Director of Rural Lending

JOB DESCRIPTION

Director of Rural Lending

Lead Growth. Build Something Bigger. Shape the Future of Rural Finance.

Farm Credit of Northwest Florida is seeking a visionary and results-driven leader to serve as our Director of Rural Lending, a high-impact, highly visible leader responsible for leading one of the Association's key growth initiatives and driving the continued growth and performance of the rural lending business.

Reporting directly to the Chief Lending Officer, this role is responsible for executing the Association's rural lending growth strategy through business development, team leadership, product expansion, and operational excellence.

If you're a proven lending leader with deep expertise in real estate, consumer, and term lending, as well as secondary mortgage market programs, who thrives on business development, building and retaining high-performing teams, cultivating strategic partnerships, and creating new revenue opportunities, we want to talk with you.

Why This Role Matters

This is more than a lending management position. As Director of Rural Lending, you'll serve as a strategic leader for our home, home construction, land, and rural property lending portfolio and as the Association's trusted subject matter expert for consumer lending and secondary mortgage market programs, investor requirements, and servicing operations. While initially focused on rural residential and consumer lending, this role will play a key role in growing home lending volume, expanding secondary mortgage market opportunities, and developing lender expertise to increase utilization of existing and future financing solutions.

You'll work closely with the Chief Lending Officer and other leaders to influence and execute strategic growth initiatives, strengthen organizational capabilities, and support the continued success of the rural lending business. In doing so, you'll make a lasting impact on an organization committed to growth and rural prosperity.

Scope: As a key member of the lending management team, this position is accountable for the performance, growth, and development of the Association's rural lending business line while partnering closely with the Chief Lending Officer on strategic priorities.

What You'll Do

Drive Strategic Growth

• Lead profitable growth across home, construction, land, and rural property lending products
• Identify and execute opportunities for market expansion
• Develop strategies that increase market share and customer engagement
• Partner with executive leadership to shape and execute long-term growth initiatives
• Leverage technology, data, and market insights to identify growth opportunities and enhance business performance
• Drive growth in home lending volume and secondary mortgage market activities while increasing utilization of existing Farm Credit lending solutions

Build Revenue & Business Partnerships

• Create and expand fee-income and non-interest income opportunities
• Cultivate relationships with investors, referral partners, and industry stakeholders
• Strengthen partnerships with realtors, builders, real estate agents, and community leaders
• Develop sustainable pipelines that support continued growth across the Association's territory

Lead & Develop Talent

• Develop, recruit, coach and retain a highly engaged and high-performing lending team with strong customer service, production, and leadership capabilities while building organizational capacity for future growth
• Build on the established culture of accountability, collaboration, and customer excellence
• Further strengthen team capability and confidence to enhance results and maximize individual and organizational goals

Optimize Lending Operations

• Serve as the Association's subject matter expert for consumer and construction lending, secondary mortgage market programs, investor requirements, and loan servicing operations
• Provide leadership and guidance on consumer lending products, secondary market requirements, and industry best practices
• Monitor investor, regulatory, and industry developments to maintain competitive and compliant lending programs
• Oversee secondary mortgage market programs and servicing relationships
• Ensure compliance with investor requirements, servi