Head of Retail Credit & Credit Risk Governance

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Company Description

Shawbrook provides finance to a wide range of customer segments that value the premium experience, flexibility and certainly we deliver. We are a purpose-led organisation, with a focus on delivering long-term sustainable value for all our stakeholders.

We have a diversified offering, with our innovative lending propositions tailored to meet specific customer needs in carefully selected markets across SME, Real Estate and Personal. Our products range from complex structured credit facilities for growth-focused businesses to mortgages for professional landlords and property investors, as well as simple loans for consumers delivered digitally. We fuel our lending through customer deposits, which we attract by delivering a premium experience, choice and consistently great value to smart savers.

The business model we have created is unique and difficult to replicate, with our 'best of both' approach combining deep human expertise with advanced digital, tech and data capabilities. This combination not only allows us to deliver excellent customer experiences, but to do so efficiently and at scale. We are proud of our innovative and agile culture, which drives consistently high employee engagement scores and makes Shawbrook an attractive destination for the best talent. If you're willing to roll up your sleeves, contribute new ideas and believe anything is possible, you're our kind of person.

Work with us because you:

• Want to be part of a bank built for the dynamics of the modern world
• Relish a challenge and enjoy a fast-paced, innovative and hardworking culture
• Enjoy finding new and better ways to solve complexity and make things happen
• Want to belong to a diverse culture that stands shoulder to shoulder with minority and underrepresented groups
• Care about society and the environment and want to be part of a business that cares too
• Want to continue to grow professionally and be the best version of yourself

Job Description

The role is part of the Credit Risk Function which sits in the 2nd Line of Defence and is tasked with supporting the Chief Credit Officer "CCO" with credit risk decision making activities, the ongoing development, embedding and monitoring of the Bank's Credit Risk Management Framework and to ensure Credit Risk activities remain effective and relevant to the Bank's strategic objectives and the prevailing external economic environment.

The role holder will be a Chair of Credit Approvals Committee "CAC", whilst also exercising a personal delegated lending authority.

The role holder will act as the primary point of reference and technical expert primarily for the Bank's Retail Business activities, together with the Asset Finance (DSME) lending activities within the Commercial Business Franchise and being responsible for maintenance and evolution of the Bank's Credit Risk Policies. This will also involve being directly responsible for ensuring the adequacy and relevance of ongoing resourcing, recruitment and management of the role holders direct Team.

Key Role Responsibilities

Senior Leadership

• Responsible for leading and managing a highly performing team, working collaboratively with the Deputy CCO and the other Credit Risk Team Head to coordinate the effective deployment of resource across the entire Credit Risk Function to ensure workloads are managed appropriately.
• When required, take ownership and responsibility for the preparation and presentation of analysis and findings relating to specific matters to various internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify, evaluate and formulate strategy and relevant action plans to drive process efficiencies, harnessing automation where possible across the Credit Risk Function.

• Provide constructive and informed challenge to 1st Line proposed strategic growth plans and any proposed change to sector risk appetite and policy.

People and Culture

• Create a supportive and collaborative working environment, inspiring and motivating others.
• Encourage and drive your own personal development, whilst providing support, guidance and encouragement to colleagues with a view to optimise their own ability and career aspirations where appropriate.
• Responsible for your direct Team delivering a consistently highly effective performance, whilst ensuring this is not detriment to people's wellbeing.
• Responsible for identifying and managing in an effective and supportive manner any individual under performance situation.

Credit Sanctioning

• Responsibility for the credit risk sanctioning decisions for transactions typically relating to motor finance.

• Responsible for ensuring all credit risk sanctioning decisions, both personally (either within individual discretion or as Chair of CAC), together with those of the Credit Risk Team are appropriately considered in a consistently balanced and duly informed manner.

Risk Committees

• Direct involvement with the preparation of any papers relevant to the role for Approval, Noting or Discussion at the Bank's various Executive and Non-Executive Risk Committees.
• Take ownership for the successful follow up of outstanding Action Points from any the relevant Committees.
• Act as a Member, or when required, as Chair of Credit Risk Oversight Committee and Watch & Impairment Committee, whilst representing Credit Risk at various other Committees as and when appropriate.

Credit Risk Management

• Responsible for the credit risk oversight of the Bank's Retail Business, attending all the relevant 1st Line Risk Committees, providing support and constructive challenge as appropriate.
• Responsible for the analysis, interrogation and constructive challenge of the credit risk data and performance of the Retail Business lending portfolios.
• Ensure there is effective and consistent ongoing monitoring of credit risk performance e.g. lending volumes, credit quality, arrears, escalating specific issues and / or trends as appropriate.
• Responsible for ensuring the performance and output of the various credit rating models in place is regularly and robustly assessed and tracked, identifying and communicating any suspected deficiencies and / or areas for improvement.
• Provide independent oversight and challenge on the effectiveness of processes for risk identification, assessment, mitigation, management and reporting.

• Work in partnership with 1st Line to ensure any strategic plan in place to grow the lending portfolio is undertaken in a sustainable and controlled manner.

Credit Risk Governance & Framework

• Managing the development and maintenance of the suite of Credit Risk policy documents.
• Supporting the embedding of Credit Risk policies across the Bank and seeking solutions to operational challenges as required.
• Responsibility for assisting in the development and implementation of the credit risk strategy across the Bank to ensure it aligns with the Bank's credit risk framework.
• Monitoring and reporting on compliance with risk appetite and concentration risk limits.
• Providing guidance and support to the 1st Line Risk teams in respect of the evolution, implementation and maintenance of their own processes, ensuring consistency and compliance with all Credit Risk policies.

Qualifications

• In depth understanding of the financial services sector with specific focus on Credit Risk.
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of intermediary mortgage lending and its processes.
• Excellent working knowledge of the FCA sourcebooks, principally MCOB and COCON.
• Strong understanding of Credit Risk appetite and Credit Risk management frameworks.
• Ability to operate effectively on senior management Committees.
• Demonstrating excellence, frankness, openness and transparency.
• Developing people to support them to be the best that they can be.
• Ability to develop strong and collaborative working relationships with all stakeholders.
• Inspire respect, trust and commitment to business objectives with well-developed leadership and people management skills.
• Demonstrates sound business/professional judgement through strength of character, independence of thought risk awareness and good values and behaviours.
• Works well under pressure with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple and complex projects simultaneously.
• High levels of drive, energy and personal commitment to success.
• Strong capability in strategic thinking and developing solutions.

Additional Information

Your Wellbeing - We take your health and well-being very seriously by providing a range of benefits to give you and your family peace of mind. These include:

• Market leading family friendly policies such as access to our Maternity, Adoption and Paternity policies from Day 1 of your employment
• Free access to Headspace, a mindfulness & meditation digital health app
• Free access to Peppy digital health app that offers personalised support through fertility treatment becoming a parent or menopause
• EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) - Offering you support on a wide range of subjects including financial concerns, mental wellbeing and more general queries around family, work, housing, and health
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounts on gym membership
• Contributory pension scheme & death in service

Your Lifestyle - It's important you strike the right balance between your work and personal life. We provide benefits to support you when at work and when you're enjoying your leisure time.

• Minimum of 27 days holiday per year
• Option to buy or sell holiday days through our flexi-holiday scheme
• Discounts on gym membership nationwide
• Access to discounts on a range of high street and online brands
• Community support and charitable giving

Your Contribution - We're focused on rewarding those that go the extra mile in helping us achieve our goals.

• Participation in our annual discretionary bonus scheme designed to reward your contribution to our success
• Proudly Shawbrook recognition scheme focused on recognising our role models and thanking our colleagues for a job well done