Special Assets Officer

Description

WHO WE ARE

City First Bank N.A. is a mission-driven Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) principally focused on a transformative impact in underserved, urban markets with the highest needs to drive equitable economic development. Our credit activities are purely commercial and focused on the following segments: Multifamily Affordable Housing, Not-for-Profit Finance, and Small Business Finance. As a depository and commercial lending provider with over $1.3 billion in bank assets as of December 31, 2025, our unified organization has over 100 employees in Washington DC and Los Angeles/Inglewood, CA.

Role Summary

The duties of the Special Assets Officer include managing and mitigating loss for a commercial loan portfolio of Criticized loans, and specifically identified complex Watched Assets and Commercial Real Estate Loans (CRE).

Essential Functions And Responsibilities

• Working in collaboration with the Bank’s senior leadership team and Chief Credit Officer assisting with management of the Bank’s loan portfolio to ensure an acceptable level of problem and past-due loans, taking proactive steps to reduce the level of bank non- performing, underperforming and past due assets.
• Ensures loans are properly classified as non-accrual, impaired and/or restructured.
• Provides guidance to Relationship Managers and Commercial Loan Officers in the collection and workout process of their loans to ensure the best possible outcome and recovery for the Bank.
• Identifies potential problem loans, recommends Risk Rating changes, and assumes responsibility for loans newly identified as problems.
• Conducts on-site visits for underperforming and problem loans to assess collateral condition, borrower operations, and overall risk exposure.
• Responsible for resolution strategy and management of assigned problem loan portfolio including management of third-party legal counsel as appropriate
• Provides regular reporting (weekly & quarterly) on resolution strategy, risk rating changes, action steps, and results as well as any loan loss information as applicable to senior leadership team and Board of Directors.
• Assumes responsibility and is accountable for adherence to Bank policies and procedures, particularly but not limited to Loan and Credit policies and procedures; and Regulatory, laws, rules, and regulations. Takes initiative to comply with legal requirements, audit, regulatory, and internal compliance guidelines. Responds quickly to correct regulatory, audit and compliance deficiencies.
• Recommends changes to Loan Policy and Loan Procedures.
• Leads by example living the organization’s shared values of putting the customer & community FIRST, thinking BIG, modeling EXCELLENCE, and showing up every day as a critical team member through ONE City First.
  
  

Requirements

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Required Education/Experience:

• 4-year College Degree required in Accounting, Business, Finance, or related field OR an equivalent of 6 years of portfolio management within the banking/financial services industry.
• 7 years commercial and real estate lending experience inclusive of workout and collection of commercial and real estate loans.
  
  

CERTIFICATIONS

• Not applicable
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Required Knowledge & Skills:

• Knowledge of community development landscape and specialized experience in a commercial real estate lending environment to include credit and underwriting, workout and collection of commercial real estate loans.
• Knowledge of related state and federal lending and compliance regulations, and other bank lending policies as well as knowledge of local legal environment as relates to legal enforcement of requirements of loan documents and/or enforcement of legal remedies such as foreclosure.
• Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to deal with complex problems involving multiple facets and variables in non-standardized situations.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Strong leadership ability.
• Computer and keyboarding skills, familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite of software.
• Well organized.
• Ability to analyze borrower, guarantor, and collateral value (including management, the financial condition, etc.) and determine resolution strategy and applicable action plans.
• Demonstrates a high degree of customer interaction supported by clear written and verbal communication and excellent presentation skills.
  
  

Salary Description

$145,000 - $155,000, annually