The Senior Agriculture Relationship Manager develops and manages complex relationships with agricultural producers and agribusinesses, supporting their borrowing, operating, deposit, and day-to-day banking needs. The role is responsible for delivering strategic and value-added financial advice, originating new business, structuring complex lending solutions, and managing significant member relationships throughout the credit lifecycle.
The Senior Relationship Manager is expected to operate with a high degree of independence and exercise advanced credit judgment in managing complex agricultural relationships and transactions. The role provides well-supported recommendations on higher-risk situations, material policy exceptions, specialized operations, succession, expansion, restructuring, and other matters requiring senior expertise. All recommendations and lending activities must align with BVCU’s strategic objectives, credit policies, delegated authorities, and prudent risk management standards.
Success in this role requires demonstrated relationship-management and business-development results, advanced credit capability, strong agricultural industry knowledge, sound judgment, and the ability to strengthen team capability through mentorship, constructive challenge, and leadership on significant files and initiatives.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Member Experience & Strategic Relationship Management
- Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with agricultural producers and agribusinesses members.
- Act as a senior trusted advisor by developing a comprehensive understanding of each member’s operation, financial position, strategic goals, risk profile, and changing banking needs.
- Provide timely, practical, and strategic advice throughout the relationship, coordinating with branches and internal partners to deliver a consistent member experience.
- Conduct on-farm and business site visits to maintain strong member relationships and support informed credit and relationship decisions.
- Represent BVCU professionally within agricultural communities and strengthen BVCU’s credibility and presence in the Alberta agriculture market.
Agriculture Credit & Portfolio Management
- Lead the assessment and structuring of complex agricultural credit by applying advanced financial analysis, sound credit judgment, and a comprehensive understanding of repayment capacity, collateral, industry conditions, and other relevant information.
- Structure and negotiate lending solutions that appropriately balance member objectives, pricing, profitability, portfolio considerations, and risk.
- Prepare or oversee complete, well-supported credit submissions for complex new, renewed, increased, amended, or restructured lending requests, including senior recommendations to Credit Committee or other approval authorities as required.
- Work collaboratively with Commercial Lending Analysts in the preparation and management of credit requests while remaining accountable for member strategy, transaction structure, the quality and completeness of the credit submission, and the recommendation presented for approval.
- Provide proactive oversight of assigned relationships throughout the credit lifecycle, ensuring appropriate monitoring and timely action in response to covenant concerns, financial deterioration, emerging risk, or changing member circumstances.
- Exercise lending authority as assigned and provide clear, independent, and well-supported recommendations on matters requiring senior credit judgment.
Business Development & Full Relationship Growth
- Originate high-quality agricultural and agribusiness relationships through proactive business development, member referrals, professional networks, branch partnerships, community involvement, and participation in agricultural events.
- Develop strategic, multi-product relationships with accountability for appropriate growth across lending, deposits, operating banking, cash management, payment, and ancillary services.
- Identify opportunities to deepen member relationships while ensuring solutions provide sustainable value to both the member and BVCU.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with professional advisors, agricultural organizations, industry participants, and other referral sources that support member service, market presence, and portfolio growth.
Senior Credit Leadership & Team Development
- Act as an escalation and technical resource for Relationship Managers and Commercial Lending Analysts on complex agricultural credit, transaction structuring, policy interpretation, difficult negotiations, and emerging portfolio risks.
- Provide coaching, mentorship, and constructive challenge that strengthens credit judgment, relationship-management capability, and consistency of practice across the Commercial Banking team.
- Lead significant transactions, portfolio reviews, process improvements, and special initiatives requiring senior agricultural or commercial lending expertise.
- Support the VP, Commercial Banking in the development of agriculture strategy, portfolio management practices, market-building initiatives, and lending programs.
- Promote sound and consistent credit practices while encouraging timely decision-making, individual accountability, and effective collaboration.
Agriculture Knowledge & Risk Management
- Maintain advanced knowledge of agricultural operating cycles, industry conditions, government programs, collateral, and other factors relevant to agricultural credit risk and member performance.
- Stay current on developments affecting Alberta agriculture and apply this knowledge to strategic member advice, complex credit assessment, and portfolio oversight.
