Chief Banking Officer

Who We Are

First Fed is a local community bank on an exciting growth trajectory with 17 locations including 12 full-service branches in Western Washington. First Fed was recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal as a Best Workplace and a Top Corporate Philanthropist. By popular vote, First Fed received awards for Best Bank in The Best of the Northwest, Best Banker in Readers’ Choice by Cascadia Daily News, and Peninsula Daily News named us Best Bank on the Olympic Peninsula. We also received a Best-In-State bank award from Forbes.

For over 100 years First Fed has served our customers and communities throughout the PNW. We’ve donated over $9 million to non-profit organizations in the past 8 years through our foundations, sponsorships, direct donations, and matched employee donations. Our amazing team has volunteered over 25,000 hours in the past 5 years – many by using our benefit of 3 paid volunteer days per year!

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds – our diversity makes us stronger. Join our award-winning team!

Our Values

Optimism: We are positive and decisive. We believe the future will be better than the past. Our attitude demonstrates persistence which leads to success.

Initiative: We are self-starters and find innovative solutions. We are courageous, entrepreneurial, and passionate. We take action for good.

Respect: We include individuals from diverse backgrounds and with different perspectives. We are committed to honoring and serving others.

Growth: We learn and adapt so we can continually improve. We believe in personal growth through grit and determination.

Ownership: We are invested in our endeavors. We are accountable and take responsibility for our actions and decisions.

Position Purpose

Manage and direct a fully integrated sales and service culture designed to build long-term, multi-product and service relationships that meet the needs of customers, and which result in the retention of existing relationships and enable growth of new relationships in support of the institution’s deposit, loan and fee income goals, provide oversight of the bank’s lines of business including commercial and consumer / mortgage lending, treasury and consumer deposit products and services delivered through the branch and digital channels. Develop commercial and retail banking strategies and hold bank department leaders accountable for reaching key sales and service goals driven by exceptional customer service. Continually assess departmental operations to ensure optimal efficiency and effectiveness.

Essential Functions

Executive Leadership: Serve as an integral and active member of the Executive Leadership Team.

• Bring role-specific knowledge and expertise to Executive Team discussions and decisions
• Shape bank-wide strategy in close collaboration with other members of the Executive Team
• Represent the Banking Division in Board meetings and with regulators and auditors
• Contribute to bank-wide strategic leadership decisions, problem solving and First Fed Team motivation
  
  

Sales & Service: Manage and direct the bank’s lines of business including commercial, mortgage, consumer lending, treasury and consumer deposit products and services.

• Define cross departmental collaborative production goals designed to build long-term, multi-product relationships in accordance with initiatives such as portfolio mix, growth strategies, and market penetration objectives
• Actively participate in relationship management and prospecting with production personnel.
• Collaborate on the development of deposit and loan products, services and delivery channels to meet customer needs.
• Ensure consistent delivery of exceptional customer service.
• Work closely with the technology team to champion the further development and integration of our digital banking stack into the traditional channels.
• Maximize customer experience leveraging our digital infrastructure to support our people-first service culture.
  
  

Management: Ensure effective ongoing talent acquisition, retention, and management. This includes the assessment of employee skills and creation of development plans designed to ensure a high degree of product knowledge, credit expertise, sales proficiency, and operational excellence. Develop, set and assess specific division goals and diligently provide performance feedback against all applicable goals, objectives and standards, prioritizing individual and group accountability.

• Lead the development of specific strategies and lead the team’s execution of same including key lead measures that ensure outcomes consistent with a high-performing culture.
• Direct and manage the selection, placement, performance, development, promotion, and termination of staff.
• Ownership of the key production and non-production incentive programs for reporting cost centers.
• Coach and mentor staff to achieve personal, branch, department, and institution-wide sales and service goals incorporating the Customer First Program.
  
  

Operations: Ensure division-wide operational excellence. Manage and direct personnel to ensure compliance with all policies, procedures, regulations, federal and state laws. Continually assess departmental operations to ensure optimal efficiency and effectiveness.

• Maximize revenue through building customer relationships.
• Increase efficiency and outcomes through maximization of systems and processes that increase speed, accuracy and quality of customer experience.
• Actively participate in strategic and business planning sessions.
• Prepare annual budget; monitor and manage expenses associated with the division in accordance with strategic and business planning initiatives.
• Demonstrate compliance with all bank policies, procedures, regulations, and federal and state laws.
  
  

Community Relations and Communications: Cultivate and maintain a professional image with customers, the general public, management, and other association personnel.

• Establish, promote, and participate in networking opportunities within the community by coordinating and communicating information about community events.
• Maintain awareness of market economic conditions in order to take advantage of business development opportunities by offering existing and prospective customers new and/or additional services.
  
  

Education

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in business or banking or the equivalent. Graduate level degree and/or completion of graduate level banking school preferred.
  
  

Experience

Typically requires:

• 5 to 10 years of successful banking experience in a senior or executive management role.
• 3 to 5 years sales management experience in a bank or financial institution
  
  

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of lending, deposit products and services, operational functions, and related policies and procedures to ensure compliance with regulations as well as federal and state laws.
• The individual will possess the personal attributes of candor, personal honesty, and integrity and possess demonstrated ability to fulfill the duties of loyalty and care required of all officers in their administration of the affairs of the bank.
• The individual will be collaborative, working in a willing and cooperative manner to achieve success.
• The individual will possess a broad level of industry specific competence, strong emotional intelligence and heightened self-awareness.
• The individual will have knowledge of business development techniques, sales development and planning and the ability to assess risk levels of banking relationships in relation to economic, financial and environmental factors.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as effective interpersonal and public relations skills.
• Proven leadership and highly effective management, teambuilding, and mentoring skills are necessary.
• Working knowledge and proficiency with personal computers and associated software systems including Microsoft suite, including CoPilot, as well as Salesforce, Tableau and other modern tools that support bank functions
• Valid drivers’ license is required.
  
  

Physical Requirements

The work requires the ability to operate office machines and equipment, such as personal computers, printers, copying machines and telephones. The work requires the ability to communicate clearly with customers, coworkers, and others in person and on telephones. Work activities involve a combination of sitting/standing for extended periods.

Pay Range

• The pay range for this position is $187,500-$375,000
• The typical hiring range for this position is $187,500– $330,000
• The incentive plan for this position is the Executive Incentive plan. It is paid out annually with a 35% target payout.
• Employees will be eligible for our benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, paid time off, retirement plans (401k with company match and Employee Stock Ownership Plan), gym membership reimbursement, discounts on our banking products, and more! Additional information on our benefits package can be viewed at https://www.ourfirstfed.com/careers
  
  

As a community Bank, we know the power in bringing people together from all walks of life. Our communities are beautiful and strong because of their diversity, and it’s important to us that all of our locations reflect the unique diversity of the places we live and work. We are passionate about hiring the very best talent and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran

First Fed invites all qualified interested applicants to apply for our career opportunities. If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our online job search or application tools, please email Human Resources via sierra.stack@ourfirstfed.com or call 360-417-3182. Note: This contact information is reserved solely for job seekers requesting accessibility assistance or accommodation in the application process. Messages left for other purposes may not receive a response.

We are required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.