Director/Sr. Director, Special Assets - Synovus

Job Summary

Supervises a team of Special Assets Risk Officers managing all aspects of a portfolio of adversely risk rated commercial credit relationships which may include all or a combination of C&I or CRE loans and related bank services such as such as letters of credit, interest swaps, and complex treasury management products, among others. Assigned accounts may include lead/agent or large participations in syndicated C&I or CRE loans with complex structures and intercreditor issues spanning multiple levels of the capital structure. Develops workout strategies and negotiates directly with borrowers and their professionals to execute those strategies to reduce, rehabilitate, or eliminate credit risk outside the Bank's risk appetite and minimize the economic impact to the Bank of adversely rated credit exposures.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

* Supervises, coaches, mentors, and develops a team of Special Assets Officers. Reviews and concurs with recommended workout strategies, credit actions, risk rating changes, charge offs, and negotiation strategies. Provides guidance and serves as a sounding board in the development of workout strategies and related loan structures. Participates directly in meetings with borrowers where warranted and/or for development purposes. Ensures acceptable performance of each team member's role and responsibilities as outlined in the relevant job description. May serves as player/coach, directly managing an assigned portfolio of relationships as well as managing a team.

* Responsible for all portfolio management activities for assigned relationships including servicing, monitoring, credit actions, legal review and document retention.

* Serves as the primary Synovus point of contact for all customers assigned to personal portfolio. In credits where Synovus is not the only financial stakeholder, builds relationships with agent banks, bank group members, junior creditors, and equity sponsors. In credits where Synovus is a participant, seeks opportunities to show leadership and add value as a bank group member.

* Recommends, structures, and works directly with customers, agent banks, bank group participants, third party professionals and internal functional partners to develop, negotiate, document and execute risk reduction strategies including but not limited to restructuring credit and repayment terms, obtaining additional collateral, mitigating unsecured exposure inherent in all products (loans, cards, ACH, swaps, etc), establishing recourse to other borrower assets, and where appropriate, enforcing rights and remedies under the Bank's agreements.

* Maximizes economic value and minimize losses on each assigned relationship by balancing time, cost and achievability of strategic resolution options with bank policy, regulatory requirements, and applicable local, state and federal laws.

* Works with in-house, outside, and/or agent's legal counsel to analyze the Bank's legal position with regards to existing loan, collateral and intercreditor agreements, develops strategies to enhance the Bank's legal position and/or address deficiencies, and drafts and/or negotiates, as appropriate, legal documentation necessary to execute those strategies including but not limited to default letters, demand letters, waivers, forbearance agreements, amendments, settlements, consents and releases, and blocking notices, among others.

* Works with in-house, outside, and/or agent's legal counsel and financial advisors, as appropriate, to effectively navigate reorganization or liquidation in bankruptcy when appropriate and necessary, including but not limited to negotiation and execution of plans of reorganization and related support agreements, debtor in possession financing, monitoring liquidity, and cash use for critical vendors, key employee retention agreements, ongoing operations, etc.

* Establishes and monitors the realizable value of the Bank's collateral position in conjunction with agent banks, bank group participants, marketers, appraisers and other professionals.

* Continually monitors credit risk and performance of each assigned relationship including but not limited to covenant compliance, financial reporting, liquidity, compliance with restructuring and operating turnaround plans, and the resolution of exceptions.

* Makes timely recommendations for adjustments to risk ratings, accrual status and charge offs.

* Seeks opportunities to enhance fee and/or interest income where appropriate.

* Represents the Bank in the enforcement of rights and remedies including in judicial proceedings where necessary. Effectively navigates and maximizes the economic value of Synovus's position in court supervised reorganizations and/or liquidations when required.

* Avoids defensive litigation; minimize the expense to the Bank where defensive litigation cannot be avoided.

* Ensures credit files are accurate, complete and updated timely with appropriate documentation of credit decisions, status, resolutions, and borrower financial condition.

* Timely, accurately, completely and professionallyproduces and presents written reports including but not limited to problem asset memos, loan approval forms, and risk rating changes concerning loan workout activities supporting status, compliance, performance, collateral valuation, risk ratings, and charge offs among others.

* Monitors cash collections and ensure the correct application of recovered funds. Coordinates the proper implementation of workout plans with accounting, operations and other relevant Synovus departments.

* Travels to meet with borrowers, bank groups, and professionals as well as to inspect the Bank's collateral.

* Manages the annual performance management and merit processes for direct and indirect reports. Coaches and develops team members and builds a work environment where team members are engaged and feel a positive sense of achievement about their role in the company. Works closely with Human Resources regarding employee relations, compensation, training, posting and filling vacant positions and other Human Resources related matters.

* Accountable for risk within functional area. This includes observing all policies, procedures, laws, regulations and risk limits specific to their role including but not limited to the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Anti Money Laundering (AML) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, raise and report known or suspected violations to the appropriate authority in a timely fashion.

* Other duties as required.

The information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Synovus is an Equal Opportunity Employer supporting diversity in the workplace

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree required. Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Real Estate or related discipline preferred or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Minimum Experience:

* "* 12+ years commercial lending experience in an organization of at least comparable size and complexity or 12+ years of combined experience in commercial lending, as a practicing creditors rights attorney or commercial restructuring professional provided at least 7 years of expereince are in commercial lending.

* 10+ years experience working on complex wholesale credits with upper middle market or larger borrowers.

* 5+ years commercial workout and restructuring experience including at least 3 years in complex commercial credit resolution for upper middle market or larger borrowers.

* Supervisory experience strongly preferred. "

Certifications:

None required.

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

* Expert commercial credit analysis, documentation and structuring skills.

* Expert knowledge of the structure, issues and related legal agreements inherent in complex capital structures including but not limited to syndicated loans, subordinated debt, intercreditor agreements, and private equity.

* Expert knowledge of financial statements, accounting principles, commercial credit, loan underwriting, and general bank lending principles.

* Thorough understanding of value drivers in commercial entities including but not limited to hard assets, financial assets, and enterprise value.

* Advanced knowledge of bank products, laws, regulations, policies and practices.

* Working knowledge of problem loan accounting.

* Proven expertise in negotiation and the ability to influence others, at times under adverse or hostile conditions.

* Advanced written, verbal, presentation and interpersonal skills.

* Proven ability to interact effectively with sophisticated internal and external constituents at all levels, at times under adverse or hostile conditions.

* Exceptional attention to detail.

* Proven ability to exercise sound judgement and decision making, particularly in difficult situations.

* Proven ability to self direct; prioritizes and executes tasks independently and with limited supervision.

* Exceptional time management skills including the ability to manage multiple competing priorities under tight time constraints.

* Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams) and the ability to become proficient in the use of bank-specific computer applications such as core/loan accounting, document retention, and loan origination systems.

* Ability to travel including occasional overnight travel.

Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Protected Veterans/Disabled