Head of Portfolio Strategy and Credit Appetite - Corporate Credit Risk, Portfolio Management

• • Develop and maintain corporate credit risk policies, standards, frameworks, and sector appetite guidance owned by the Chief Lending Officer
• • Hold end-to-end accountability for Credit Risk Appetite, including design, calibration, challenge and governance engagement
• • Shape portfolio strategy to align with risk appetite and macroeconomic conditions and support sector reviews
• • Drive transformation through policy simplification, process optimisation and approved AI tools
• • Engage with senior stakeholders across Business, Risk, Group and Regulators
• • Present papers and recommendations to local governance forums including CBCRCF and ERCC, and Group forums including RPF
• • Support the Head of Risk Portfolio Management on regulatory, audit and Group activities, credit risk reviews, remediation actions and senior stakeholder or regulator presentations
• • Ensure alignment with Group frameworks and local implementation
• • Provide credit risk oversight for the annual Business Strategic Commercial Plan
• • Build and develop a high-performing team, set objectives, develop succession capability, maintain a robust risk and control culture, and support colleague wellbeing and career growth

Requirements

• Significant experience in Corporate or Commercial Credit Risk, with expertise in policy, frameworks and risk governance and/or credit sanctioning/approver experience
• Experience managing senior stakeholders across first line, second line, Group, central risk and business areas, including constructive challenge
• Proven ownership of Risk Appetite or portfolio oversight frameworks (preferred)
• Experience preparing governance papers and presenting recommendations to senior risk, credit or executive committees and/or governance forums (preferred)
• Experience leading or coordinating regulatory, audit, Group validation or assurance activity in a financial services environment (preferred)
• People management experience, including objective setting, coaching, performance management, capacity planning and development of high-performing teams (preferred)
• Relevant degree or equivalent professional experience in risk management, finance, economics, business, banking or a related discipline (preferred)
• Excellent understanding of corporate credit risk management, including lending policy, delegated authorities, risk appetite, sector appetite and asset quality
• Ability to interpret and apply Group, regulatory and internal risk requirements within local policy and governance frameworks
• Excellent policy and technical writing skills
• Strong analytical and governance skills, including attention to detail, issue escalation, audit trail discipline and control mindset
• Confident user of Microsoft Office and collaboration tools, including Teams, Excel and PowerPoint
• Understanding of approved AI or automation tools and their application to controlled risk processes (preferred)
• Constructive challenge and sound judgement (preferred)
• Collaborative leadership style bringing L1, L2, Group and business stakeholders together (preferred)
• Methodical, diligent and resilient approach, with ability to deliver quality work to tight deadlines (preferred)
• Continuous improvement mindset and commitment to inclusion, team wellbeing, colleague development and high performance (preferred)
• Relevant professional experience may be accepted as an equivalent to the preferred degree

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in Corporate Credit Risk Management, including policy development, risk appetite frameworks, and stakeholder engagement. Proven ability to lead high-performing teams and drive transformation through process optimization and effective governance.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Corporate Credit Risk Management
• Risk Appetite Frameworks
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Policy Development
• People Management

ATS Optimization Keywords Hard Skills

• Credit Risk Oversight
• Governance Paper Preparation
• Regulatory Compliance
• Analytical Skills
• Technical Writing

Soft Skills

• Collaborative Leadership
• Constructive Challenge
• Attention to Detail
• Continuous Improvement Mindset
• Resilience

Industry Keywords

• Risk Governance
• Financial Services
• Lending Policy
• Audit Trail Discipline
• Sector Appetite

Tools & Technologies

• Microsoft Office
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Teams
• AI Tools