Credit Officer / LATAM Corporates

Full job description
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 $164,000.00 and $230,000.00. 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
The Director–Credit Officer’s main responsibility entails the review and challenge of credit applications submitted by the front office and the preparation / presentation of executive summaries and recommendations to the management of the Credit Department.
The coverage mainly includes lending transactions related to general corporate credit and their related financial products (derivative, trade finance etc.) in LATAM.
The scope of the analysis and the review includes, but not limited to, obligor credit risk, projections, transaction background, deal structure, facility terms and conditions, US regulatory classification, profitability, country & geopolitical risks and relationship strategy.
Role Objectives:
Analyze various elements of credit risk and transaction specifics, and provide an effective review and challenge to the front office (1st Line of Defense).
Prepare written executive summaries/comments of credit applications submitted from the front office and present to the management of the Credit Department.
Engage with front office to assist with due diligence and structuring, identify key credit risks and main credit concerns and challenge assumptions prior to formal credit submission.
Coordinate the credit approval process by liaising between the front office and the management of the Credit Department.
Conduct the monitoring of credit quality of the counterparties and transaction portfolio. and provide feedback to business units to ensure consistent and complete applications.
Provide feedback and guidance, as necessary, to business units to ensure compliance with internal policies and procedures standards.
Monitor and supervise problem assets including classified loans and present written memorandum/reports to management.
Contribute to portfolio review, loan reviews and pass watch or any special credit reviews.
Manage compliance with internal policies, workflow procedures and ensure US regulatory requirements are met in each credit application.
Stay informed about relevant regulations and industry best practices.
May also be asked to analyze counterparties and deals in different sectors depending on workload.
Other credit related works/projects as assigned.
Qualifications and Skills:
Minimum 10+ years of relevant work experience preferably within a credit risk function (formal credit training preferred).
Experience and knowledge of emerging countries and high yield / middle market corporate finance highly preferred.
Prior experience interacting with US Regulators (Fed, OCC or FDIC) preferred.
Knowledge of the various corporate sectors in developed economies is also preferred.
Ability to adapt to SMBC’s credit philosophy and risk appetite.
Critical thinking to understand factors impacting portfolio creditworthiness such as economics downturn, market volatility, industry disruptions or changes in interest rates, and ability to analyze a vast and complex amount of information and quickly render credit decisions.
Risk sensitivity and ability to steer decisions through discussions with the business units.
Ability to manage significant deal volume in a fast-paced environment and analyze credit application and prepare written summary in a short timeframe and in a multitasking environment.
Strong organizational, oral, and written communication skills, with ability to communicate effectively with all levels of support and business partners
Undergraduate degree in Finance, Business Administration or related fields. MBA/CFA or other professional qualification highly preferred.
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.

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