Hiring for Senior Analyst — Engagement Lead

Job Description:

Role Overview

The Senior Analyst serves as the on-ground lead for a US-based SBA Certified Development Company. In the first 4–6 weeks, this role is primarily focused on process discovery and SOP documentation — working closely with clients Servicing Director and Closing Officer to capture, document, and standardize workflows that currently exist only as institutional knowledge. Once the SOP library is established, the Senior Analyst transitions into an operational lead role: overseeing quality of the broader team's output, managing priorities and handoffs, and serving as the primary escalation point between a US-based SBA Certified Development Company and Heron.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the onboarding documentation sprint — observe, question, and document all CDCs servicing and closing workflows into repeatable SOPs within the first 4–6 weeks
• Build and maintain the SOP library covering loan boarding, annual servicing letters, insurance monitoring, financial spreading, risk ratings, UCC continuations, 1502 reporting, and post-closing checklist management
• Oversee day-to-day quality of output from Servicing and Closing Analysts; review work before it is returned to a US-based SBA Certified Development Company
• Manage daily priorities and workflow queues; ensure urgent items (particularly those tied to SBA monthly submission deadlines) are flagged and escalated appropriately
• Serve as the primary point of contact between Client team lead and the Heron delivery team
• Perform complex financial spreading, risk rating assignments, and SBA summary draft reviews
• Identify process improvement opportunities as the engagement matures and recommend automation or workflow changes
• Support onboarding and training of Servicing and Closing Analysts onto Client-specific procedures

Required Skills & Experience

• SBA / CDC knowledge — Solid working understanding of SBA 504 loan structure, CDC role, closing process (36-item SBA checklist, district council approval cycle, WFCSA funding), and servicing obligations (1502 reporting, risk ratings, UCC continuations). Prior exposure to a CDC, SBA lender, or community bank preferred.
• Financial statement analysis — Proficient in spreading business tax returns (1120, 1120S, 1065) and personal returns; calculating DSCR and cash flow ratios; applying RMA industry benchmarks for risk ratings. Experience with cash-back adjustments and credit memo interpretation.
• Process documentation — Demonstrated ability to observe, analyse, and write clear, repeatable SOPs and process guides. Has done this in a prior role — not theoretical.
• Loan operations systems — Experience with commercial loan management platforms; Ventures experience is a strong advantage. Proficiency in Excel for data tracking and reconciliation.
• Communication & stakeholder management — Strong written English; comfortable communicating directly with senior US-based client contacts. Able to ask probing questions diplomatically and translate ambiguous instructions into structured processes.
• Attention to regulatory detail — Understands that errors on SBA-regulated deliverables (1502 reports, SBA submissions) carry compliance consequences; treats accuracy as non-negotiable.

Preferred Background

• Prior experience in a CDC, SBDC, or SBA-approved lender environment
• Has led an offshore ramp-up or transition of a loan operations function
• Exposure to annual review memo writing or loan review in a commercial banking context
• Experience managing a small team of analysts (2–4 people)