Summary: The Deputy Director of Credit Risk & Portfolio Management will lead the Credit and Portfolio functions, managing a team of specialists to oversee a portfolio of high-risk SME loans. This role requires representation in policy discussions with stakeholders and involves significant decision-making authority regarding credit and investment. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in SME lending and a proven ability to balance innovation with risk management. Strong engagement with government stakeholders and expertise in financial product development are essential for success in this position.

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: undetermined

Working Arrangements: remote

IR35 Status: undetermined

Seniority Level: undetermined

Industry: Other