Small Business Banker Job Description, Important Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the small business banker job description, including the duties, tasks, and responsibilities they perform.

It also highlights the major requirements you may be expected to meet to be hired for the small business banker role.

What Does a Small Business Banker Do?

The Small Business Banker (SBB) works in a financial institution and is responsible for managing a business loan portfolio that may include small organizations. They are accountable to meet the financial needs of the small business customer in their portfolio.

The small business banker job description covers three key areas: acquisition, sales, and service; account planning and management; and risk mitigation, with a focus on the achievement of all profitability and growth (sales, service, and referral) targets.

This includes community participation activities and a local networking strategy.

Their role requires them to perform careful analysis of prospective clients’ needs and best product options, working with the client to determine optimal banking solutions that meets their needs.

Small business bankers profile customers to gain a complete understanding of their small business and commercial banking needs.

They partner with the Branch Manager/superior to develop a financial plan and ensure investment needs of customers are met; they fulfill personal banking needs of the business owner.

They are responsible for identifying and establishing relationships with prospective small business customers in order to grow portfolio and relationships through the acquisition of new customers.

The small business banker work description also entails acting as a customer advocate in resolving problems/issues tactfully and effectively in accordance with their the bank’s policies.

It also involves developing and implementing a rolling annual proactive sales and service and business development plan for assigned small business customers to retain and expand commercial market share, grow the bottom line and portfolio balances, as well as expand profitability, making revisions to your plan as applicable.

Small business bankers apply business development and relationship management principles, practices, and techniques to achieve target level sales of commercial lending, as well as deposit products and services.

They are responsible for reviewing and monitoring performance against plan and taking corrective measures, which will include making referrals as necessary to address identified gaps, and take advantage of all business growth opportunities.

They work to manage risk and minimize losses through monitoring and controlling various reports, and taking appropriate action, ensuring compliance requirements, audits, and verifications are completed in accordance with Bank Policies and Procedures.

The duties performed by small business bankers also include ensuring that credit recommendations are made in accordance with sound credit-granting principles, and in compliance with the bank’s policies and related procedures.

Bankers also follow security and safeguarding procedures and apply appropriate due diligence in accordance with the bank policy for the prevention of loss due to fraud, robbery, counterfeiting, money laundering, or defalcation.

To work as a small business banker requires at least a Bachelor’s degree and other role based capabilities.

They usually work in small teams, so communication and collaboration skills are necessary for success in this career.

Consultative sales skills, presentation skills, active listening, and strong analytical skills are also essential for success on the job.

Small Business Banker Job Description Example/Sample/Template

The Small Business Banker (SBB) performs various functions in meeting the financial needs of small business customers in their portfolio, as well as proactively sourcing, acquiring, expanding, and retaining customer relationships by maximizing sales opportunities in an assigned territory.

They guarantee a superlative customer experience for all existing and prospective customers.

The tasks, duties, and responsibilities that majorly constitute the job description of small business bankers are listed below:

• Responsible for achieving predetermined sales volume and revenue
• Responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive territory sales plan to achieve desired results
• Actively engages in business networking and community activities to achieve sales target
• Actively represents the bank in business communities, generates business leads, and closes business opportunities.
• Creates awareness in the local community that the bank is providing multi-product banking solutions to the small business community
• Maintains frequent interaction with COIs, diverse industry segments, community leaders, and senior business contacts
• Proactive manages the portfolio of assigned high value clients
• Actively employs strategies to expand business banking customer relationships by identifying their needs and maximizing opportunities
• Responsible for customer satisfaction and retention
• Engages in cross-selling and refers customers to other business segments as appropriate
• Sources and makes available credit provisions for prospects and clients
• Follows up on credit referrals from branch managers and business bankers
• Partners with branch staff and customers on preparing proper credit structure and credit package
• Serves as primary point of contact and delivers client satisfaction and relationship profitability
• Drives sales activities and fulfills customer needs across territory by effectively leveraging on, coordinating, and organizing targeted marketing campaigns, events and new product launches
• Executes joint sales activities and ongoing training to develop small business skills of assigned territory team
• Responsible for providing ongoing coaching to branch staff and partners in assigned territory to effectively identify referral opportunities
• Fosters teamwork and small business knowledge in all assigned branches to ensure a positive customer experience
• Ensures ongoing and appropriate client communication to support maximization and satisfaction of client relationship
• Strictly adheres to internal control policies, such as the account opening and credit protocols of accurate collection, completion, and updating of all required documentation
• Ensures all activities are carried out in adherence to all regulatory, legal, and government regulations
• Spends majority of time in the field, on sales appointments, generating leads to new opportunities, and closing business.

Small Business Banker Requirements – Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for career Success

If you are seeking to work as a small business banker, you will need to possess certain qualities and qualifications that will enable you to succeed in your career.

These also form the requirements that most employers hiring for the position commonly ask applicants to have to be able to access the job or qualify for an interview.

Shown below are typical requirements recruiters may want you to meet if you are seeking the job of a small business banker, to be sure that you will be able to achieve the objectives, obligations, and purpose of the position in their companies:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or economics may be required
• Presentation skills: Small business bankers require this skill to confidently deliver client presentations, including in-depth credit analysis to recommend appropriate credit option strategies to help small business clients achieve their goals
• Consultative sales skills: They require the ability to probe, listen, clarify, and present information, to advance sales transactions. It is important that they are knowledgeable in financial services outside sales, business-to-business sales or small business banking
• Passion: They must be passionate about outside sales and enjoy spending time prospecting
• Interpersonal skills: They require this skill to establish new relationship, as well as enhance and deepen existing relationships and exceed sales goals
• Analytical skills: They must possess the ability to assimilate complex financial information, analyze financial conditions of clients and industry trends, in order to make informed decisions. It is also essential for them to understand and interpret financial statements and cash flow analysis
• Communication skills: Small business bankers require great oral and written communication skills to perform their job successfully
• Team work abilities: They must enjoy partnering and negotiating with a team of bank employees to solve client issues
• Knowledge: Demonstrated management of an extensive client portfolio with sizeable funds may be required
• Thorough knowledge of small business financial products and services may be required
• Familiarity with sales force automation may be required
• Strong computer skills: They must be proficient on all Microsoft applications, including Excel
• Abilities: They must possess the ability to multitask in a demanding environment.

Conclusion

To hire a small business banker, recruiters’ need to publish the job description for interested individuals to respond to.

To make a perfect description of the role for your organization, you can adapt the sample small business banker job description provided in this post.

You are sure to be able to effectively write the job description the will attract only individuals who can perform the duties and responsibilities of the small business banker role at your organization.

Individuals who are interested in the small business banker career will also find this article helpful in learning about what the role entails and how they can be successful on the job.