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Business Lending & Portfolio Risk
East Midlands (Office-Based) | £50,000 - £70,000 + Annual Bonus + Private Healthcare + Enhanced Pension + Benefits
Credit decisioning is evolving rapidly.
The businesses leading that evolution are the ones that combine data science capability with experienced human credit judgement. This is one of those businesses, and this is the role that sits at the intersection of both.
The Business
A high-growth specialist SME lender has invested significantly in proprietary AI-driven credit scoring, automated decisioning infrastructure and data science capability. The business underwrites both broker-introduced and own-book lending, and has built a credit function that is genuinely analytical - not one that simply applies policy.
The credit and data teams work in close proximity. Decisioning models are continuously refined. Portfolio performance is monitored analytically. And the underwriting team operates with real sanctioning authority - combining the outputs of the technology with independent commercial judgement on every material decision.
The Opportunity
The business is seeking a Credit Decisioning Specialist to take a central role within its commercial credit function. This is not a pure modelling role and it is not a pure underwriting role - it is a role for someone who is comfortable in both worlds.
You will assess complex SME lending applications with genuine decisioning authority, work closely with the data science team on credit model performance, contribute to underwriting policy and portfolio risk frameworks, and provide mentorship and guidance to junior colleagues.
Key Responsibilities
Underwrite complex SME and commercial lending applications with full decisioning authority within delegated limits
Evaluate financial statements, management accounts, Open Banking data, credit bureau outputs and risk indicators to form independent credit views
Contribute analytical insight to the ongoing refinement of credit models, scorecard thresholds and automated decisioning frameworks
Identify portfolio risk trends and emerging issues through performance data analysis
Manage exceptions, referrals and non-standard cases requiring judgement beyond automated scoring
Work closely with broker partners, sales, operations and the data science team to ensure decision quality and portfolio health
Support the development of junior underwriters and analystsThe Candidate
You have developed your credit career in a demanding, data-aware lending environment. You understand both the power and the limitations of automated credit models. You can make independent decisions, articulate your reasoning clearly, and engage with portfolio data at a level that goes beyond individual transactions.
Proven experience in SME lending, commercial credit, challenger banking, fintech lending, asset finance or specialist business finance
Strong analytical capability - comfortable interpreting financial accounts, credit bureau data, Open Banking outputs and risk modelling inputs
Experience with automated decisioning environments, credit scorecards or data-led lending platforms - as a user, contributor or both
Genuine delegated sanctioning authority - able to make and stand behind independent credit decisions
Commercial intelligence - understands how individual lending decisions connect to portfolio outcomes and business performance
Degree-educated or equivalent intellectual profile with demonstrable analytical achievement
Unrestricted right to work in the UKTarget Backgrounds
Professionals from specialist SME lenders, new challenger banks, fintech credit platforms and data-enabled business finance businesses are particularly encouraged to apply. Credit risk analysts with underwriting authority, senior underwriters with strong analytical depth, and lending professionals who have worked alongside scorecard or model development teams are all strong fits for this role.
Salary & Benefits
£50,000 - £70,000 basic salary (dependent on experience and current sanctioning level)
Annual performance bonus
Private healthcare
Enhanced pension contributions
Life assurance
Genuine progression into underwriting leadership and credit managementLocation
East Midlands. Fully office-based. The business operates a highly collaborative credit and data culture - the underwriting team, data science function and senior leadership work in close daily proximity. This environment is central to the quality of decisioning the business produces. Relocation assistance is available for exceptional candidates.
If you have built your credit career in an environment where data and judgement work together - and you want a role where both are genuinely valued - this is worth a conversation