Senior Agriculture Relationship Manager

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-foc