Vp senior business development officer

Mission

Empowering businesses in all communities by providing access to responsible capital and resources.

Vision

To create a more inclusive economy by ensuring every business owner has a path to success.

Core Values

Strengthen communities through collaboration.

Leading with transparency and authenticity

Celebrating diversity and embracing our differences

Engaging on a personal level

Who We Are

Pursuit is a community-focused lender that provides small businesses with affordable loans and resources so that they can reach higher, transform, and grow. That transformation may start with an individual borrower, but ultimately extends into the broader community, taking shape as new employment opportunities, economic development, and positive change.

What We Do

For more than 65 years, we have been 100% invested in the success of our clients. Pursuit offers a suite of innovative financing products designed to expand access to capital for small businesses. Our range of loans and lines of credit range from $10,000 to $5.5 million for businesses ready to make their next big investment. We have designed our application processes and loan terms with more flexibility than traditional banks. Our signature loan programs include commercial real estate financing, general business funding, and fast business funding through a digital platform. We leverage deep, long-term relationships with banks and community partners to serve clients in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.

About the Job

The Business Development Officer position reports through the CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) division of Pursuit. The qualified candidate will be responsible for working directly with banks, business service organizations, associations, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, professional service firms, lending organizations or marketplaces, and others to secure client referrals and acquire loan customers. In addition to client acquisition, the candidate will be responsible for providing Business Advisory Services (BAS) to our clients, including overcoming obstacles to financing, loan packaging assistance, including advising financial statements and credit issues. The client will also be responsible for matching outside consultants to loan clients to assist them in strategic planning, financial management, marketing, and other areas.

What You’ll Do

· Maintain expert familiarity with Pursuit Community Finance products and those of its affiliates.

· Maintain a network of bankers, and referral partners, and secure new channels for client acquisition.

· Educate bankers, lenders, and other strategic partners on Pursuit’s offerings by consistently setting appointments to give presentations to this target audience.

· Engage in strategic networking to develop new partners and clients.

· Quickly understand business conditions, conduct business assessments and be able to provide feedback and guidance to potential clients on the appropriateness of various products.

· Nurture and advise clients to help resolve access to capital barriers, with a focus on loan readiness, loan packaging, and addressing challenges to accessing capital.

· Create partnerships and be able to identify business consultants to be added to our existing external consulting corps team, and match consultants with loan clients as appropriate and monitor those engagements.

· Identify prospective customers from an existing pipeline and proactively reach out to and maintain close contact with small business clients, understanding their business needs and ensuring they are connected with a variety of valuable resources.

· Be able to provide knowledge and guidance on different strategies for business clients when faced with challenges or growth opportunities.

· Review business plans, credit reports, and other information as appropriate to determine business.

· Analyze financial statements to identify any trends in the financial operations to identify weakness & strengths and determine growth opportunities.

· Conduct follow-up assessments and check-ins with clients.

· Coordinate with partners such as banks, accountants, and other small business service providers.

· Develop manuals, processes, and procedures; establish benchmarks and track progress against goals. Manage reports and IT systems related to tracking and reporting on business development.

· Support efforts related to new grant proposals and report to funders, including monitoring and measuring program outcomes as needed.

• Additional position related duties and responsibilities as assigned by manager.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Master’s degree in business administration, public administration, or related field preferred.
• Experience in banking; specifically sourcing and closing small business loans ranging from $10,000 to $500,000.
• Demonstrated deal production and contacts of bankers and centers of influence.
• Familiarity with underwriting, credit, credit terminology like DSCR, and small business lending decision process.
• Ability to perform basic credit analysis. Finding where gross/net income figures are located on tax returns, understanding of cash flow, credit scores, etc.
• Clear communication, sales, presentation & interpersonal skills.
• Familiarity with CDFI (Community Development Financial Institutions)
• Strategic & organizational competence – i.e., exercising leadership to improve business development strategy, the ability to set and manage timelines, commitments, and deadlines with ease

· Final candidates must be able to pass all pre-employment screenings, including background, criminal and credit check, and drug testing.

• Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. We do not provide sponsorships for those who require a sponsorship in order to work in the U.S.

Essential Functions:

• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to travel throughout assigned territory.
• Experience and comfort with public speaking.
• Ability to succeed in a remote work setting.

Additional Information

We will consider and provide training for veterans interested in an administrative career provided that the applicant has completed at least two years of college with an accredited institution.

