COMPANY DESCRIPTION: Forbright is a nationwide full-service bank and commercial lender focused on helping to build a brighter future for our clients and the communities we serve. Forbright is committed to exceptional client service by providing seamless, innovative personal banking services to depositors and creative financing solutions to visionary middle market businesses and investors in healthcare, technology, financial services, real estate, and other industries.
COMPANY CULTURE: We are a dynamic, high energy, fun, and fast-paced organization that has an exciting growth trajectory, meaningful mission, and embedded responsible practices into our daily interactions. We offer our team members a culture of collaboration, inclusion, flexibility, recognition, and giving back. We look to hire individuals that are passionate about our mission, and who are motivated, customer and results-oriented, innovative, adaptable, and thoughtful.
COMPANY MISSION: We are a mission-driven institution. We operate a sound dynamic institution that is well capitalized, liquid, profitable and uses best practices to manage risk and assure compliance with laws and regulations. We use Forbright’s capital, capabilities, innovation, and expertise to help our clients succeed and contribute broadly to building a brighter future.
JOB SUMMARY: The VP, First Line Risk and Compliance, Commercial Lending is responsible for strengthening and operating the first line control environment for the Bank’s commercial lending activities, with an emphasis on disciplined credit risk practices across the end‑to‑end lifecycle (origination, underwriting, closing, servicing, and portfolio management). This role partners closely with Commercial Lending, Credit Administration, Legal, Compliance, BSA, and Enterprise Risk Management to ensure key risks are proactively identified and controlled through clear procedures, effective controls, monitoring, timely issue remediation, and reporting aligned to the Bank’s risk appetite and regulatory expectations. The position enables safe and sound growth of the commercial lending portfolio by embedding consistent credit standards, data quality, and control execution into day‑to‑day operations.
- Serve as the primary first line control leader for Commercial Lending Operations, including creating and maintaining procedures to ensure consistent execution of credit policies and applicable regulatory requirements
- Oversee control activities across commercial lending with a focus on reducing credit and operational losses through adherence to underwriting standards, collateral/valuation documentation, and data accuracy
- Design, implement, and maintain first line controls, key control indicators, and monitoring routines focused on credit quality drivers (exceptions, overrides, documentation defects, covenant compliance, etc.)
- Partner with second line functions (Enterprise Risk Management, BSA, and Compliance) and internal/external audit to support control testing, regulatory exams, and remediation tracking for commercial lending processes
- Execute first line risk management responsibilities in accordance with the Bank’s Risk Management Framework, including performance of risk assessments, business continuity planning, and third‑party risk reviews; adherence to risk appetite; timely identification and escalation of issues; and clear reporting to governance forums
- Lead issue identification, root cause analysis, remediation planning, and validation of corrective actions for credit policy exceptions, documentation gaps, booking errors, and process breakdowns
- Provide guidance to lending, underwriting, and operations teams on control execution, documentation standards, and regulatory expectations
- Support change initiatives (new products, process enhancements, system implementations, growth) by performing control impact reviews and confirming credit requirements (data, documentation, approvals, and monitoring) are built into the design
- Prepare and deliver clear, timely reporting and metrics on control performance, exceptions, remediation status, and credit process health to senior management and governance committees
- Promote a strong control culture by reinforcing ownership, accountability, and consistent execution of credit processes across Commercial Lending Operations
- Perform other duties as assigned
- Bachelor’s Degree required; in Business, Finance, Risk Management, or a related field preferred; Master of Business Administration preferred
- Minimum of 8 years of experience in commercial lending, banking operations, risk management, or compliance within a regulated financial institution required
- Strong knowledge of specialized, middle-market, commercial lending products, processes, and applicable banking regulations
- Demonstrated applied thinking skills to adapt regulatory requirements to unique lending verticals
- Experience designing and implementing first line risk controls and monitoring programs
- Ability to effectively partner with business leaders while maintaining independent risk judgment
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
- Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Outstanding problem‑solving and time management skills
- Self‑motivated, self‑directed, and results‑oriented
- Adaptable and able to multitask in a fast‑paced environment
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams with a solution‑oriented mindset
The pay range for this position is above. The specific rate will depend on the successful candidate’s qualifications and prior experience $130,000 (entry level qualifications) to $160,000 (highly experienced).
