Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Business Banker

🎯 Role Definition

The Business Banker is a client-facing commercial banking professional responsible for managing and growing a portfolio of small- and medium-sized business (SMB) clients. This role focuses on relationship development, originations of loans and deposit products, cash management and treasury solutions, credit and financial analysis, risk mitigation, and meeting sales and profitability goals. The ideal Business Banker combines strong commercial lending knowledge, consultative sales skills, and operational awareness to deliver tailored banking solutions while ensuring regulatory compliance and portfolio quality.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Personal Banker / Relationship Banker
Commercial Credit Analyst
Treasury or Cash Management Specialist

Advancement To:

Senior Business Banker / Relationship Manager
Commercial Banking Officer / Commercial Lender
Vice President, Commercial Banking
Branch Manager with a commercial portfolio

Lateral Moves:

Credit Underwriter / Credit Risk Analyst
SBA Lending Officer
Treasury & Payment Solutions Specialist
Business Development Officer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage, grow, and service a targeted portfolio of small and medium-sized business clients by proactively identifying client needs, delivering consultative commercial banking solutions, and ensuring exceptional client retention and satisfaction.
Originate, structure, and close commercial loans and lines of credit—ranging from secured term loans to revolving credit facilities—by performing end-to-end loan documentation, closing coordination, and follow-up.
Conduct comprehensive financial statement analysis and cash flow underwriting to assess borrower creditworthiness, interpret ratios, tax returns, balance sheets, and income statements, and prepare clear credit recommendations.
Prepare and present thorough credit memos, loan approval packages, and risk assessments to internal credit committees and underwriting teams, ensuring lending decisions align with bank policies and risk appetite.
Develop and execute territory and prospecting plans to acquire new business clients through cold outreach, referrals, networking events, chamber of commerce engagement, and targeted marketing campaigns.
Cross-sell deposit, treasury, cash management, merchant services, SBA lending, and other commercial banking products to deepen relationships and increase wallet share while maintaining a consultative, solutions-oriented approach.
Monitor portfolio performance and early warning indicators, proactively address delinquency or covenant issues, and coordinate remediation strategies or workout plans in collaboration with credit and collections teams.
Build strong relationships with CPAs, commercial real estate brokers, attorneys, and other referral sources to generate high-quality lead flow and strengthen the bank’s local market presence.
Execute thorough collateral documentation and perfection processes, coordinate with legal and documentation teams, and ensure loan security interests are properly recorded and maintained.
Maintain compliance with all applicable banking regulations (BSA/AML, OFAC, UDAAP) and internal policies while performing customer due diligence (CDD) and Know Your Customer (KYC) processes for business accounts and loan approvals.
Use CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics) to manage pipeline activity, track client interactions, document next steps, and provide accurate forecasts for sales leadership and business planners.
Deliver superior onboarding experiences for new commercial clients by coordinating account opening, treasury product setup, and implementation of payment/merchant solutions to drive early adoption and stickiness.
Achieve monthly and quarterly sales goals, production targets, and portfolio quality objectives set by branch and commercial leadership through disciplined activity and performance tracking.
Collaborate with internal partners—credit officers, underwriters, product specialists, branch managers, and operations—to streamline lending processes and ensure timely loan closings and service requests.
Conduct regular portfolio reviews and client calls to understand evolving business needs, recommend pricing adjustments, renewals, or additional products, and mitigate attrition risk.
Provide market, industry, and competitive insights to leadership to inform product development, promotional strategies, and pricing decisions for commercial banking offerings.
Educate clients on bank products, services, and digital platforms (online banking, ACH, wire transfers, remote deposit capture), driving adoption and reducing operational friction.
Facilitate SBA loan origination and servicing where applicable—preparing SBA packages, coordinating with SBA partners, and ensuring compliance with program requirements to support small business growth.
Respond to complex customer inquiries and escalations, using sound judgment to resolve issues while representing the bank professionally and protecting its reputation.
Lead or participate in community outreach and business development events, representing the bank at local business associations and industry gatherings to increase visibility and credibility in the market.
Track and report on portfolio metrics—loan-to-deposit ratios, charge-off rates, delinquency, return on assets (ROA), and fee income—to senior management and use data to drive performance improvements.
Mentor and train junior bankers or commercial support staff on credit fundamentals, product features, and client service best practices to build a stronger, more consistent team capability.
Negotiate loan terms, pricing, covenant structures, and security arrangements with business owners and counsel to reach mutually beneficial agreements that protect the bank’s interests.
Coordinate with operations and treasury teams to ensure accurate and timely account maintenance, collateral releases, and loan servicing adjustments, minimizing operational risk.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of local market conditions, industry trends, and regulatory changes to advise clients strategically and preserve portfolio health.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc market research and competitor analysis to identify new business opportunities and product gaps.
Contribute to the development and rollout of targeted commercial product campaigns and localized marketing initiatives.
Assist senior management with periodic stress testing scenarios, portfolio concentration analyses, and pricing strategy updates.
Participate in process improvement initiatives to reduce underwriting cycle time, enhance customer onboarding, and improve cross-functional handoffs.
Support internal audits and compliance examinations by preparing documentation and responding to information requests related to commercial loans and client files.
Provide input for training materials and sales playbooks that standardize best practices for prospecting, credit submission, and relationship management.
Help maintain CRM data hygiene by updating account information, logging activities, and ensuring accurate opportunity stage progression.
Collaborate with digital channel teams to pilot new treasury or lending technologies and provide user feedback for enhancements.
Collect and synthesize client feedback for product teams to prioritize feature enhancements that increase customer satisfaction and retention.
Assist in special projects such as branch conversions, product launches, or targeted portfolio remediation efforts as assigned by leadership.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Commercial lending and credit underwriting — ability to analyze financial statements, cash flow models, collateral and guarantor strength, and prepare credit memos suitable for credit committee review.
Financial statement analysis — proficiency reading balance sheets, income statements, tax returns, and calculating key ratios (DSCR, debt-to-income, current ratio, quick ratio).
Cash flow underwriting and projection modeling — build and stress-test cash flow forecasts to determine repayment capacity and covenant design.
Product knowledge — deposits, business checking, lines of credit, term loans, SBA 7(a)/504 programs, commercial real estate loans, merchant services, and treasury solutions.
Risk assessment and mitigation — identify concentration risk, covenant triggers, and environmental/industry risks and formulate mitigation strategies.
Regulatory and compliance knowledge — familiarity with BSA/AML, UDAAP, CRA considerations, and documentation requirements for commercial accounts and loans.
CRM and sales pipeline management — experience using Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar CRM tools to manage prospects and pipeline forecasting.
MS Excel proficiency — advanced functions, pivot tables, scenario analysis, and financial modeling skills.
Loan documentation and legal coordination — prepare conditions, manage collateral perfection, and work with legal teams on loan agreements and security documentation.
Treasury and cash-management systems — understanding of ACH, wires, lockbox, merchant services, and remote deposit capture implementation and support.
Credit software / loan origination systems — familiarity with commercial loan origination platforms (e.g., Fiserv, FIS, or bank-specific systems).
Presentation and reporting — prepare board- or committee-level materials, portfolio reports, and performance dashboards.

