Commercial Loan Reviewer

The work of a commercial loan reviewer revolves around ensuring the timely and accurate creation of loan documentation products by loan specialists, in compliance with standard industry regulations and bank procedures. Most job positions require coordination with staff from loan documentation and loan administration departments. Commercial loan reviewers are characterised by superior decision-making and interpersonal skills.

What is a Commercial Loan Reviewer?

Work as a commercial loan reviewer requires the completion of certain duties as listed below:

• Assess the credit risk of commercial loan portfolios via annual reviews of commercial lending departments and products by identifying potential systemic problems such as new production sampling and criticized loans in the portfolio.
• Undertake a review of bank processes like loan approval procedures, policy exceptions, internal controls and underwriting to evaluate credit administration.
• Verify the quality and accuracy of loan documentation such as financials or analysis like performance ratio analysis, debt service coverage and trends.
• Prepare executive summaries of loan reviews and present the appropriate findings to high-level management, Directors Credit Committee and the Audit/Risk Oversight Committee.
• Make suggestions and recommendations on loan policy for updates and revisions and clarify that actual processes are upholding the policy in writing.

Day in the life

A day in the life of a commercial loan reviewer will comprise mostly of undertaking portfolio reviews. He or she has to keep in mind certain factors like risk, size or type of the commercial loan under review and the asset quality.

There might be other tasks that have to be carried out like evaluating a loan for unexpected losses or discovering problems with loans that have some kind of discrepancy. It is the job of the commercial loan reviewer to execute an ongoing evaluation of a bank’s commercial and homogeneous loan portfolio quality and to measuring compliance with established policies and sound lending practices.

Work schedule and typical hours

Commercial loan reviewers work full-time in office environments at professional businesses. There can be occasional travel to other bank branches and off-site vendor locations. One also might have to meet with clients at their home or business on the rare instance. The pace of work might vary – long hours can be expected during peak periods.  The role will involve frequent communication with other loan officers and senior management.

Growth of the job

The US Bureau of Labour Statistics predicts a 14% job growth for loan officer positions from 2010-2020. In the case of commercial loan reviewers, the improving economy will provide a boost in this sector and fuel more hires. Candidates with good networks and established contacts will find the best job opportunities.

The need for loan reviewers varies depending on local market conditions will play a part in determining earning potential, as will the individual’s work experience. Commercial loans are bound to increase as well, with businesses willing to borrow and banks are open to lending.

Typical employers

Employers of commercial loan reviewers include commercial banks – both national or multi-national, credit unions, mortgage companies, and other financial institutions. Employers typically look for potential candidates with prior experience in banking, sales and customer service.

Compensation may vary depending on the employer. Some commercial loan reviewers will have a flat salary while others might be paid on commission.

How To Become a Commercial Loan Reviewer

Most commercial loan reviewers need a bachelor’s degree in a related field such as business, accounting or finance. Since a large part of a commercial loan reviewer’s role revolves around analysing business finances, they need to have a strong foundation in business accounting and read financial statements accurately.

There is the rare case when a commercial loan reviewer can take on a position without a bachelor’s degree but only if they have many years of work experience in areas like banking or sales. Most positions required strong analytical skills and a few years’ work as a Federal Bank Examiner, Credit or Loan Review Analyst, or Commercial Bank Lender.

Continued learning is encouraged in the job sector for enhancing employment opportunities. Maintaining the latest knowledge of lending policies, procedures and regulations and staying abreast of variations in laws across state boundaries is valuable.

There are some banking associations and schools that offer courses and certifications for loan officers, like the American Bankers Association and the Mortgage Bankers Association. A commercial loan reviewer has to cultivate strong analytical skills and have a high level proficiency in applications like Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint and Moody’s Financial Analyst.

Commercial Loan Reviewer Salary Data

We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.

National Anual Salary

National Hourly Wage

How do Commercial Loan Reviewer salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, Commercial Loan Reviewer's can make an average annual salary of $37,920, or $18 per hour. This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make $28,510 or $14 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.

Salary Rankings And Facts

• #568 Nationally for All Careers

Highest Education Among Commercial Loan Reviewers

• 0.8%   Doctorate
• 5.1%   Masters
• 23.5%   Bachelors
• 9.5%   Associates
• 32.6%   College
• 27.4%   High School
• 1.2%   Less than High School

Job Growth Projections and Forecast

How does Commercial Loan Reviewer job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of -2,800 jobs for a total of 43,300 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a -6.1% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.

Growth Rankings And Facts

• #716 Nationally for All Careers

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