Senior Agriculture Underwriter
Location: Remote flexibility available; candidates with experience in Western U.S. agricultural markets are especially relevant.
Opportunity Overview
A growing, community-focused financial institution is seeking an experienced Senior Agriculture Underwriter to play a key role in the continued expansion of its agricultural lending platform.
Agriculture is a strategic growth area for the organization, and this individual will serve as a dedicated credit resource supporting an established agricultural lending team. The role is designed for someone who understands the nuances of production agriculture and can independently evaluate agricultural borrowers, structure sound credits, and communicate risk clearly.
This is not a production or relationship-management position. The focus is credit.
For the right agricultural credit professional, the opportunity offers something increasingly difficult to find at larger institutions: the ability to have a meaningful voice in how a growing lending platform develops.
What Makes This Opportunity Different
Strategic growth initiative within the organization
Dedicated focus on agricultural underwriting
Remote flexibility for the right candidate
Opportunity to influence credit processes as the platform grows
Direct access to commercial lending leadership
Community-focused organization without traditional shareholder pressure
Collaborative environment where experienced professionals are encouraged to contribute ideas
Exposure to production agriculture and agricultural real estate
Farmer Mac-related lending exposure
Potential to grow with the agricultural lending group as additional resources are added
Responsibilities
Independently underwrite agricultural credit requests and prepare comprehensive credit memoranda
Analyze borrower and guarantor financial statements, tax returns, operating information, and historical performance
Perform cash-to-accrual analysis and adjustments when evaluating agricultural borrowers
Evaluate operating lines, agricultural real estate transactions, and other agriculture-related credit facilities
Analyze crop reports, crop position information, production cycles, and borrower liquidity
Evaluate commodity pricing exposure, contracted production, open-market exposure, and other forward-looking risks
Assess collateral, leverage, repayment capacity, guarantor support, and overall credit structure
Identify key credit risks, mitigating factors, policy exceptions, and appropriate covenants
Partner with agricultural relationship management and commercial credit leadership
Support the review of externally prepared underwriting when appropriate
Maintain strong credit quality while supporting the continued growth of the agricultural portfolio
Contribute ideas and expertise as the agricultural lending platform continues to evolve
Ideal Candidate Profile
Meaningful agricultural underwriting or agricultural credit analysis experience
Strong understanding of production agriculture and agricultural financial statements
Demonstrated ability to perform cash-to-accrual conversions and analysis
Experience underwriting seasonal operating lines and/or agricultural real estate
Understanding of commodity markets and their impact on agricultural borrowers
Strong credit memo writing and financial analysis skills
Ability to independently identify and communicate credit risks and mitigants
Experience working directly with agricultural lenders or relationship managers
Sound credit judgment and ability to operate with limited supervision
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Farmer Mac experience is highly desirable but not required
Preferred Agricultural Experience
Experience with one or more of the following is particularly relevant:
Row crops
Vegetable crops
Hay and alfalfa
Cattle or livestock
Seasonal production agriculture
Agricultural operating lines
Agricultural real estate
Farmer Mac lending programs
Exact commodity experience is less important than a strong understanding of how agricultural operations, production cycles, commodity pricing, and cash flow interact.
Not a Fit If You
Have primarily general commercial underwriting experience with little true agricultural credit exposure
Are unfamiliar with cash-to-accrual analysis
Prefer business development and production over credit underwriting
Need highly standardized credit situations and significant day-to-day supervision
Are uncomfortable analyzing commodity and production risk
Want a role where established processes leave little room for professional input
Are looking primarily for incentive compensation tied to loan production
Compensation
The anticipated base compensation range depends on experience, technical depth, agricultural credit expertise, and overall fit.
The organization also maintains a discretionary enterprise-wide incentive program. This position is not structured around individual loan-production incentives.
Exceptional candidates may be considered based on the overall value and expertise they bring to the agricultural lending platform.
Confidential Closing
This is a confidential opportunity for an agricultural credit professional who wants to do more than process transactions.
The organization is building for continued growth and is looking for someone who can bring strong agricultural credit judgment, contribute ideas, and become an important voice in the development of the platform.
Confidential inquiries are welcome.
