Full-Time
Portfolio Specialist 1
Updated on 9/3/2026
United Community
1,001-5,000 employees
Offers banking, wealth management, mortgages
Compensation Overview
$70k - $80k/yr
Lawrenceville, GA, USA
In Person
Up to 10% travel required.
Bachelor's
 Finance & Banking (1) |
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- A Bachelor's Degree with coursework in finance and accounting is preferred.
- One to two years of work experience related to various aspects of commercial lending is preferred.
- Possess general knowledge of credit policy, banking regulations, and loan documentation issues.
- Possess knowledge of various loan structures and the ability to apply this knowledge in formulating sound credit recommendations.
- Possess excellent interpersonal skills.
- Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills, both one-on-one and in groups.
- Ability to develop and maintain a cohesive and cooperative working relationship with co-workers.
- Good personal organization and time management skills.
- Understand and work effectively within the company's credit culture.
- Must allocate time effectively and independently prioritize workload to meet timelines.
- Ability to work with in-house financial reporting applications, including Navigator.
- Must participate in required compliance training, including Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering training, as well as internal and external training programs, online training, meetings, and seminars or conferences.
- Must be able to pass a background and credit check.
- Schedule flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed.
- Work with Relationship Managers to manage all aspects of the local loan portfolio, including annual reviews, past dues, borrowing base monitoring, covenant compliance, credit approval requests, collateral exceptions, and other portfolio management activities.
- Actively participate in and assist with all aspects of the loan process, including joint calling, underwriting, and preparation of credit approval packages.
- Coordinate with Credit Analysts in preparing loan approval requests, credit memos, financial spreads, and related documents.
- Serve as a secondary contact on client relationships.
- Identify cross-sell opportunities with new and existing clients.
- Prepare commitment letters and review loan documents.
- Assist lenders in prospecting efforts.
- Spread, analyze, and interpret complex business and personal financial statements and tax returns.
- Analyze relationships, clients, and prospects globally rather than only on individual requests.
- Identify strengths and weaknesses of individual requests and make recommendations to address and mitigate perceived risks.
- Prepare and present credit analysis packages through the credit approval chain with limited supervision.
- A Bachelor's Degree with coursework in finance and accounting.
- One to two years of work experience related to various aspects of commercial lending.
United Community provides a range of financial services across the Southeast, including banking, wealth management, and mortgage services, through more than 200 locations in six states. It serves individuals and businesses with checking and savings, loans, investments, and home financing. The company works by offering in-person and digital banking options, guided by a local presence and customer service focus. It differentiates itself through strong customer satisfaction, consistently earning awards from JD Power, Forbes, Newsweek, and American Banker for trust, best banks to work for, and overall service quality. Its goal is to help people and communities improve their financial well-being by delivering reliable, community-focused financial care through accessible branches and a full suite of financial products.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
null
Founded
1950
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 2026 operating EPS rose 8% to $0.71, with 3.68% margin.
- Peach State closed August 1, 2026, adding $707 million deposits and Southeast scale.
- August 13, 2026 dividend rose 4% to $0.26 per share.
What critics are saying
- September 8, 2026 securities repositioning creates a $300 million pre-tax loss.
- Navitas exit cut low-yield assets, and management warned about a 20-30bp margin hit.
- If Navitas losses, Peach State integration, and securities trades misfire, earnings credibility erodes.
What makes United Community unique
- United Community paired Southeast branch depth with 200 offices and $29.1 billion assets.
- J.D. Power has named it Southeast retail banking leader for 12 of 17 years.
- The September 2026 international banking team expands fee income beyond plain vanilla lending.
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Benefits
Flexible Work Hours
Company News
United Community Banks has completed a strategic balance sheet repositioning following the sale of Navitas Credit Corp. and NLFC Reinsurance Corp., which generated approximately $2.0 billion in proceeds on 1 September. The company reclassified $2.2 billion in held-to-maturity securities to available-for-sale and sold approximately $2.6 billion of lower-yielding investment securities with a weighted average yield of 2.20%. The proceeds are being redeployed into cash and short-duration securities yielding approximately 4.5%. United expects to recognise a pre-tax loss of approximately $300 million from the repositioning, partially offset by a $64 million pre-tax gain from the Navitas sale. Despite the third-quarter loss, the company expects positive net income for the nine months ending 30 September 2026. The company's common equity tier one ratio is projected to remain above 13% following these transactions.
