Business Banker Group Director (Preferred locations: Dallas, Houston, Austin, TX, or Denver, CO)

The SouthState story is one of steady growth, deep community roots, and an unwavering commitment to helping our customers move forward. Since our beginnings in the 1930s to becoming a trusted financial partner across the South and beyond - we are known for combining personal relationships with forward-thinking solutions.

We are committed to helping our team members find their success while maintaining the integrity of our values: building trust, fostering lasting relationships and pursuing excellence. At SouthState, individual contributions are recognized, potential is cultivated and team members are inspired to achieve their greater purpose. Your future begins here!

Summary

Leads a team of Business Banking Relationship Managers driving targeted growth of business relationships through proactive loan origination and intentional deposit expansion while applying disciplined credit judgment and risk management practices.  Provides leadership, coaching, and oversight to ensure team performance, consistent execution, and adherence to credit and risk standards.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Leads a team of Business Banking Relationship Managers, providing guidance on deal structuring, business development strategies, and portfolio management to ensure consistent performance and alignment with bank objectives and ensuring consistent execution across team members.  Guides and develops the ongoing sales activities of the Business Banking Relationship Managers across their assigned geography.  Develop strategies in conjunction with the Director of Business Banking to grow Business Banking and promote products that are in line with Bank goals and strategy.  Works with various leadership levels on growth strategies as well as communicate product changes, enhancements, and developments to local teams.
• Develops, executes, and reinforces team adoption of targeted prospecting and relationship expansion strategies, leveraging professional referral networks, outbound calling, and community engagement to generate qualified loan and core deposit growth opportunities aligned to defined credit risk parameters.
• Provides guidance on deal structuring, business development strategies, and portfolio management to ensure consistent performance and alignment with bank objectives and ensuring consistent execution across team members.  Reviews and validates team member loan packages as requested, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to credit policy and risk standards prior to submission or approval while ensuring team alignment with cross-functional partners.  Monitors portfolio risk and performance of team portfolios by evaluating financial trends, and risk rating movements, proactively identifying emerging credit issues and implementing timely mitigation strategies to protect asset quality.
• Partners with internal stakeholders, including branch teams, credit, treasury, and operational teams, to coordinate solutions, streamline deal execution, and enhance the overall client experience while supporting efficient growth and risk management.  Maintains an extensive knowledge of the products and services available to our Business Customers.
• Actively assists in the management and expansion of portfolio of business relationships by deepening engagement, increasing loan outstandings, and driving primary operating deposit relationships to enhance client profitability and retention, while ensuring team members achieve similar outcomes. Drives growth in core deposits and fee income by delivering referrals to Treasury Management, merchant services, and other internal partners that position the bank as the client’s primary financial institution, while coaching team members on effective deposit growth strategies while ensuring team alignment with cross-functional partners.
• Proactively mitigates fraud and operational risk by validating client identity and business legitimacy, analyzing transaction patterns, enforcing due diligence standards, and escalating suspicious activity in alignment with internal controls and regulatory requirements. Provides second-line review as requested and oversight of team member activity to ensure consistent detection and escalation of potential fraud risks. Ensures compliance with all applicable regulations and bank policies, including BSA/AML and Fair Lending, through consistent documentation, audit readiness, and adherence to established risk frameworks across team execution.
• It is the responsibility of this role to take ownership of all tasks and challenges that they encounter in the operation of their assigned position.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Qualifications

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, or related field or equivalent experience in a related field

Minimum Experience

• 10+ years of banking experience with a strong emphasis on business lending, credit analysis, and deposit relationship management , including demonstrated leadership or team oversight responsibilities.

Professional Expectations

• Maintains a consistently professional appearance that reflects the organization’s standards.
• Demonstrated ability to independently structure and manage complex credit relationships with limited oversight.
• Demonstrates a consistent track record of achieving or exceeding loan production, deposit growth, and revenue goals.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, develop, and influence front-line bankers to drive performance and adherence to standards. 

Licenses & Certifications

•  May be required to obtain applicable lending or NMLS registration, as appropriate for the role responsibilities.

Additional Physical Demands

• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by phone, and through electronic channels with clients, partners, and internal teams in both office and off-site settings.
• Ability to use a computer and digital systems on a frequent basis, including sustained attention to financial data, reports, and client records.
• Ability to sit, stand, and/or walk for extended periods while conducting client meetings, completing analysis, and participating in team collaboration.
• Ability to travel periodically within the assigned market to meet clients, attend community and business development events, and support relationship growth activities.

• Ability to review, interpret, and validate detailed financial documents, loan files, and client information with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Demonstrates the ability to lead, coach, and develop a team of Business Banking Relationship Managers, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
• Effectively manages team performance through ongoing coaching, goal setting, performance feedback, and development planning to achieve production, service, and portfolio quality objectives.
• Maintains a strong understanding of business banking products, credit fundamentals, regulatory requirements, and risk management practices to effectively guide team decision-making and execution.
• Demonstrates the ability to evaluate lending opportunities and provide guidance on deal structure, credit quality, policy adherence, and overall risk considerations.
• Applies sound judgment in identifying, assessing, and mitigating credit, operational, compliance, and fraud-related risks across team activities and portfolios.
• Promotes consistent execution of sales and relationship management strategies through coaching, pipeline management, and performance monitoring.
• Builds strong partnerships across credit, Treasury Management, operations, and other internal teams to support efficient execution and an exceptional client experience.
• Demonstrates strong leadership presence, influencing and motivating individuals and teams to achieve business objectives while navigating change effectively.
• Utilizes reporting tools and performance metrics to monitor team results, identify trends, and drive informed business decisions.
• Exhibits strong organizational skills and attention to detail when reviewing loan documentation, credit recommendations, client information, and portfolio performance.
• Communicates effectively with bankers, clients, and internal stakeholders, translating complex concepts into actionable guidance and clear expectations.
• Reviews and challenges team credit recommendations to promote sound underwriting practices, consistency in credit decisions, and adherence to established risk standards.
• Demonstrates a strong sense of urgency, initiative, and accountability in resolving issues, removing obstacles, and driving results across the team.
• Supports talent development initiatives, including onboarding, mentoring, succession planning, and ongoing skill development.

• Performs additional duties and responsibilities as assigned to support business needs and organizational objectives.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Physical Demands

• Ability to communicate in person, on the phone, and through electronic channels

• Ability to use a computer on a frequent basis, including typing and sustained attention to a monitor
• Ability to sit, walk, and/or stand for extended periods of time

• Ability to bend and reach

Work Environment

• Office: If the position reports to a physical Company location, the setting will be a typical office environment.
• Remote or hybrid: For remote or hybrid positions, a secure and distraction-free setting is required, with a reliable internet connection (cable or fiber preferred, mobile hotspots not acceptable).  Hybrid positions will report to a physical Company location, as directed by the manager, and that setting will be a typical office environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disabled/veterans.