SVP Internal Audit & Credit Review

Austin or College Station, Texas

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ROLE HIGHLIGHTS:

Established over a century ago, our client has grown to become one of the state's largest agricultural lenders, serving a significant number of counties with a substantial loan volume. Its strength for producers lies in its member-owned structure, encompassing significant distributions of cash and equity to members, as well as dedicated support for disaster relief and new and beginning producers through specialized programs.

With a "BBB" credit rating from Fitch and S&P, our client offers a level of stability that smaller community banks cannot match. This financial strength allows audit professionals to focus on complex, high-level risk assessments rather than the existential liquidity crises often faced by smaller institutions.

This role offers leadership, autonomy, and the opportunity to contribute to a sustainable future for agriculture. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to qualify the opportunity: 

• Do you have ten (10) or more years of experience in financial auditing or internal auditing, specifically with a focus on the financial services sector?
• Are you a leader of people who thrives on building, not just maintaining?
• Do you possess the certification (CPA or CIA) required to lead the internal audit and credit review functions for a large rural lender?
• Are you a patient, strategic leader with the vision needed to mature an audit function and build robust procedures and internal controls from the ground up?
• Do you have the conviction and strong credit judgment required to evaluate intricate loan classifications and effectively justify those findings to executive leadership?
• Can you effectively navigate difficult discussions, maintain your stance, and articulate the rationale behind your conclusions even when faced with opposition?

The Senior Vice President (SVP) of Internal Audit & Credit Review is a strategic, high-autonomy leadership position with significant visibility. The role has a solid-line reporting structure to the Audit Committee and a dotted-line to the CEO, granting the incumbent the freedom to manage their workflow. 

The organization's culture is rooted in core values—trust, commitment, and family-like respect—and its success is directly tied to the success of its members. The total rewards package is robust, notably including a rare defined benefit pension plan.

This executive role presents a unique opportunity to mature the Internal Audit and Credit Review function, shifting its focus from compliance-heavy maintenance to a "true audit" capacity. You will mentor and lead two distinct direct reports and will be responsible for formalizing internal controls and establishing missing procedures.

Success in this role is critical to maintaining the company's strong credit quality. Despite the overall robustness of the portfolio, the recent rise in non-accrual loans necessitates a leader with exceptional credit acumen who can make difficult decisions regarding loan classifications. A key expectation is the ability to navigate complex conversations and firmly stand by audit findings, demonstrating significant authority even when management disagrees. Furthermore, you will drive modernization by leading the research and implementation of a new credit review system, a project targeted for 2026-2027.

If you are a seasoned financial services audit or credit review professional with a CPA or CIA certification, this position could be your next.

THE ROLE:

SVP Internal Audit & Credit Review

The Senior Vice President (SVP) of Internal Audit and Credit Review is a critical senior leadership position, reporting jointly to the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors. This role is responsible for the overall direction, management, and leadership of the internal audit and credit review functions. Key responsibilities include:

• Strategy and Planning: Developing and implementing comprehensive audit and review plans covering regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, accounting accuracy, and financial activities.
• Oversight: Determining the efficiency, effectiveness, and accuracy of the association's operations.
• Leadership: Leading and managing the internal audit and credit review staff.
• Administration: Developing the annual operating budget and establishing all necessary procedures, policies, and reporting structures for these functions.

A successful SVP must possess strong convictions and excellent communication skills, enabling them to navigate difficult conversations, maintain their decisions firmly, and clearly articulate the rationale behind their stance, even when facing disagreement from management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Establishes overall direction for the internal audit and credit review functions, including policies, procedures, audit and credit review scopes and reporting.
• Develops and refines an internal audit and credit review schedule for the association with Audit Committee approval.
• Assesses compliance with regulations pertaining to internal audit and credit review.
• Selects, trains, develops, motivates, evaluates, and manages internal audit and credit review staff.
• Keeps the Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, and Audit Committee informed of progress and activities for the internal audit and credit review function.
• Acts as a liaison with external auditors as required, providing staff assistance in gathering information.
• Evaluates management efforts to address regulatory compliance with a reporting function to the Board of Directors.
• Analyzes deficiencies noted in any report of examination, establishing corrective programs and periods for achieving correction in cooperation with relevant officials.
• Prepares and controls an annual operating budget for Internal Audit and Internal Credit Review.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, business, finance, or related discipline.
• Ten (10) or more years of experience in financial auditing or internal auditing with emphasis on the financial services industry.
• CPA and/or CIA certification preferred,,.
• General knowledge of accounting/financial systems.
• Specialized knowledge of accounting/finance principles,.
• Intermediate skill level in Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and listening skills.
• Ability to make effective business presentations, both written and oral, to small and large audiences.
• Ability to perform intermediate-level accounting and financial analyses under limited supervision.
• Ability to foster open lines of communication by conveying pertinent non-privileged industry and company information.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

• Market competitive base salary
• A defined benefit pension plan
• Short-Term Incentive (STI) program, based on performance
• 13 days vacation; 15 days sick leave; 12 paid holidays annually.
• Retirement: 401(k) with up to 9% employer contribution/match.
• Affordable medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Employer-paid life and disability insurance.
• Tuition reimbursement and up to $400 for wellness expenses.
• Paid parental leave (8 weeks)

CONTACT INFORMATION: 

If you have further questions, please feel free to text, call or email us below:

AG HeadHunters

(615) 686-2099 info@agheadhunters.com www.agheadhunters.com 

KEYWORDS:

Accounting, Finance, Financial Auditing, Internal Auditing, Credit Review, CPA, CIA, Financial Services, Regulations, Compliance, Regulatory, Risk Management, Ag Lending, Agribusiness, Rural Lending, Financial Analysis, Policy, Procedures, Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Audit Committee.

An Equal Opportunity Employer: The Company does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, age, religion, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender or any other protected characteristic; and it will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local discrimination laws. No person shall be denied employment solely because of any disability which is unrelated to the ability to engage in the essential functions involved in the position for which application has been made either with or without reasonable accommodations.