Soft Skills

Relationship management — strong consultative selling approach with the ability to build trust and long-term business relationships with owners and executives.
Commercial acumen — business-savvy mindset, able to understand client business models, industry drivers, and competitive dynamics.
Communication — clear written and verbal communication skills for client interactions, credit write-ups, and internal collaboration.
Negotiation — ability to negotiate pricing, terms, and collateral arrangements while balancing client needs and bank risk.
Problem solving — resourceful and analytical when structuring creative solutions for complex client situations.
Time management and prioritization — manage a heavy pipeline, deadlines, and competing priorities while staying organized and responsive.
Teamwork and collaboration — work cross-functionally with credit, operations, treasury, and branch partners to deliver seamless client outcomes.
Influence and persuasion — persuade internal stakeholders and clients using data-driven rationale and strong interpersonal skills.
Attention to detail — precise review of loan documentation, financial calculations, and regulatory compliance items.
Adaptability — comfortable navigating changing market conditions, product offerings, and regulatory requirements.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field (or equivalent work experience).

Preferred Education:

MBA, MAcc, or advanced degree in finance or business; relevant certifications such as CFA, CTP, or commercial lending certifications are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Finance
Accounting
Business Administration
Economics
Risk Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–7 years of commercial banking, business banking, or small business lending experience (varies by level). Often 3+ years preferred for independent portfolio management.

Preferred:

4–6+ years of progressive experience in commercial lending, relationship management, treasury sales, or SBA lending with demonstrated success originating loans, managing portfolio quality, and achieving revenue targets.
Proven track record of developing new client relationships, cross-selling bank products, and maintaining low delinquency and charge-off rates.