Asset Based Lending Team Leader
Posted Sep 18, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 4, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Walk me through your background in asset-based lending and the size and makeup of the portfolios you've managed.
What they are checking: whether the candidate's scale and complexity of experience actually matches this book of business
Tell me about the largest team you've led, five or more direct reports, and how you split your time between coaching them and staying hands-on with credit decisions.
What they are checking: real leadership span versus individual contributor habits that don't scale
Describe a time you had a client whose financial health was deteriorating. What did you see first, and what did you do about it?
What they are checking: early-warning judgment and whether they act before losses mount
Tell me about a challenged or workout credit you were personally involved in. What was your strategy and how did it play out?
What they are checking: experience handling distressed situations, not just healthy portfolio management
Give me an example of a time you had to have a hard performance conversation with someone on your team. What was the issue and how did you approach it?
What they are checking: willingness and skill to manage underperformance directly rather than avoid it
Tell me about a time you identified an opportunity to deepen a client relationship beyond the existing loan, maybe cross-selling another banking solution. How did that come about?
What they are checking: business development instincts and collaboration with broader relationship teams
What would you do
One of your Relationship Managers wants to push through a renewal on a credit that's slipping, and the client is pressuring for a fast answer. How do you handle that conversation with your RM and with the client?
What they are checking: ability to balance credit discipline against relationship and revenue pressure
A regulator flags an issue in a portfolio review that touches on your team's compliance with lending policy. What's your first move?
What they are checking: regulatory instincts and whether they lead with transparency or defensiveness
How do you evaluate whether a Portfolio Manager or RM is ready to take on more complex or higher-risk accounts?
What they are checking: judgment in developing talent and matching risk exposure to capability
How would you handle disagreement between yourself and a Relationship Manager over the right account management strategy for a client?
What they are checking: how they resolve internal conflict while keeping final credit authority clear
About the work
How do you think about borrowing base structures and collateral monitoring for an ABL facility, and what red flags in a borrowing base certificate make you pick up the phone?
What they are checking: depth of actual ABL mechanics knowledge, not just general commercial lending
How do you structure your team's due diligence process from initial review through closing so nothing gets missed when deals move fast?
What they are checking: process discipline and ability to coordinate internal and external parties on complex transactions
What's your approach to setting risk mitigation plans when a client's business conditions shift, say a downturn in their industry or a customer concentration problem?
What they are checking: structured thinking on risk management beyond reactive firefighting
Practice this interview out loud.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Associated Bank.