Summary: The Deputy Director, Credit Risk & Portfolio Management will lead the Credit and Portfolio functions, managing a team of specialists while overseeing a portfolio of high-risk SME loans. The role requires engagement with internal and external stakeholders, including government, to shape policy and funding discussions. The ideal candidate will possess substantial experience in SME lending or investment, demonstrating a balance between innovation and risk management. This position is primarily remote with occasional meetings in the South West region.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead a team of 10 credit and investment specialists and 8 debt portfolio management experts to build and manage a portfolio of high risk, SME loans with mezzanine/structured finance features and controls
• Operate a personal delegation for credit, investment and arrears, default and recovery decisions, and any devolved delegation as required
• Act as the technical expert in credit and portfolio management, as part of the wider risk, assurance and governance architecture of the organisation.
• Provide thought leadership in key public forums and expert representation in key government forums as part of the senior management team
• Attend Credit Committee as an executive member, offering professional opinion and insight to reach decisions alongside executive and independent members

Key Skills:

• Qualified or demonstrating substantial equivalent experience in SME lending and/or investment decisions, in a fund, banking or alternative finance environment
• Experience in originating and maintaining a portfolio of SME loan assets as a (stretched-) senior and/or mezzanine/structured finance lender
• Proven track record in building, maintaining and leading a high performing team across several technical disciplines through consensus-building, empowerment and coaching
• Willingness and ability to flex mindset to deliver a portfolio which delivers on the innovation objectives and economic impact of the programme while achieving an overall balance of risk/reward consistent with the risk appetite.
• Experience of working with senior government stakeholders, developing and implementing policy initiatives in the context of Subsidy Control regulation and Managing Public Money contexts
• Experience in launching new financial products in the public/private sectors at scale, analysing and determining customer requirements and developing appropriate risk and finance strategies
• Evidence of having helped UK SMEs grow through new products and/or markets
• Understanding of fair value accounting in the context of IFRS9, including benchmarking of loan assets against industry standard models through the credit cycle.
• Experience in working directly with clients, managing expectations and providing constructive feedback on credit decisions

Salary (Rate): undetermined

City: undetermined

Country: UK

Working Arrangements: remote

IR35 Status: undetermined

Seniority Level: undetermined

Industry: Other