Director and Team Lead, Land Development and Construction

Description

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Why Meridian?

At Meridian, our aspiration is to integrate our purpose into everything we do for people, the planet, and communities. We believe that our greatest opportunity is to create opportunity and meet people where they are.

Find our story here:

Our Business Banking Practice:

Our vision is to be recognized as the financial institution that has the most local impact, supported by a purposeful value proposition to our Members.

We take the time to get to know our Members' business, anticipate their needs and provide customized solutions. After all, our obligations are to our Members, not shareholders, and we take to heart the best interests of our Members and communities we serve! We're passionate about what we can do for their business, and we’re empowered to leverage our local autonomy to meet their unique needs.

In addition to building customized solutions for business, we offer full service commercial banking solutions, including a wide selection of daily banking products, complementary lending services, cash management solutions, as well as insurance and investments.

As a Director and Team Lead, Land Development & Construction:

You will manage a portfolio in addition to team management responsibilities. You will be accountable to build and develop a portfolio of large land development and construction loans and cash management services that exhibit a high degree of complexity and value to Meridian with lending needs generally greater than $20,000,000. The ability to meet financial objectives related to the profitable growth and retention of assigned portfolio is critical to success.

Grow the size and profitability of the Land Development and Construction book through good risk management techniques and by soliciting and maintaining solid new business relationships. You embody a “Member-obsessed” approach while ensuring a high standard of business results and community engagement ensuring execution with excellence.

The successful candidate will have extensive experience and expertise in managing large real estate, real estate related, land development and construction financing deals.

What you will do:

• Lead a team of Directors and Relationship Managers along with managing a portfolio of the largest and highest complexity of Meridian’s most valued Members.
• Actively monitors and manages the profitability of Commercial relationship with Members with the intent of building a long-term mutually beneficial relationship by fully understanding the goals, objectives and status of the Member’s business(es).

• Provide structure and in-depth analysis on complex credits.

• Demonstrate a strong working knowledge and excellent analytical skills in the areas of balance sheets, cash flow mechanics, and business plans presented by Members.

• Structure fully flexible credit solutions customized to meet the Member’s needs while ensuring an appropriate return to the Credit Union.

• Structure, negotiate and document complex credit and cash management arrangements with segment Members and prospects – often in partnership with Commercial Credit. Negotiate all terms of credit with Commercial Credit and appropriately assess risk in the relationship

• Through a coordinated and targeted marketing plan, identify and initiate contact with Members, partners, community leaders, centres of influence (COI) and prospects to close deals and strengthen, protect and grow the commercial book of business

• Maintain an ongoing sales pipeline and effectively follows up on unsuccessful referrals/prospects

• Use exceptional financial, industry knowledge and expertise to proactively assess and anticipate Member’s needs and to suggest, recommend and/or propose products/solutions to meet those needs and the Member’s broader business objectives.

• Ensure the Member continues to be aware of the benefits of using these products, as well as new products available to them.

• Continuously update knowledge on new products that may be of value to Members.

• In conjunction with the Managing Director, help motivate and provide guidance to employees within your team to ensure high quality service is provided to Members and partners.

• Assist the Managing Director in identifying the appropriate training requirements to develop the required levels of expertise on the team, as well as assist in the team’s lending and deposit activities including team sales planning and pipeline management.

• Direct employees on the assigned team in the structure, negotiation and submission of credit applications, evaluating requests on the basis of policy, risk and profitability, ensuring reviews on commercial credits are performed as required according to established lending guidelines.

• Responsible for assisting in the creation of development plans, performance management, coaching, feedback and performance improvement plans.

• Ensure employees receive regular coaching to review and follow-up on Member activity and information on a regular basis ensuring completion of activities e.g. financial targets, business development activities, expiries, Voice of Member, evaluating credit security.

How you will succeed:

• University Degree in Business or Finance or related discipline or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• 8+ years of progressive commercial lending experience in sales/service and managing a diverse portfolio in commercial banking environment or like field.

• Experience with land development & construction financing is an asset, as this is a specialized team & portfolio. Leadership experience is also an asset.

• Developed sales management skills sufficient to set sales goals from overall plan and targets. Ability to measure and monitor sales plans, targets, pipeline and activities. Ability to coach others on sales techniques to increase effectiveness.

• Strong and thorough knowledge of the commercial banking marketplace and the assigned market area’s key industries and competitive positioning.

• Advanced knowledge of business lending policies, complex procedures, techniques and documentation requirements.

• Superior origination, business development, relationship building and portfolio management skills.

• Superior negotiation skills coupled with a deep product knowledge/expertise.

• Expert knowledge of segment, strategies, structure, as well as its lending and deposit products and services.

• Advanced credit and interviewing techniques, credit investigation and underwriting skills.

• Superior financial analysis skills.

• Proven ability to align, analyze and oversee administration of loan submissions with financial structures of highest complexity.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills (both verbally and in writing).

• Ability to interact at any level within the organization and in a business development capacity within the community.

This role represents an existing vacancy. Internal candidates are being considered as part of our standard process.

Salary Range: CAD $130,000 - $150,000 CAD

Compensation for this role is based on a combination of skills, experience, and internal equity. Candidates with stronger alignment to the role’s requirements may be placed higher within the range. Your recruiter will share more information about our total rewards package during the hiring process.

Join us! This role is hybrid. The offices are located at 69 John Street South, Hamilton & 75 Corporate Park Dr, St. Catharines.

Meridian has a remote work policy that allows flexibility for employees to work remotely but also requires regular time in the office for purposeful meetings to collaborate, innovate and build effective relationships with your team, your colleagues and your leader which is very important to us.

What's in it for you?

• We have an inclusive and collaborative working environment that encourages creativity, curiosity, and celebrates success!

• We provide you with the tools and technology needed to delight your candidates and clients!

• You'll get to work with and learn from diverse industry leaders, who have hailed from top organizations around the world

• Hybrid work arrangements with in-person office time to collaborate, innovate and build relationships with your colleagues

• This isn't your typical "corporate" job. We work hard and we have fun!

Build the Future of Banking with Us

At Meridian, we’re not just adapting to the future—we’re shaping it. We see talent as a catalyst for sustainable growth, community impact, and future-readiness. As the financial landscape evolves, we’re looking for team members who bring:

• Embedding & leveraging technology – Confidence and willingness to learn and integrate AI and emerging technologies into new ways of working. Experience with low/no code tools like the Microsoft Power Platform and generative AI productivity tools like Microsoft Copilot is considered an asset
• Critical Thinking – The ability to analyze, evaluate and interpret information from various sources and apply logic and problem solving to make decisions.
• Data Driven– Leverage data and insights to identify, prioritize and improve member experience and business efficiency.
• Curiosity & Flexibility – Comfortable navigating and embracing change and uncertainty, ask more questions, explore more options. Continuously learn and grow.

Our Commitment to You!

Meridian is committed to promoting an inclusive, accessible environment, where all employees and customers feel valued, respected, and supported. We are dedicated to employing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities and Members in which we live and serve.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or disability.

Please note that due to the volume of applications, only those under consideration will be contacted for an interview.

Thank you for your interest in Meridian Credit Union.

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