POSITION REQUIREMENTS: We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees are capable of performing their job position. Work is primarily conducted in an office setting while certain positions may allow for remote work through the use of technology at management discretion. The functions described below are representative of those to successfully perform duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees to perform the essential functions. While performing duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required for extended periods of time to:
- Remain in a stationary position
- Utilize a computer monitor with visual acuity
- Operate technology or other office machinery such as printers, scanners, etc.
- Communicate clearly verbally and/or in writing with others
ADDITIONAL DUTIES: For Forbright Bank to remain efficient and nimble as a growing organization, team members are expected to exhibit a high level of flexibility regarding any duties that may be situationally assigned outside of this job description.
PERKS/BENEFITS:
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
- Metro SmartTrip benefits ($50/mo)
- Remote or hybrid (4 days per week in-office) work schedules for most positions
- Incentives for purchasing solar panels, electric vehicles, biking to work, etc.
- Paid subscriptions to Veterans Compost, Capital Bikeshare, Imperfect Foods reimbursement, and more!
- The Washington Post Top Workplaces winner for four consecutive years (2023-2026)
CORE PRINCIPLES:
- Excellence: Excellence is not a goal, but a standard, reflected in the precision of our work and the quality of our decisions. Excellence is a discipline that compounds over time and creates lasting value; it must be measured and managed.
- People: Our people are our greatest strength. We foster a culture of respect, inclusion, and ambition - where everyone matters. We celebrate collaboration and teamwork and prize loyalty - to one another, the company, our mission, and values.
- Innovation: We invest boldly in technology, harnessing innovation not for its own sake but to make banking and lending better, faster, and smarter for our clients, more efficient for our team, and more profitable for our shareholders. By combining human insight with technological excellence, we strengthen our ability to serve, to adapt, and to succeed in a changing world. Innovation is a continuous investment in new ideas.
- Sound Practices: Our foundation rests on prudence, care, integrity, and discipline. We manage credit and business risk with rigor and fundamentals-based judgment, act with transparency, and uphold the highest standards of corporate governance and regulatory compliance to ensure sustainable growth and enduring financial strength.
- Distinct Value: We focus our energy where we add value. We avoid the commoditized and the ordinary, choosing to compete through insight, specialization, technology and service. By concentrating on areas where expertise matters and relationships endure, we create differentiation that is defensible and lasting.
- Clients: We exist to advance our clients’ success and to help them grow. We listen deeply, think creatively, and deliver solutions that solve problems, drive impact and add value. Every client relationship is built on partnership, performance, and purpose.
- Shareholders: We are committed to creating exceptional value for our shareholders. We invest for the long term and view our shareholders as partners – not observers - in value creation. We allocate capital wisely, execute with precision, and continuously adapt our business model to pursue the most attractive, risk-adjusted returns. We work to make rational decisions, avoid unnecessary complexity, maintain strong liquidity and capital, and communicate with clarity and honesty. We measure success both by current performance and by the durability and quality of the long-term value we build.
- Communities and the Environment: We believe prosperity and responsibility go hand in hand. We invest in inclusive opportunity and environmental stewardship. Our goal is simple - to do our part build a brighter, more sustainable future for the communities we serve and the world we share.
It is the policy of Forbright Bank to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and to administer all aspects and conditions of pre-employment and employment without regard to protected characteristics.
Employment with Forbright Bank is at-will, which means that either you or the Company may terminate the relationship at any time.
By applying, you acknowledge that you have reviewed our CCPA Privacy Notice.
AI tools may be used in certain stages of the employment lifecycle, such as candidate review; however, all final employment decisions will be made by a person. State agencies are currently developing rules that will provide additional guidance regarding the circumstances, timing, and specific information required for this notice. Forbright Bank will update its procedures and disclosures as necessary to comply with any such forthcoming rules or requirements.
