Senior Credit Sanctioner (Director) - Restructuring & Recoveries

Senior Credit Sanctioner (Director) - Restructuring & Recoveries

Location: London (hybrid working)

The Bank:

An established, growing, stable and successful Challenger bank who focus on business and personal finance in a small number of carefully chosen markets.

Job Purpose:

• The primary responsibility of the role is to support the Head of Business Support and Recoveries with the implementation and operational delivery of the Bank’s Problem Debt Management Strategy.

• The focus and objectives of that strategy will be to ensure that delinquent and defaulted assets are proactively managed in such a way as to return customers to good health wherever possible. Where that is not practical, the next expedient is to minimise provisions and maximise recoveries in as capital efficient manner as possible.

• The job holder will independently review and challenge the work of individual Work-Out and Recoveries Managers within the function to ensure that they are working effectively to achieve the objectives stated above. In that context the job holder will exercise a delegated credit authority to approve restructuring proposals that are either in excess of the delegated authorities allocated to individual Managers, or which otherwise require a "4Eye" overview in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures of the function.

• In addition to the above, the job holder will liaise collaboratively and constructively with Senior Credit officers in both the First and Second Lines of Defence with regard to the identification and transfer to the Watch List of lending assets that are causing concern; as well as the return of assets that have been successfully resolved. This collaboration will also extend to disseminating information regarding lessons that can perhaps be learned from the experience gained within BS&R as the team seeks to work out problem cases.

Key Responsibilities:

• To support the Head of BS&R with the design and execution of the Bank’s problem debt management and workout/recovery capability;
• To provide expertise and input into building the governance and controls within the Business Support function including policies and frameworks.
• To ensure that the operating model with 1LOD business units is clear and transparent with appropriate reporting.
• As and when required to deputise for, or support as appropriate, the Head of BS&R at Credit Committee, Watch Forum or other similar senior level forums.
• To support the Head of BS&R develop and maintain strong, positive and open working relationships with the Bank’s key stakeholders in both the First and Second Lines of Defence.
• To work as required with the other Second Line Senior Credit Officers to ensure problem exposures are identified at an early stage, correctly added to the Watch List and formally handed over to BS&R in line with agreed triggers;
• To support activities aimed at capturing data that can feed into the Bank’s regulatory reporting obligations, as required.
• To act as the Senior Credit Sanctioner within BS&R, challenging and approving credit proposals related to the management of Watch List assets within the job holder’s delegated authority;
• In the absence of the Head of BS&R to review and countersign proposals being submitted to TCC or BTCC;
• To deploy the job-holder’s experience of work-out and risk management techniques to ensure that individual BS&R team members are managing their individual portfolios effectively and in a way that offers the potential of achieving the best outcome for both the Bank and its delinquent customers;
• To undertake regular and random assurance testing of credit decisions taken by individual BS&R managers within their own delegated authorities; reporting the outcomes to the Head of BS&R and/ or Credit Committee as appropriate;
• To be an open and accessible source of technical guidance to all staff within BS&R, and to provide both formal and informal training covering both credit and problem loan management issues whenever requested to do so within the Bank.

About you:

• Significant experience in senior credit risk roles;
• Previous hands on experience of Debt Restructuring, Work-Out and the management of Insolvency cases;
• Extensive experience of working with senior executives and the Board, both internally and externally
• Strong awareness of the regulatory framework in both regulated and unregulated lending including Conduct and Compliance requirements.
• Proven analytical skills with a strong working knowledge of risk control systems, processes and reporting.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to provide Training and Mentoring and also if required by exception to engage directly with clients facing stressed trading conditions.
• Strong leadership capabilities with the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with both risk and front-line relationship teams.

What’s on offer:

• This is the opportunity to work for an established, growing and successful challenger bank.
• Career opportunities are there for the taking for ambitious strong performers as the bank continues to grow.
• A competitive basic salary plus strong benefits package and annual discretionary bonus.
• Flexible working with up to 50% of your time working from home.
• Work for a meritocracy - a business that empowers people, encourages them to learn and grow, who understands diversity makes them stronger and celebrates success.