Final candidates must pass all pre-employment screenings, including background check, credit check, and drug screening.

What We Offer

A collaborative environment of mission-focused professionals dedicated to helping communities and economies grow through business lending. We seek individuals who want to blend a career in financial services with a career serving others. Pursuit extends its employees competitive salaries and a range of benefits including, including but to:

· Health Insurance, generous employer premium contribution

· Fully paid Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance

· Generous 401(k) match

· Flexible spending account

· Holiday and Paid Time Off

· Volunteer Time Off

· Paid Parental Leave

· Referral Program

· Educational assistance after two years of employment

· Mentorship Program

· Summer work hours

How to Apply/Contact

Please submit a cover letter and resume and/or completed Employment Application.

[email protected]

How We Help

We believe that when local businesses thrive, they provide good, stable jobs, recycling the money they spend back into the community to help it grow. Our loans are offered with affordable rates to ensure that our clients can continue growing and positively impacting their neighborhoods. While compelling founders’ stories are what drive us every day, we are proud to work with small businesses at scale:

$4+ billion lent, $1.2 billion in the last 5 years

$2 billion portfolio of small business loans

70,000+ jobs created.

10,000+ loans to small businesses

10,000+ hours of advisory and educational services

If you’re a natural connector, a strong communicator, and energized by the impact of small business growth—this could be your next big move.

What You’ll Do
Here’s what success looks like in this role:

• Drive Business Growth

Build and manage a dynamic referral network across Western Pennsylvania—commercial bankers, CPAs, attorneys, real estate professionals, and nonprofit economic development partners.

• Champion the SBA 504 Loan

Position the SBA 504 loan as a powerful tool for business growth, educating partners and prospects on its value and unique structure.

• Represent Pursuit in the Community

Attend and speak at events, host educational sessions, and engage in strategic partnerships to raise awareness of Pursuit’s inclusive approach to lending.

• Collaborate for Success

Work closely with our credit, operations, and closing teams to ensure a seamless experience from lead generation through loan closing.

• Stay Visible and Accessible

Spend time in the market—meeting face-to-face with partners and prospects across the region to build trust and deepen relationships.

What You’ll Bring
We’re looking for someone who brings strong relationship-building skills and a passion for helping businesses grow. The ideal candidate will have:

• Education : Bachelor’s degree (required)
• Experience : 3+ years in business development, commercial banking, or a similar role involving business relationship management
• SBA Knowledge : Experience or familiarity with SBA 504 or 7(a) lending is a plus
• Communication Skills : Engaging, persuasive, and clear—whether presenting to a room or connecting one-on-one
• Strategic Mindset : Ability to identify and pursue high-impact opportunities in the market
• Self-Starter Mentality : You take initiative and follow through without needing direction
• Location : Based in or near Western PA with the ability to travel frequently across the region

Additional Information

We will give consideration to and provide training for veterans interested in a career in finance/ banking provided that the applicant has completed at least two years of college with an accredited institution.

Final candidates must pass all pre-employment screenings, including background check, credit check, and drug screening.

What We Offer

A collaborative environment of mission-focused professionals dedicated to helping communities and economies grow through business lending. We seek individuals who want to blend a career in financial services with a career serving others. Pursuit extends its employees competitive salaries and a range of benefits including, including but to:

· Health Insurance, generous employer premium contribution

· Fully paid Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance

· Generous 401(k) match

· Flexible spending account

· Holiday and Paid Time Off

· Paid Parental Leave

· Volunteer Time Off

· Referral Program

· Educational assistance after two years of employment

· Mentorship Program

· Summer work hours

How to Apply/Contact

Please submit a cover letter and resume and/or completed Employment Application.

[email protected]

How We Help

We believe that when local businesses thrive, they provide good, stable jobs, recycling the money they spend back into the community to help it grow. Our loans are offered with affordable rates to ensure that our clients can continue growing and positively impacting their neighborhoods. While compelling founders’ stories are what drive us every day, we are proud to work with small businesses at scale:

$4+ billion lent, $1.2 billion in the last 5 years

$2 billion portfolio of small business loans

70,000+ jobs created.

10,000+ loans to small businesses

10,000+ hours of advisory and educational services

Competitive salary commensurate with business development experience.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws regarding nondiscrimination. We provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, citizenship status, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions or any other status protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Remote