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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Business Banking Relationship Manager

💰 $70,000 - $140,000

BankingCommercial BankingRelationship ManagementBusiness BankingSales

🎯 Role Definition

The Business Banking Relationship Manager is a front-line commercial banking professional responsible for originating, underwriting, and managing a portfolio of SME and mid-market clients. This role combines business development, credit analysis, loan structuring, and ongoing portfolio stewardship to drive profitable revenue growth while managing credit quality and regulatory risk. The Relationship Manager acts as the single point of contact for business customers, identifies opportunities to cross-sell cash management, commercial cards, lending, and deposit solutions, and collaborates with internal partners (credit, operations, product, treasury) to deliver a seamless client experience. SEO keywords: Business Banking Relationship Manager, commercial lending, SME banking, portfolio management, credit underwriting, client acquisition, cross-sell.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Commercial Banking Associate / Analyst (3-4 years experience in credit and client support)
  • Relationship Officer or Sales Officer in Retail/SME banking
  • Credit Analyst with commercial underwriting experience

Advancement To:

  • Senior Business Banking Relationship Manager
  • Portfolio Manager / Credit Portfolio Head
  • Regional Commercial Banking Manager or Director
  • Head of Business Banking / Commercial Banking Executive

Lateral Moves:

  • Treasury & Cash Management Product Manager
  • Commercial Credit Underwriter / Credit Policy Analyst
  • Business Banking Product Specialist (deposits, cards, FX)
  • Relationship Manager for Corporate or Mid-Market Banking

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, source, and close new business banking relationships by proactively prospecting local SMEs, running targeted outreach campaigns, and leveraging referral channels to meet or exceed monthly and quarterly new client acquisition targets.
  • Manage a defined portfolio of business clients end-to-end: onboard clients, maintain frequent relationship touchpoints, review financial performance, and implement retention and growth plans to maximize lifetime value.
  • Underwrite commercial loan requests including term loans, lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, equipment loans, and SBA-style or government-backed programs by performing thorough credit analysis, cash flow forecasting, collateral valuation, and rating assignment.
  • Prepare comprehensive credit memos and present lending requests to credit committees with clear risk/return analysis, recommended structure, covenants, pricing rationale, and repayment plans to secure timely approvals.
  • Conduct detailed financial statement analysis (historical and projected), ratio analysis, and cash flow stress testing to determine creditworthiness and appropriate loan sizing, using financial models and sensitivity scenarios.
  • Structure loan documentation and covenants, negotiate terms and pricing with clients, and coordinate legal review to ensure enforceable agreements and alignment with bank policy.
  • Monitor portfolio credit performance, proactively identify potential problem credits early, institute remediation plans or workout strategies, and coordinate with collections or restructuring teams as needed to mitigate losses.
  • Cross-sell bank product solutions (treasury/cash management, merchant services, commercial cards, foreign exchange, trade finance, interest rate hedging) by identifying client needs and collaborating with product specialists to design integrated solutions.
  • Execute CRM-driven relationship plans, maintain accurate pipeline records, update sales forecasts, and use CRM analytics to prioritize outreach and measure conversion effectiveness.
  • Achieve revenue and growth targets through disciplined pipeline management, deal closing, fee generation, and consistent follow-through on new sales opportunities.
  • Maintain compliance with KYC/AML, BSA, regulatory reporting, and internal policy requirements; ensure thorough onboarding documentation, periodic reviews, and escalation of suspicious activity to compliance teams.
  • Collaborate closely with operations, credit administration, legal, and underwriting units to expedite loan processing, ensure correct documentation, and deliver high-quality client service while controlling operational risk.
  • Deliver tailored commercial banking presentations and proposals to C-level and owner-managed businesses, translating complex financial products into clear value propositions that address client objectives.
  • Perform ongoing covenant monitoring and financial covenant testing for existing loans, requesting and analyzing interim financials and other reporting to ensure covenant compliance and trigger management actions when necessary.
  • Participate in local market and industry research to identify trends, competitor pricing, and new product opportunities; incorporate market intelligence into relationship strategies and risk assessments.
  • Maintain high-quality loan files and documentation for audit readiness, respond to internal and external audit requests, and participate in remediation plans for audit findings.
  • Mentor and coach junior relationship bankers and analysts by reviewing credit work, providing on-the-job training in underwriting best practices, and guiding professional development in commercial banking skills.
  • Negotiate pricing, fees, collateral, and security packages with borrowers while balancing competitive positioning and portfolio risk appetite to protect margin and asset quality.
  • Coordinate syndicated or participations when larger deals exceed single-lender limits, including arranging co-lenders, structuring agent agreements, and managing interbank execution logistics.
  • Lead client event participation and networking efforts (industry events, chambers of commerce, trade shows) to raise bank profile, generate referrals, and develop community ties that drive new relationship opportunities.
  • Drive adoption of digital banking solutions among business customers (online banking, ACH origination, remote deposit capture) by identifying automation opportunities that reduce client friction and operational cost.
  • Prepare regular management reports and portfolio analytics (credit metrics, concentration risk, delinquency trends, pipeline health) to inform business strategy and senior leadership decision-making.
  • Ensure disciplined follow-up on renewals and expirations, initiating timely credit reviews and proactively restructuring or renewing facilities to avoid lapses in coverage and preserve client relationships.
  • Act as the internal voice of the client by escalating product feedback to product development teams, influencing enhancements to business banking offerings and improving client experience.

