AVP & Regional Lead - Western Canada Advisory Group

The AVP & Regional Lead, Western Canada Advisory Group provides strategic, technical, and people leadership for a specialized advisory team supporting complex commercial lending across Western Canada. Based in either Calgary or Vancouver, andreporting to the Head of Credit Execution, Western Canada, the role is accountable for advancing underwriting quality, consistency, and sound risk judgment across large and complex borrowing arrangements, while serving as a key partner to Commercial Banking deal teams, Risk Management, and Western Canada leadership.

The Western Canada Advisory Group is a growing specialized advisory function. The AVP & Regional Lead is responsible for leading the existing team and building the Group's continued expansion across Western Canada, including talent development, recruitment, and establishing scalable priorities, structures, and operating practices.

Your Role

As the senior leader of the Western Canada Advisory Group, you will lead a growing team of experienced advisory professionals, support the structuring and execution of complex commercial lending transactions, deliver portfolio insights and strategic recommendations, and drive the continued development of advisory practices across Western Canada. Success in the role requires strong commercial banking judgment, proven leadership capability, and the technical credibility to contribute from day one.

Leadership Accountabilities

• Lead the strategic direction, priorities, operating model, and ongoing development of the Western Canada Advisory Group, providing recommendations on organizational design, resource requirements, and future growth opportunities
• Build, develop and expand a team of Regional Directors and advisory professionals, including talent planning, recruitment, coaching, performance management, and succession development
• Promote consistency across Western Canada Commercial Banking teams by facilitating the sharing of market insights, emerging risks, and underwriting best practices among regional teams
• Build a collaborative team culture grounded in expertise, responsiveness, constructive feedback, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement
• Represent the Western Canada Advisory Group with Commercial Banking, Credit Execution, Risk Management, and Western Canada leadership, fostering collaboration, sharing portfolio and market insights, and driving alignment on underwriting practices, emerging risks, and strategic priorities

Complex Transaction Leadership

• Provide senior oversight and guidance on the structuring and underwriting of large and complex borrowing arrangements, including business transfers, cash flow lending, mergers and acquisitions, and transactions in specialized or higher-risk industries, ensuring Advisory Group involvement occurs early enough to influence transaction structure, underwriting strategy, risk identification, and approval outcomes
• Review transaction committee materials, approve Discussion Papers and Term Sheets within established accountabilities, and oversee the review of boardsheets and deal documentation to ensure accuracy, consistency, completeness, and clear articulation of risk
• Provide senior advisory support on complex credit matters, guiding deal teams through transactions involving material structural complexity, elevated risk, differing stakeholder perspectives, or issues requiring escalation
• Maintain accountability for the quality and consistency of the Advisory Group's advice while ensuring Regional Directors retain ownership of their respective regional mandates

Portfolio Oversight and Strategic Insight

• Maintain a current, region-level view of the Western Canadian Commercial Loan Portfolio, including oversight of risk-rating migration and financial health by industry and region
• Translate portfolio and transaction trends into practical recommendations for senior leadership and underwriting teams, highlighting strengths, concentrations, emerging vulnerabilities, and areas requiring attention
• Use portfolio insights to shape Advisory Group priorities, underwriting guidance, learning initiatives, and discussions with Risk Management
• Provide forward-looking perspectives on emerging risks and industry developments that may affect underwriting quality, portfolio performance, or future capability requirements

Standards, Governance and Continuous Improvement

• Own the consistency, governance, and ongoing improvement of credit advisory practices across Western Canada, including the establishment of decision rights, escalation protocols, engagement expectations, and quality standards
• Oversee the maintenance and ongoing enhancement of transaction databases, boardsheet templates, underwriting guides, transaction committee materials, and other advisory tools to support consistency, knowledge sharing, and effective execution across regions
• Promote best practices through practical guidance, feedback mechanisms, and continuous enhancement of advisory and underwriting practices
• Identify recurring process barriers, quality gaps, or emerging needs and lead practical improvements that strengthen execution, consistency, and technical rigor while maintaining appropriate risk discipline

Capability Building and Knowledge Leadership

• Create and lead the Advisory Group's learning and development agenda, partnering with underwriting leaders and subject matter experts to strengthen expertise in transaction structuring, underwriting, credit risk, specialized industries, and NBC lending programs
• Translate lessons from transactions, portfolio trends, and Risk Management feedback into practical coaching, development programs, and reusable best practices
• Build bench strength by developing Regional Directors and advisory professionals, identifying capability needs, and supporting the progression of underwriting and advisory talent
• Identify current and future capability requirements and implement recruitment, succession, and talent-development strategies that support the continued growth and sustainability of the Western Canada Advisory Group

Stakeholder and Business Partnership

• Build trusted relationships across Commercial Banking, Credit Execution, Risk Management, and Western Canada leadership, acting as a credible partner who can influence, challenge, and align stakeholders on complex matters
• Provide balanced and well-supported recommendations on complex transactions and portfolio matters, balancing technical credit considerations, risk stewardship, business priorities, and client needs
• Promote effective communication and engagement across regions and functions, ensuring alignment on material issues and building awareness of the Advisory Group's mandate and specialized capabilities

Requirements

• Bachelor of Commerce, or equivalent professional experience; a Master of Business Administration is considered an asset
• 15+ years of progressive commercial banking experience, including substantial experience in underwriting or combined sales and underwriting roles, supported by a strong record of success
• Deep technical credit and credit-risk expertise, including transaction structuring, underwriting, covenant design, risk mitigation, and the ability to provide senior oversight on large and complex commercial lending transactions
• Strong knowledge of commercial credit risk principles and demonstrated credibility working with Credit Risk partners to achieve sound, appropriately structured credit outcomes
• Demonstrated leadership success, including experience building, scaling, and developing high-performing teams, specialized advisory functions, or underwriting platforms
• Demonstrated ability to establish or enhance governance frameworks, underwriting practices, service models, and advisory processes, with a track record of translating experience and feedback into practical improvements in execution and risk management
• Strong executive communication, judgment, and leadership skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders, challenge constructively, and balance technical, business, and client considerations
• Experience balancing direct involvement in complex transactions with accountability for people leadership, portfolio oversight, governance, and business growth