Chief Credit Risk Officer (Hybrid)

Chief Credit Risk Officer
Location: Hybrid – Des Moines, IA (4 days onsite / 1 day remote)
Relocation Assistance: Available

Position Overview

This opportunity arises from the planned retirement of a long-tenured Chief Credit Risk Officer following 25 years of service. The incoming CCRO will inherit a mature, disciplined credit risk framework and a highly experienced team, and will be responsible for leading its continued evolution in an increasingly complex economic, regulatory, and counterparty environment.

The CCRO serves as the enterprise leader for credit risk, overseeing underwriting, counterparty exposure, and collateral risk management across the organization. This executive plays a central role in safeguarding safety and soundness while enabling responsible growth aligned with the institution’s mission.

The next CCRO will shape the institution’s credit posture for the next decade, ensuring resilience across credit cycles while supporting prudent balance sheet strategy and long-term financial strength.

This role is highly visible, with direct engagement with executive leadership, board committees, and regulators. The CCRO leads a multi-layered credit risk organization that includes multiple directors and a seasoned team of professionals.

Key Responsibilities

• Enterprise Credit Risk Strategy
• Lead and continuously refine the enterprise credit risk framework in alignment with risk appetite, capital strategy, and regulatory expectations
• Anticipate macroeconomic, industry, and market developments and position the organization proactively for emerging risks
• Ensure credit risk considerations are embedded in strategic planning, portfolio management, and new product initiatives
• Serve as the second-line authority on material credit decisions, providing independent risk judgment and challenge where appropriate
• Credit Underwriting and Counterparty Oversight
• Oversee underwriting standards and counterparty risk management for members, investment counterparties, and other significant exposures
• Review and provide executive oversight on the institution’s largest and most complex credit relationships, including analysis of financial performance, capital adequacy, liquidity, business models, and governance
• Maintain strong governance over secured and unsecured credit structures, ensuring appropriate risk assessment, documentation standards, and recovery considerations
• Guide the evolution of internal credit rating methodologies and probability of default frameworks as appropriate
• Collateral Risk Governance
• Provide independent second-line oversight of collateral risk management practices
• Ensure robust standards for collateral eligibility, valuation, monitoring, and stress resiliency
• Evaluate and approve credit risk implications of new collateral types, structures, and strategic initiatives

Leadership and Culture

• Lead, develop, and retain a high-performing credit risk organization through active coaching and succession planning
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and independent risk thinking
• Partner effectively across first and second lines while maintaining the independence required of a senior risk executive

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, business administration, or related field
• Minimum 10 years of credit risk experience evaluating large financial institutions, including banks, thrifts, and insurance companies
• Minimum 5 years in progressively senior leadership roles within credit risk management
• Demonstrated expertise in counterparty credit analysis and collateral risk oversight
• Deep understanding of financial institution balance sheets, funding structures, capital frameworks, and business models
• Experience engaging directly with regulators and senior governance bodies

Preferred

• Experience within highly regulated banking or lending institutions
• Experience covering both depository institutions and insurance entities
• Advanced degree such as MBA or MS in Finance
• Professional certifications such as FRM or CFA
• Experience with money market instruments, mortgage products, fixed income portfolios, and derivatives
• Familiarity with internal credit rating systems and quantitative credit risk modeling
• Leadership Profile
• Executive-level presence with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and governance bodies
• Proven ability to exercise independent judgment in high-stakes credit decisions
• Credibility with regulators and boards
• Strong analytical orientation with comfort evaluating complex financial structures
• Ability to lead through changing economic conditions and evolving regulatory expectations

Travel

Periodic travel may be required for regulatory engagement, industry events, and executive meetings.