Secondary Functions

  • Support regional sales initiatives and marketing campaigns by providing client insights, co-developing targeted offers for industry verticals, and participating in cross-functional go-to-market planning.
  • Assist in developing and refining credit policies and lending playbooks by sharing frontline experience, exception data, and suggested updates to underwriting standards.
  • Participate in stress testing and scenario analysis exercises at the portfolio level to surface vulnerabilities and recommend mitigants to risk and finance teams.
  • Contribute to digital transformation projects by piloting new portals or e-signature workflows with clients, offering feedback on usability and adoption barriers.
  • Support periodic internal and regulatory audits by preparing documentation, explaining underwriting decisions, and implementing corrective actions as required.
  • Collaborate with compliance to enhance KYC remediation projects, streamline documentation collection processes, and reduce time-to-onboard for low-risk SME segments.
  • Facilitate internal training sessions on product updates, credit policy changes, and best practices for relationship management to elevate team performance.
  • Develop and maintain a playbook of industry-specific sale strategies and financial benchmarks to accelerate new-hire onboarding and standardize client coverage approaches.
  • Provide ad hoc market and competitor intelligence reports to senior management to inform pricing strategy and product development roadmaps.
  • Help operational teams optimize post-closing workflows by documenting bottlenecks and suggesting process improvements that reduce cycle times and client complaints.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Commercial credit analysis: ability to analyze income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, calculate key financial ratios, and produce loan structuring recommendations.
  • Financial modeling and cash flow forecasting using Excel (advanced functions, scenario and sensitivity analysis).
  • Commercial lending product knowledge: term loans, lines of credit, commercial real estate, equipment finance, SBA and government-guaranteed lending.
  • Underwriting and credit memo preparation for credit committee submission, including risk grading and covenant design.
  • Portfolio management and concentration risk assessment to monitor and mitigate sector or collateral exposures.
  • Regulatory and compliance knowledge: KYC/AML, BSA/AML, OFAC screening, consumer and commercial regulatory guidelines relevant to business lending.
  • CRM proficiency (Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar) for pipeline tracking, forecasting, and client activity logging.
  • Treasury and cash management product fluency: ACH, wires, remote deposit capture, merchant acquiring, and sweep accounts.
  • Documentation and loan closing processes: familiarity with security agreements, UCC filings, mortgage processes, and legal closing checklists.
  • Loan workout and restructuring tactics, including negotiation strategies, forbearance agreements, and loss mitigation.

Soft Skills

  • Relationship management: proven ability to build trust with business owners and senior management of client companies.
  • Commercial sales and negotiation skills to close deals, price appropriately, and secure favorable terms for the bank and client.
  • Communication and presentation skills for client meetings, internal credit committees, and executive reporting.
  • Problem-solving and analytical mindset to translate complex financial information into actionable credit decisions.
  • Time management and prioritization: manage multiple deals and servicing obligations with tight deadlines.
  • Collaborative teamwork: working effectively across credit, operations, product, and legal teams to execute transactions.
  • Initiative and entrepreneurial drive to identify new business opportunities and develop creative financing solutions.
  • Ethical judgment and professional integrity in handling client data, conflict of interest situations, and regulatory obligations.
  • Coaching and leadership skills to mentor junior bankers and share best practices.
  • Resilience and adaptability to manage changing market conditions, interest rate cycles, and evolving regulatory requirements.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's degree (MBA, MS Finance) or relevant professional certifications (CPA, CFA, CTP) are preferred.
  • Completion of commercial lending or credit training programs (e.g., AACSB-certified courses, industry credit schools).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Business Administration
  • Economics
  • Banking & Financial Services

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–8 years of combined commercial banking, credit underwriting, or relationship management experience (mid-level role).

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of direct business banking or commercial lending experience with demonstrated book management, credit structuring, and sales results. Experience with SME segments, commercial real estate, and documented success in cross-selling treasury products is highly desirable.
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