United Community has appointed Dr. Jeff Beisler-Snell as head of International Banking and Capital Markets to expand its global banking services. Beisler-Snell will lead a new international banking team supporting customers with cross-border payments, foreign exchange, trade services, and treasury needs. With over 20 years of experience in international banking and trade finance, Beisler-Snell holds a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology alongside finance qualifications and professional certifications. As of 30 June 2026, United Community Banks had $29.1 billion in assets and operated 200 offices across six southeastern US states. The bank has received multiple industry awards for customer satisfaction and workplace excellence.
United Community names Tom Speir as new chief financial officer. August 25, 2026 United Community (NYSE: UCB) today announced that Tom Speir has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer. Speir brings more than two decades of financial experience, including balance sheet management, M&A, strategic planning, and investor relations. In this role, he will shape the bank's financial direction, oversee capital management and investor relations, and help guide United's long-term growth and financial strength. "I am excited to welcome Tom to the United team. He brings proven experience to the role, including clear financial expertise, strategic planning skills, and solid relationships in the investment community," said Chief Executive Officer Lynn Harton. "Those strengths will help us continue to grow our company and position us for a great future. Tom is a great cultural fit as well, with the right values and approach to connect with our employees and customers." "I am honored to join United at such an exciting time for the company," said Speir. "What attracted me most was the culture, the values, and the shared commitment to improving the financial well-being of the customers and communities we serve. I look forward to working alongside this talented team as we build on United's success and continue growing together." Speir will join the Greenville, S.C.-based bank on September 8, succeeding Jefferson Harralson, who announced his retirement earlier this year. About United Community Banks, Inc. United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE: UCB) is the financial holding company for United Community, a top-100 U.S. financial institution committed to building stronger communities and improving the financial health and well-being of its customers. United Community offers a full range of banking, mortgage and wealth management services. As of June 30, 2026, United Community Banks, Inc. had $29.1 billion in assets and operated 200 offices across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The company also manages a nationally recognized SBA lending franchise and an equipment finance subsidiary, extending its reach to businesses across the country. United Community is the most awarded bank in the Southeast for Retail Banking Customer Satisfaction by J.D. Power, earning more awards than any other bank in the region, including recognition in 12 of the last 17 years. The company has also been named one of the "Best Banks to Work For" by American Banker for nine consecutive years. In commercial banking, United earned multiple 2026 Greenwich Best Bank awards for Small Business Banking. Forbes has consistently named United among the World's Best and America's Best Banks. Learn more at ucbi.com.
United Community has appointed Tom Speir as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective 8 September. Speir brings over 20 years of financial experience, including balance sheet management, M&A, strategic planning, and investor relations. He will oversee the bank's financial direction, capital management, and investor relations whilst supporting United's long-term growth. Speir succeeds Jefferson Harralson, who announced his retirement earlier this year. Chief executive Lynn Harton praised Speir's financial expertise, strategic planning skills, and investment community relationships. The Greenville, South Carolina-based bank had $29.1 billion in assets as of 30 June 2026 and operates 200 offices across six southeastern states.
United Community announced Sean Simpson has joined as chief commercial banking officer. Simpson brings over 25 years of banking and financial services experience to the role. In his new position, Simpson will lead United's commercial banking strategy and specialty banking lines, including asset-based lending, middle market, franchise, commercial real estate, renewable energy, treasury services, and public finance. Throughout his career, Simpson has led large, multi-line banking organisations, developed growth strategies, and recruited high-performing teams whilst improving sales productivity and financial performance. Simpson holds an MBA from the University of Florida and a finance degree from Auburn University. He completed The Executive Program at the University of Virginia. As of 30 June 2026, United Community Banks had $29.1 billion in assets and operated 200 offices across six southeastern states.