates of company and/or collateral value.
• Prepares and oversees the preparation of credit analyses and credit investigations to ensure the application of a relevant and thorough approach. Offers opinions concerning credit-worthiness. Oversees the credit approval process. Understands and follows bank guidelines, policies, and procedures for the preparation and presentation of credit information.
• Assists with negotiations concerning the packaging of credit arrangements including loan structuring, loan pricing, and syndication strategy within and outside of the Farm Credit System. Consults with lending staff and provides coaching on negotiation strategy, financing approaches, or other specific credit issues. Takes a lead role in managing credit administration, account servicing, development, loan structuring, packaging, loan closing, documentation, and monitoring.
• Monitors credit quality of accounts to identify emerging trends and ensure ongoing compliance with covenants. Notifies broader relationship team, lending, and/or credit staff of emerging issues as appropriate. Proactively and dynamically manages CoBank’s hold positions within individual portfolio businesses to calibrate and optimize risk-return for CoBank.
• Assists with internal research and analysis, provides statistical reports, and verifies information. Prepares and delivers presentations on topics as assigned.
• Identifies areas for improvement in templates, spreadsheets, programs, systems, and procedures used in credit origination process. Proposes possible solutions to problems.
• Develops and utilizes computerized spreadsheets, programs, and other automated tools for credit analysis, special projects, or presentations.
• Approves or recommends credits for approval based on research and analysis.
• Maintains expertise in leveraged lending. Keeps abreast of industry trends and competitive environment.
• Provides coaching and consultation on complex credit analysis, financing techniques, and other matters related to the delivery of credit.
• Maintains in depth innovative credit skills.
• Senior Portfolio Managers may formally or informally manage other associates.
• Participates in special projects, and performs other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree business, finance, or relevant discipline;
• Formal commercial or corporate credit training, or a Master’s degree or MBA in either accounting or finance, or a CFA Level II or higher;
• Five (5) or more years of credit experience in leveraged lending including direct experience structuring and underwriting large, complex senior secured leveraged loans.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
• Expert knowledge of complex lending including leveraged lending, financial structuring and credit arrangements, and bank products.
• Industry expert knowledge of credit and financial analysis, including cash flow analysis, balance sheet analysis, profitability, liquidity, and solvency analysis.
• Advanced knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), taxation, legal forms of organizations, and business law.
• Advanced knowledge of financial modeling techniques and preparation of pro forma financial statements.
• Expert knowledge of credit underwriting policies, procedures, processes, collateral valuation, and documentation.
• Advanced ability to perform discounted cash flow analysis, capital budgeting (internal rate of return, net present value, etc.), and equity valuation calculations.
• Knowledge of specific assigned industry, including key risks and long term issues.
• Ability to consolidate many resources to complete the "deal."
• Ability to work independently with minimal guidance, establishing strategic objectives, project plans and milestone goals, as well as collaboratively in a team environment.
• Proven problem solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively and build and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of associates, management, and internal customers across the bank.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to deliver commitments while juggling multiple projects and priorities. Ability to work effectively under deadline pressures, and adjust quickly and effectively to changing priorities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills, with demonstrated ability to clearly articulate messages to a variety of audiences. Excellent active listening skills.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access).

Compensation Information

• Estimated Base Salary Range: $120,000-$180,000
• Target short-term incentive opportunity:25% or 30% 

About CoBank

CoBank is a cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 76,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country. CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

CoBank requires all newly hired associates to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and new hires will be asked to register their proof of vaccination. Any offer of employment will be conditioned upon an applicant supplying proof of vaccination against COVID-19; provided, however that CoBank may provide a reasonable accommodation for an applicant’s known disability or sincerely held religious belief.