Small Business Banking Compliance Advisor

The role:

The Senior Manager, SMB Lending Compliance Advisor serves as an independent second-line risk advisor to the Small and Medium Business Lending business unit. This role provides strategic compliance oversight, challenge, and regulatory expertise to ensure lending activities align with applicable federal laws, regulatory expectations, and the Bank’s risk appetite.

This position partners closely with Business Unit leadership, Legal, and horizontal Compliance partners to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate compliance risk across the SMB lending lifecycle. The role requires deep product and regulatory expertise, executive presence, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders while maintaining independence.

• Serve as primary second-line compliance advisor to SMB Lending leadership.
   

• Provide subject matter expertise on regulations impacting small business lending, including:

  • Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) / Regulation B

  • Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) / Regulation V

  • Fair Lending laws and disparate impact considerations

  • UDAAP

  • Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)

  • BSA/AML requirements as applicable to lending
     

• Deliver credible challenge to business decisions, product initiatives and changes, underwriting practices, and pricing strategies through execution of the Compliance Management Program such as complaints oversight, risk assessments, and issue management.

• Oversee third party relationships for the small business lending portfolio.

• Lead and maintain formal compliance risk assessments for the SMB lending portfolio.
   

• Evaluate adequacy and effectiveness of first-line controls.
   

• Identify emerging regulatory risks and escalate as appropriate.
   

• Provide risk-based recommendations aligned with regulatory expectations.
   

• Review issues, assess root cause, and validate remediation plans.
   

• Track and report compliance issues through formal governance channels.

• Assess impact of new or revised regulations.
   

• Advise business leadership on implementation strategy and required control enhancements.

• Communicate compliance risk themes, emerging issues, and key metrics.
   

• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive stakeholders while maintaining independent oversight.

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Risk Management, Law, or related field.
   

• 8–12 years of experience in banking compliance, regulatory risk, or audit within a regulated financial institution.
   

• Minimum 5 years supporting commercial, small business, or business banking lending activities.
   

• Strong working knowledge of:

  • Equal Credit Opportunity Act/Reg B

  • Fair Credit Reporting Act

  • Fair Lending

  • UDAAP

  • CRA
     

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting to senior leadership.
   

Preferred Qualifications:

• CRCM (Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager) certification.
   

• CAMS or other relevant compliance certification.
   

• Experience with fair lending analytics or model risk governance.
   

• Prior leadership experience managing or mentoring compliance professionals.
   

• Advanced degree (MBA or JD) preferred.
   

Core Competencies:

• Independent judgment and risk-based decision making
   

• Executive presence and influence
   

• Regulatory interpretation and technical expertise
   

• Strategic thinking
   

• Cross-functional collaboration
   

• Strong analytical capability