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Chief Lending Officer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

IGNITE YOUR CAREER-PLAY WITH PASSION Opportunities for authentic Chief Lending Officer roles in community banking are rare. Our client, Buckeye State Bank, with over $500 million in assets, is ...

IGNITE YOUR CAREER-PLAY WITH PASSION Opportunities for authentic Chief Lending Officer roles in community banking are rare. Our client, Buckeye State Bank, with over $500 million in assets, is ...

The Chief Lending Officer is a key member of the executive leadership team responsible for the strategic direction, growth, and overall performance of the organization's lending portfolio. This role ...

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Chief Lending Officer (CLO) (Full-time) The Chief Lending Officer (CLO) is responsible to lead lending functions and staff, overseeing the quality, growth, risk management, and profitability of the ...

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Chief Lending Officer information

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$69K

$163.2K

$275.5K

How much do chief lending officer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for chief lending officer in the United States is $163,165.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $111,500.00 and $200,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Chief Lending Officer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Chief Lending Officer, you need deep expertise in credit analysis, risk management, and lending regulations, typically supported by a bachelor’s or master’s degree in finance or a related field. Familiarity with loan origination systems, credit scoring models, and regulatory compliance tools is essential. Strong leadership, strategic thinking, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for leading teams and fostering client relationships. These skills and qualities ensure prudent lending practices, regulatory compliance, and sustained growth for financial institutions.

What jobs make $1,000,000 a year?

Chief Lending Officers in large financial institutions can earn over $1 million annually, especially with bonuses and incentives. High-level executives in investment banking, hedge fund managers, and private equity partners also often reach or exceed this income level due to performance-based compensation. These roles typically require extensive experience, advanced degrees, and strong industry networks.

What is a Chief Lending Officer?

A Chief Lending Officer (CLO) is a senior executive responsible for overseeing a financial institution's lending operations and strategies. Their primary role includes managing loan portfolios, setting credit policies, and ensuring compliance with regulations. CLOs work to maximize lending profitability while minimizing risk, and they often supervise teams of loan officers and credit analysts. They also collaborate with other executives to develop lending products and maintain strong relationships with clients.

Is there a demand for loan officers?

Loan officers, including chief lending officers, are in steady demand due to the ongoing need for credit in banking and financial services. Employment is expected to grow as financial institutions expand their lending activities and require skilled professionals to evaluate and approve loan applications. Strong communication, analytical skills, and relevant certifications can enhance job prospects in this field.

What does a chief lending officer do?

A chief lending officer (CLO) oversees a financial institution's lending operations, including developing lending policies, managing loan portfolios, and ensuring compliance with regulations. They analyze credit risks, approve large loans, and work to meet the organization's financial goals, often using financial analysis tools and requiring strong leadership skills.

How to become a chief lending officer?

To become a chief lending officer, candidates typically need a bachelor's degree in finance, business, or a related field, along with extensive experience in lending, credit analysis, or banking. Many also pursue advanced certifications such as the Certified Banking Risk Analyst (CBRA) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) to enhance their qualifications. Strong leadership, decision-making skills, and knowledge of regulatory compliance are essential for this executive role.

What Does a Chief Lending Officer Do?

The responsibilities of a chief lending officer involve managing a team of loan officers in a bank or other financial institution, maintaining a portfolio of loans, and completing all necessary documents during loan processing. You also need to ensure that staff follows necessary procedures. In addition to these duties, your employer may expect you to meet clients and create lending policies and procedures for lending operations, loan management, and marketing.

What are some common challenges faced by Chief Lending Officers when leading a lending team?

Chief Lending Officers often encounter challenges such as balancing risk management with growth targets and ensuring regulatory compliance across the loan portfolio. They must effectively lead and mentor their team, fostering a culture of collaboration while adapting to changing market conditions and evolving customer needs. Additionally, they are responsible for implementing new technologies and lending strategies, which requires strong communication and change management skills to gain team buy-in and maintain operational efficiency.
What cities are hiring for Chief Lending Officer jobs? Cities with the most Chief Lending Officer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Chief Lending Officer jobs? The most popular types of Chief Lending Officer jobs are:
Who are the top companies hiring for Chief Lending Officer jobs? The top employers for Chief Lending Officer jobs are:
What states have the most Chief Lending Officer jobs? States with the most job openings for Chief Lending Officer jobs include:
Infographic showing various Chief Lending Officer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 93% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $163,165 per year, or $78.4 per hour.

