Head of Credit

Head of Credit

Specialist SME Lender | East Midlands

£Very Competitive to Attract the Best + Significant Bonus + Executive Benefits | Relocation Support Available

A specialist SME lender that has trebled in size, invested heavily in AI-driven credit scoring and proprietary decisioning infrastructure, and is now seeking an exceptional credit leader to take full ownership of its credit function.

This is a role for someone ready to own credit - not manage within it.

The Mandate

Reporting into executive leadership and working closely with the data science, operations and commercial teams, the Head of Credit will take full sanctioning authority across the business, lead underwriting policy and governance, and help architect the credit function for the organisation's next phase of scale.

The business has invested significantly in AI-driven credit scoring, automated decisioning models and real-time data infrastructure. The Head of Credit will work in close partnership with the data science team - not simply as a governance function, but as a genuine contributor to how models are designed, calibrated and applied to real-world underwriting decisions.

This role sits within a clearly defined leadership pipeline. The organisation is building toward a fully structured Chief Credit Officer function, and this appointment is central to that journey.

The Person

You are an experienced, analytically credible credit professional operating at a senior level within specialist lending, challenger banking, commercial finance or fintech credit. You combine deep underwriting experience with the confidence to lead, the analytical depth to engage meaningfully with data-driven decisioning, and the commercial intelligence to balance growth with portfolio quality.

• Senior underwriting leadership experience within SME lending, commercial finance, challenger banking, fintech or specialist business finance
• Significant delegated sanctioning authority - current or recent final credit decision-making responsibility on complex and higher-value transactions
• Experience contributing to or leading credit policy, delegated authority frameworks and portfolio governance
• Familiarity with automated decisioning, credit scorecards or AI/ML credit environments - as a leader, contributor or informed user
• Strong academic background - analytical degree discipline preferred
• Unrestricted right to work in the UK

Remuneration

• £Very Competitive to Attract the Best
• Significant annual performance bonus
• Private healthcare
• Enhanced pension and life assurance
• Executive benefits package
• Relocation assistance available
• Clear progression pathway toward Chief Credit Officer level leadership

Location

East Midlands. Fully office based. The organisation's executive leadership team and data science function operate from the East Midlands office. Meaningful relocation support is available for the right individual and will be discussed in detail with shortlisted candidates.

If you are a senior credit professional who is ready for full ownership of a credit function - in an organisation that treats credit as a strategic capability rather than a back-office control - this is a conversation worth having.