Credit Risk (2LOD) - Property Lender

Our client is a growing UK financial services organisation specialising in property-backed lending solutions with a current risk portfolio of £250mln. Operating within a highly regulated environment, the firm combines disciplined risk management with a strong governance culture and customer-focused approach. Its lending activities span a range of secured finance products including home purchase plans, buy-to-let lending and bridging finance. The business is now around 60 perm staff strong and continues to grow with another £100mln capital injection planned to expand into commercial lending sectors.

As the organisation continues to expand its lending portfolio, the Risk function is being further strengthened with the appointment of this newly created role for a Credit Risk professional who will support portfolio monitoring, governance processes and the development of robust credit risk frameworks.

This represents an excellent opportunity for an analytically minded risk professional to join a collaborative lending environment where sound judgement and strong governance sit at the heart of decision-making.

Role Overview

You will play an important role in assessing, monitoring and managing credit risk across the organisation's lending portfolio. The successful candidate will contribute to the development and maintenance of risk frameworks, portfolio analysis and governance processes, ensuring that lending activity remains aligned with internal policies, regulatory expectations and prudent risk management principles.

The role sits closely alongside the firm's broader risk management function and therefore exposure to Second Line of Defence (2LoD) responsibilities will be viewed particularly favourably.

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor and report on the performance of the firm's Home Purchase Plan (HPP), Buy-to-Let (BTL) and Bridging portfolios, identifying emerging trends, early warning indicators and potential areas of credit risk.
• Assist with the development and ongoing maintenance of credit risk policies, procedures and internal risk frameworks.
• Act as Secretariat to the Credit Committee, ensuring governance processes are well documented and effectively administered.
• Prepare and coordinate management information and reporting packs for Credit Committee, Executive Risk Committee and Board Risk & Audit Committee meetings.
• Support the monitoring of accounts in arrears, forbearance arrangements and portfolio performance metrics.
• Ensure activities remain aligned with FCA regulatory requirements and internal governance standards.
• Contribute to stress testing, scenario analysis and portfolio risk modelling activities.
• Work closely with Underwriting, Operations and Compliance teams to maintain consistent risk standards across the lending lifecycle.
• Assist with onboarding and training new colleagues on financial crime policies and internal procedures.
• Provide support across broader risk, governance and compliance initiatives as required.

Skills & Experience

• Experience within credit risk, ideally within real estate, mortgages, property lending, specialist lending, buy-to-let or bridging finance.
• An understanding of UK regulatory expectations, particularly FCA oversight, MCOB requirements and financial crime frameworks.
• Strong analytical capability with the ability to interpret both financial and non-financial information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear risk reporting and documentation.
• High attention to detail with sound judgement when assessing credit risk scenarios.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a collaborative risk environment.

Second Line Experience

Experience supporting or contributing to Second Line of Defence (2LoD) risk responsibilities will be particularly advantageous. This may include exposure to areas such as:

• Portfolio risk monitoring and performance analysis
• Credit risk policy development and framework design
• Risk appetite monitoring and reporting
• Governance processes and committee reporting
• Stress testing, scenario analysis or portfolio modelling
• Risk reporting / Risk registers / enterprise risk experience

Candidates with exposure to these areas are encouraged to clearly reference these responsibilities within their CV. Highlighting this experience in your CV, will ensure your application can be assessed accurately against the requirements of the role.

The firm will wait for individuals who are awating bonus payouts + resignation periods if required.

Please note the role is Birmingham based and so we are sharing this role across locations where it is commutable within 1.5 hours of the Head Office. Solihull has a rail startion and the firm has large car park. The expectations of employees are only once or twice per week in the office.