Loan Assistant Specialist / Junior Lender

Learn more at https://www.mbac.biz/about/join-the-team/

Position Overview

Montana Business Assistance Connection (MBAC), the Helena Area Economic Development Authority serving four central Montana counties, is seeking a Loan Administration Specialists / Junior Lender to provide comprehensive commercial lending admininstration, loan processing, servicing, documentation, and portfolio administration support for Montana Business Assistance Connection's (MBAC) lending programs.

The position serves as a key operational resource for borrowers, commercial lending staff, financial institutions, and funding partners, supporting efficient, responsive, and compliant lending practices across the organization.

A primary responsibility of the position is commercial loan administration and portfolio support, including borrower intake, commercial loan application processing, financial documentation collection, loan file preparation, closing coordination, collateral documentation, loan servicing, payment processing, and portfolio monitoring. The position supports the administration of multiple revolving loan funds and lending programs, ensuring accurate loan records, compliance with lending policies and funder requirements, and timely coordination throughout the commercial loan lifecycle.

Working under the direction of the Senior Loan Officer, the Loan Administration Specialist serves as a Junior Lender and supports commercial credit analysis, borrower financial assessments, loan eligibility reviews, underwriting preparation, risk monitoring, and ongoing portfolio management. The position works collaboratively with borrowers, business owners, financial institutions, funders, and community development partners to strengthen lending operations, maintain audit-ready loan files, and support MBAC's mission of advancing business growth and economic development throughout the region.

Primary Roles and Responsiblities:

Loan Origination, Processing & Closing Support

• Support commercial lending activities; respond to inquiries, assist with applications and financial analysis, loan eligibility review, underwriting preparation, credit risk assessment, and coordinate timely collection of borrower information.
• Establish and maintain borrower files; organize applications, financial statements, tax returns, credit reports, collateral information, insurance, and other required documentation.
• Support preliminary loan and financial review; assist the Senior Loan Officer with borrower eligibility, financial information, credit documentation, repayment analysis, and underwriting preparation.
• Track outstanding loan requirements; maintain application and closing checklists and follow up with borrowers and third parties to obtain required information.
• Prepare and coordinate loan documentation; assist with disclosures, loan authorizations, closing documents, UCC filings, mortgages, insurance, lien documentation, and other required security documents.
• Support loan closings and funding; verify documentation and approval conditions, coordinate signatures and closing activities, and ensure completed documents are appropriately recorded and maintained.

Loan Servicing & Portfolio Administration

• Administer routine loan servicing activities; process payments, payoff requests, payment information, account changes, paid loans, ticklers, UCC renewals, and other approved servicing transactions.
• Maintain loan servicing systems and records; accurately enter and update borrower, loan, payment, collateral, and servicing information within MBAC's lending and financial systems.
• Maintain complete loan files; ensure electronic and physical records are current, organized, secure, and maintained according to MBAC and individual funder requirements.
• Monitor portfolio requirements; track financial statements, insurance, collateral, UCC expirations, maturities, payment performance, reporting deadlines, and other loan-level requirements.
• Support funder compliance; maintain working knowledge of individual funding-source requirements and assist with documentation, eligibility tracking, reporting, servicing requirements, audits, and corrective actions.
• Identify and escalate exceptions; promptly communicate delinquency, missing documentation, expired collateral protection, servicing exceptions, or other potential portfolio concerns to the Senior Loan Officer.
• Support portfolio reconciliation and reporting; assist with periodic reconciliation, portfolio reports, funder reports, loan status reporting, and supporting documentation
• Support problem loan administration; track troubled loans, maintain required documentation, and assist with approved workouts, collections, and funder compliance under Senior Loan Officer direction.

Borrower, Compliance, & Lending Program Support

• Provide responsive borrower service; respond to routine inquiries regarding applications, documentation, payments, balances, and loan servicing.
• Support lending compliance; follow MBAC policies, servicing procedures, internal controls, documentation standards, and individual funder requirements.
• Support audits and reporting; prepare loan files, documentation, and information for portfolio reviews, funder reporting, audits, and compliance activities.
• Develop lending competency; build knowledge of financial analysis, credit, underwriting, portfolio management, and economic development lending under Senior Loan Officer guidance.
• Support lending operations; effectively utilize lending systems and contribute to consistent workflows, portfolio activities, and continuous improvement.

Other Lending and Loan Servicing Activities

• Participate in lending program development and continuous improvement initiatives; encourage ongoing evaluation of loan products, policies, procedures, systems, documentation standards, and portfolio management practices.
• Support system utilization and efficiency; effective utilization of core operating, financial and lending systems, technologies, tools, and techniques to improve operational efficiency and quality controls.
• Uphold professional and regulatory awareness; stay current with industry trends, accounting regulations, grant and funder compliance requirements, and related professional development.

Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, or related experience (preferred).
• Minimum 1-3 years of commercial, small business, economic development, or community lending experience, including underwriting and portfolio management.
• Experience with loan documentation, financial records, lending software, banking, or customer service preferred.
• Interest and demonstrated ability to develop financial analysis, credit, underwriting, and portfolio management skills.
• Strong organizational skills, deadline management, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work with confidential financial and borrower information and consistently follow established controls and procedures.
• Ability to multitask and make decisions in complex, dynamic work environment.

This is a rare opportunity to build what comes next. We enter this next chapter with a meaningful regional mission, an established lending portfolio, and an ability to strengthen its role as a catalyst for business and economic development across central Montana. A chapter of strategic renewal built upon valuable lending assets, longstanding public and private partnerships, and a clear public purpose.

Full job description available at https://www.mbac.biz/about/join-the-team/

Pay: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Experience:

• Commerical Loan Administration : 3 years (Required)

Location:

• Helena, MT 59601 (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $60,000 - $65,000