$165 - $220/hr

Other

Posted 14 days ago


Job description

TopLine Financial Credit Union - Maple Grove, MN

Full-time

Salary: $165,000.00 - $220,000.00 Annually

Application Deadline: Sep 23, 2026

Lending

Lead Smart Growth. Protect What's Built. Shape What's Next.

Do You Belong Here?

TopLine Financial Credit Union is seeking a strategic, forward-thinking executive to serve as its next Chief Lending Officer. This is an opportunity to join a high-performing organization where lending is more than a business line - it's the engine that fuels growth, strengthens member relationships, and supports long-term financial success.

For more than 90 years, TopLine Financial Credit Union has helped individuals, families, and businesses throughout the Twin Cities achieve their financial goals. Headquartered in Maple Grove, Minnesota, TopLine has earned a reputation for combining financial strength with exceptional member service, innovative lending solutions, and a culture committed to continuous improvement.

Reporting directly to the President/CEO, the Chief Lending Officer will join the executive leadership team and oversee consumer lending, mortgage lending, business and commercial lending, indirect lending, loan servicing, and collections. This leader will guide the credit union's lending philosophy while ensuring growth, credit quality, member value, and sound risk management remain aligned.

Located just northwest of Minneapolis, Maple Grove consistently ranks among Minnesota's best places to live, offering outstanding schools, vibrant retail and dining, abundant parks and trails, and convenient access to everything the Twin Cities has to offer.

Is Your Purpose Guiding Members Through the Lending Lifecycle?

Reporting directly to the President/CEO, the Chief Lending Officer serves as the executive responsible for TopLine's lending strategy and the stewardship of its largest earning asset. This leader will oversee the complete lending lifecycle while ensuring lending decisions are grounded in consistent credit philosophy, disciplined risk management, and exceptional member service.

The CLO will develop enterprise lending strategy, establish credit policy, strengthen portfolio analytics, guide risk-based pricing, and partner closely with executive leadership to ensure sustainable portfolio growth across consumer, mortgage, commercial, and indirect lending. Success requires balancing growth, yield, and credit quality - not viewing them as competing priorities.

The ideal candidate combines strategic thinking with operational excellence. They understand that strong lending organizations are built through disciplined processes, data-driven decision-making, continuous improvement, and leaders who develop exceptional teams. They are equally comfortable discussing balance sheet strategy in the boardroom as they are coaching lending leaders and improving day-to-day operations.

Can We Grow Together?

The ideal candidate is an accomplished executive with 15+ years of progressive lending leadership experience, including responsibility for multiple lending functions and ownership of lending performance across an organization. A bachelor's degree in finance, business, economics, or a related field is required, while an MBA or other advanced degree is strongly preferred. Credit union experience is preferred, although accomplished banking and financial services executives are encouraged to apply.

Candidates should bring demonstrated success leading consumer, mortgage, business, commercial, or indirect lending while developing credit policy, portfolio analytics, and risk-based lending strategies that produce sustainable results. Experience leading organizational change, improving business processes, leveraging data to guide decisions, and developing high-performing leadership teams will be essential.

Beyond technical expertise, this leader will bring executive presence, sound judgment, and a collaborative leadership style. They will build trusted relationships across the executive team, confidently engage with the Board of Directors, and help position TopLine for continued success through thoughtful leadership and disciplined execution.

As TopLine Financial Credit Union continues to grow, the Chief Lending Officer will play a defining role in shaping the organization's future while protecting one of its most valuable assets - its lending portfolio - and the trust its members place in it every day.

The target salary range for this position is $165,000–$220,000 annually.

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