Head of Credit and Country Risk (2nd Line of Defence)

Youll play a critical part in shaping our 2nd line of defence Credit and Country risk strategies enhancing our risk frameworks tools and analytics and ensuring we maintain a healthy balance between risk and growth as we scale operations across multiple regions and support core commercial activities in emerging and frontier markets across the globe.

Credit Risk Oversight:

• Lead the further development and execution of the companys Credit risk framework policies and processes.
• Own Credit risk appetite settings and monitor portfolio performance against these thresholds.
• Drive improvements in Credit risk assessment tools models and decisioning processes.
• Further evolve portfolio concentration and optimization analytics to proactively manage Credit risk across multiple products services and geographies
• Partner with Commercial and Finance teams to ensure lending decisions align with overall business strategy and risk appetite
• Review and approve high-value or non-standard credit applications.
• Input into important strategic and regulatory processes including preparation of annual and interim financial reports including IFRS9 Pillar 3 Disclosures ICAAP ILAAP Recovery and Resolution Planning TCFD and other sustainability disclosures etc

Country Risk Analysis:

• Provide 2nd line oversight and guidance in deep-dive risk assessments of economic political regulatory legal and social factors impacting countries where we operate or plan to enter.
• Further develop and evolve a dynamic Country risk rating model and risk assessment approaches to support portfolio management and strategic decision-making.
• Prepare regular Country risk reports exposure and concentration analysis and briefings for senior management and the board.
• Act as an internal expert on macro and sovereign risk advising teams on current and potential risks and market developments.

Leadership & Governance:

• Lead and develop a high-performing Credit and Country risk analysis team.
• Work in partnership with other 2nd line Risk and Compliance colleagues as well as business and commercial stakeholders and ExCo members
• Represent Credit and Country Risk in relevant governance forums including risk committees.
• Stay ahead of global trends and best practices in Credit and Country risk.

Qualifications :

• Degree in Economics Finance Risk Management or related field.  A relevant postgraduate qualification or CFA would be an advantage.

Experience:

• Proven track record in leading Credit risk management teams ideally in a lending banking or financial services environment.
• Experience of diverse emerging and frontier markets preferred
• Strong background in sovereign or Country risk analysis.
• In-depth understanding of Credit principles financial statement analysis and macroeconomic indicators regulatory requirements IFRS9
• Experience building and improving risk frameworks tools analytics and credit policies.
• Experience of taking the lead and proactively managing and navigating through severe market disruption and escalation of key synthesized Credit / Country exposure and risk information to the ExCo and Board
• Excellent leadership stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Able to make confident data-driven decisions under pressure.

Additional Information :

• Hybrid working
• Contributory personal pension plan: - Minimum: Employee 2% and Employer 7%. Employer matches contributions in 1% increments to a maximum of: Employee 5% and Employer 10%
• Life Assurance 4 times annual salary
• Group Income Protection
• Private Medical Insurance this may include cover for partner and or children at company cost. Cover includes Optical Dental and Audiology
• Discretionary Bonus
• Competitive Annual Leave
• 2 Volunteering Days
• Benefit Hub

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time