Business Banking Senior Underwriter I

M&T Bank · Buffalo · $74,600–$124,400 (stated in the posting)

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Overview:     

Evaluate, structure, underwrite, and manage credit risks of Business Banking relationships across both new money and portfolio management activities. Serves as an experienced individual contributor within the 1st Line of Defense (“LOD”), supporting deal structuring, underwriting analysis, and ongoing portfolio monitoring responsibilities. This role balances disciplined risk management with support for business growth, including underwriting credit requests, recommending competitive financing solutions, and managing ongoing portfolio risk through continuous credit monitoring and proactive risk mitigation.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Underwrite and evaluate Business Banking loan applications and existing portfolio exposures, including financial statement analysis, cash flow assessment, collateral, and guarantor support.
• Perform Continuous Credit Monitoring activities including identifying and addressing emerging risk, deteriorating credit conditions, taking proactive mitigation strategies such as restructuring or modification actions when appropriate.
• Facilitate deal screen activities between 1st LOD and 2nd LOD Credit for new requests identifying key risks, recommending appropriate mitigants, and implementing enhancements.
• Responsible for structuring credit solutions with appropriate terms, conditions, covenants, and controls aligned with risk profile and policy.
• Prepare clear and well-supported underwriting analyses, including assessment of credit quality, risk ratings, and policy compliance.
• Partner with Relationship Managers and Sales teams throughout the deal lifecycle and ongoing portfolio management.
• Ensure adherence to credit policy, regulatory expectations, and internal control standards, including documentation of exceptions and mitigation strategies.
• Participate in process and quality improvement initiatives to enhance underwriting consistency and effectiveness.
• Provide training, guidance, and support to junior underwriters and business partners as needed.
• Participate in various projects and working groups as assigned
• Move with urgency and maintain high standards for timeliness, accuracy, and operational effectiveness across underwriting and portfolio management responsibilities.
• Understand and adhere to the Company’s risk and regulatory standards, policies and controls in accordance with the Company’s Risk Appetite.  Identify risk-related issues needing escalation to management. 
• Promote an environment that supports a culture of belonging and reflects the M&T Bank brand.
• Maintain M&T internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators as applicable.
• Complete other related duties as assigned.

Scope of Responsibilities:

Responsible for credit assessment of Business Banking relationships, including both new transactions and ongoing portfolio exposures. Supports underwriting of moderately complex credits and contributes to risk management through proactive monitoring and analysis. Operates with a degree of autonomy appropriate with experience and may support exposures up to $3MM independently and/or larger relationships greater than $3MM in partnership with 2nd LOD Senior Credit Officers. Role may include credit approval authority commensurate with experience and responsibilities.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:

No formal managerial responsibilities; however, provides support, training, and guidance to junior team members and contributes to overall team development.

Education and Experience Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree and minimum of 3 years of commercial or business banking credit underwriting experience or in lieu of a degree, a combined minimum of 7 years’ higher education and/or work experience, including a minimum of 7 years’ relevant experience.
• Strong ability to analyze financial statements, tax returns, and cash flow.
• Demonstrated ability to support underwriting and management of commercial credit relationships.
• Effective written and verbal communication.
• Strong partnership skills across credit and sales teams and ability to negotiate and mediate compromises
• Develop and support credit recommendations.
• Self-motivated with the ability to manage workload and make decisions independently with minimal oversight in a fast-paced environment.
• Works well in a fast-paced environment and is comfortable making decisions with imperfect information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools.

Education and Experience Preferred: 

• Formal commercial credit training program completion.
• Proficiency in commercial underwriting (nCino) and accounting systems.
• Master of Business Administration (MBA).
• Strong ability to manage change and multiple priorities.

Location

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