Senior Credit Officer, Commercial (Solar & Renewable Energy)

About Us

Live Oak Bank is a digital bank for small business owners across the country. Our goal is to be America’s Small Business Bank, and we’re getting there by pairing exceptional service with smart technology. We support owners at every stage with products:

• loans to buy, build, and expand
• checking and merchant services to keep daily operations moving
• high-yield savings and CDs to grow the money they’ve worked hard to earn

Our people are the heart of Live Oak. We take care of each other here, and that care carries over to how we serve our customers. If you want to help small business owners chase the American dream, we’d love to meet you.

How This Role Impacts Live Oak and its People 

The Senior Credit Officer, Commercial (Solar & Renewable Energy) is the embedded credit officer for the Bank’s solar and renewable energy lending team. This role approves solar and renewable energy credit requests within individual loan authority, adhering to Bank policies and Government program guidelines, and serves as the primary credit partner to Energy & Infrastructure bankers and underwriters from early deal structuring through approval, closing, construction, and ongoing portfolio management. They lead the credit review of the Bank’s solar and renewable energy portfolio to help prevent or reduce loan losses. Responsibilities include verifying that documentation aligns with loan approvals and regulatory requirements, identifying early signs of project, sponsor, or counterparty deterioration, and ensuring compliance with policy objectives. As capacity allows, this role also supports loan transactions and portfolio activities across other Commercial Bank lending verticals. 

Location Preference: This position is ideally based in Wilmington, NC; however, remote designations may be considered for qualified candidates.

  

What You’ll Do at Live Oak 

• Serve as the embedded credit officer for the solar and renewable energy lending team, engaging with bankers and underwriters early in the deal process to shape structure, terms, and risk mitigants before transactions reach approval 

• Approve solar and renewable energy credit requests within individual authority, adhering to Bank and regulatory guidelines (FDIC, SBA, and USDA), and present larger or more complex transactions to the Commercial Finance Credit Committee and senior credit leadership 

• Provide subject matter expertise on solar and renewable energy projects and financing structures, including utility-scale, community solar, commercial and industrial (C&I), and battery energy storage (BESS) projects across construction, term, bridge, and tax credit related financings 

• Evaluate project economics and revenue quality, including PPA, offtake, and community solar subscription contracts, merchant and REC exposure, independent engineer reports, energy production estimates (P50/P99), degradation and availability assumptions, and debt sizing and DSCR sculpting 

• Assess sponsor, developer, EPC, and O&M counterparty strength, along with construction completion risk, interconnection and permitting status, equipment supply and warranty coverage, and tax credit (ITC/PTC) eligibility, transferability, and recapture considerations in light of evolving federal tax, tariff, and trade policy 

• Oversee the credit aspects of construction lending and conversion to term, including draw review, milestone and COD tracking, and satisfaction of conversion conditions, in partnership with construction risk and servicing teams 

• Own credit oversight of the solar and renewable energy portfolio, including monitoring project performance against base case, covenant and reserve compliance, annual reviews, and accurate risk ratings 

• Identify early warning signs on solar and renewable energy credits and lead resolution strategy on watch list and troubled loans in partnership with Servicing and Special Assets 

• Approve modifications, waivers, consents, and extensions on existing solar and renewable energy loans within individual authority 

• Contribute to solar and renewable energy credit policy, underwriting standards, and concentration monitoring, and prepare portfolio reporting for senior management, the Board, and regulators 

• Conduct site visits to operating and under-construction projects 

• Support loan production while ensuring compliance with all applicable risk policies, procedures, and mitigants 

• Contribute to the collaborative process that aims to produce sound credit decisions and add appropriately structured loans to support the Bank’s growth and loan generation goals 

• Work cross-functionally with departments involved in loan production to ensure smooth execution 

• Assist with broader Credit Team functions (credit training, board reports, credit policy maintenance, and participation in the Commercial Finance Credit Committee) 

• As capacity allows, support loan transactions and portfolio activities across other Commercial Bank lending verticals, including Seniors Housing, ABL/GovCon, Sponsor Finance, Venture Banking, and broader Energy & Infrastructure 

• Maintain a high standard of regulatory awareness including BSA, AML, CIP, and OFAC 

  

Required Experience 

• 7+ years of solar and renewable energy credit experience, including financial analysis, underwriting, structuring, and credit approval of project-level and portfolio financings 

• Demonstrated experience decisioning or recommending credit approvals on solar and renewable energy transactions, including construction and term financings 

• Working knowledge of solar and renewable energy project documents (PPAs, interconnection agreements, EPC and O&M contracts, independent engineer reports, and tax equity and tax credit transfer structures) and the financial models used to size project debt 

• Experience managing a renewable energy loan portfolio, including risk rating, covenant monitoring, and problem loan resolution 

• Strong understanding of the Bank’s policies, procedures, and criteria 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including presenting credit recommendations to committee 

• Commercial lending and sales experience; exposure to other Commercial Bank verticals (commercial real estate, sponsor finance, venture banking, or ABL) and to USDA or SBA guaranteed lending programs is a plus 

  

Our Values

• Dedication: Possess a deep commitment to Live Oak Bank’s mission and core values, exemplified through a strong work ethic, adaptability and pride in your work.

• Ownership: Take initiative to deliver positive results by proactively and creatively solving problems, while maintaining a high degree of quality.

• Respect: Treat everyone with courtesy, politeness, and kindness.

• Innovation: Embrace fresh ideas and fearlessly contribute new solutions to emerging or existing problems.

• Teamwork: Foster collaboration, accountability, and trust with others and understand that together, we do more

For a detailed overview of our employee benefits please visit: http://www.liveoakbank.com/careers/

Live Oak Bank is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer, Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled. We consider applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status or disability. Equal access to programs, service and employment is available to all persons. Those applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application and/or interview process should notify human resources at [email protected].

EEO is the Law

The base pay range for this position is $190,180.00 - $262,140.00 per year. Compensation may also include annual bonuses and long-term incentives, subject to various metrics and company policy. A candidate’s salary is determined by several factors including travel, relevant work experience or skills and expertise.

Please note that we provide at least the minimum requirement of paid sick leave to our employees who reside in states that require employer-paid sick leave, including but not limited to Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.