- Provide senior judgment on deteriorating relationships and develop appropriate collection, restructuring, remediation, or workout strategies in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
- Identify broader or emerging portfolio risks and contribute to timely strategies that protect BVCU while supporting responsible member outcomes.
Operational Excellence
- Apply BVCU policies, procedures, approval conditions, regulatory requirements, privacy standards, and sound business practices in all activities.
- Maintain complete, accurate, timely, and audit-ready credit and relationship files and promote the same standard across files supported by the role.
- Contribute senior expertise to the development and continuous improvement of commercial lending practices, policies, procedures, templates, reporting, and member service.
- Participate in training, meetings, projects, pilots, and organizational initiatives aligned with BVCU’s strategic direction.
- Perform other responsibilities consistent with the purpose and accountabilities of the role.
Teamwork & Collaboration
- Contribute to a positive work environment that encourages accountability, teamwork, mutual respect, constructive challenge, and knowledge sharing.
- Collaborate with Commercial Lending Analysts, Relationship Managers, Administration, branches, Credit, Operations, and other departments to support strong credit decisions and a seamless member experience.
- Provide appropriate team coverage and support and help coordinate cross-functional efforts on significant or complex member relationships.
- Participate in ongoing professional development and share knowledge that strengthens agricultural and commercial lending capability across BVCU.
- Prioritize health and safety and maintain confidentiality, discretion, and professional conduct.
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:
- Advanced communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships and communicate complex credit matters clearly and credibly.
- Advanced financial analysis, credit judgment, critical thinking, problem-solving, and risk-assessment capability.
- Demonstrated success in relationship management and business development, with a strategic, member-focused, and commercially minded approach.
- Strong knowledge of agricultural lending, operating cycles, industry risks, collateral, and financial management practices.
- Ability to operate with a high degree of independence, exercise sound judgment, and lead complex negotiations and credit discussions.
- Ability to coach and mentor colleagues, provide constructive challenge, and contribute to consistent credit and relationship-management practices.
- Strong organization, attention to detail, and ability to lead multiple complex priorities and deadlines in a dynamic environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to learn banking, credit, and workflow systems; experience with DNA and Valeyo is an asset.
- Commitment to confidentiality, discretion, professional service, and continuous learning.
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Post-secondary education in agribusiness, agriculture, business, finance, accounting, economics, or a related discipline is preferred; an equivalent combination of education, experience, and demonstrated capability will be considered.
- Significant progressive experience in agricultural banking, commercial banking, commercial credit, agriculture finance, accounting, or a related field.
- Demonstrated success independently managing complex agricultural relationships, originating new business, and leading complex credit transactions.
- Advanced capability in credit analysis, transaction structuring, relationship management, portfolio management, negotiation, and business development.
- Strong practical knowledge of Alberta agriculture, agricultural collateral, operating cycles, sector risks, and the factors affecting producer and agribusiness performance.
- Advanced working knowledge of lending documentation, security, credit policy, legislation, and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Knowledge of agricultural risk-management and government programs, including AgriStability, AgriInvest, agricultural insurance, and related programs, is an asset.
- Experience mentoring or providing technical guidance to Relationship Managers, analysts, or other commercial banking employees is an asset.
THE FINE PRINT:
- This position is in Cochrane, Alberta.
- This is a full-time position, 37.5 hours per week.
- Working Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.
- Office setting with extended computer use, sitting, reaching, standing, minimal lifting, and walking.
- Moderate mental effort with periods of high-volume workload, competing deadlines, complex credit analysis, and time-sensitive funding or documentation requirements.
APPLYING WITH BVCU:
BVCU is strongly rooted in the communities we serve and have built considerable success by delivering exceptional service and products to our members to help built a strong financial future. We take great pride in the communities and are committed to helping them thrive. Total compensation includes Flex Days, vacation, RRSP program, and benefits, including an HSA/Flex Spending Account.
At BVCU, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, and all other characteristic protected by law. We believe that diversity and inclusion is critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain our talent from a diverse candidate pool. The credit union reserves the right to change job accountabilities and responsibilities as business needs dictate.
BVCU thanks you for your application, but we will only be contacting successful applicants. No phone calls please.
