Head of Credit Risk

London Based - Hybrid working

My client is a scale up SME lender launched in the UK since 2021 – Being backed by an institutional funder, they have closed £4M of equity and £45M of debt funding making 2025 a pivotal point in the growth journey

Due to the bespoke in house tech they are able to offer a flexible funding solution to SME business with focus on the SME being in control of how and when they spend it…

We are looking for a skilled and analytical Head of Credit Risk who is passionate about assessing financial risk, building a world-class underwriting process, and actively involved in portfolio monitoring to ensure the ongoing health and performance of credit exposures.

As an early hire in this pivotal role, you will shape our credit risk framework, contributing directly to our growth and success.

You will be responsible for building and overseeing the credit evaluation process and ongoing portfolio risk management and reporting, ensuring to maintain a healthy portfolio while delivering the best possible service to our customers. Experience of directly underwriting SMEs is essential.

Key responsibilities:

Develop and implement the credit risk strategy:

• Establish and maintain credit risk policies, frameworks, and procedures.
• Define credit risk appetite, risk tolerance, and key risk indicators.
• Monitor and analyse credit risk metrics to identify trends and potential areas of concern. Present findings to senior management and other relevant stakeholders.
• Continuously refine credit risk models and scoring methodologies.

Lead a team of credit risk analysts:

• Recruit, train, and mentor a team of credit risk professionals.
• Set performance objectives, conduct performance evaluations, and provide feedback.
• Foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, and innovation within the team.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams:

• Work closely with product, operations, and technology teams to enhance credit risk assessment processes.
• Provide input and support in developing new products and lending strategies.
• Collaborate with collections and recovery teams to manage credit risk throughout the customer lifecycle.

What we are looking for:

• Proven success in a Head of Credit Risk Role
• Experience working for a scaling SME lender in the Fintech Ecosystem
• Well versed in SME lending products - Unsecured
• Technical / SQL understanding and have implemented tech / automation into Credit Risk functions