Private Credit Associate - Venture / Growth capital

I’m working with a highly entrepreneurial investment group that’s quietly building one of the most interesting credit platforms in the market. Backed by evergreen capital (no fundraising cycles), the firm has a strong track record of building and scaling successful businesses across multiple sectors before turning its focus to financial services. Their strategy is to back and scale specialist lending platforms by providing back-leveraging facilities to private credit managers. The platform currently manages a c. £200m loan book, expected to double over the next 12 months, with a clear ambition to become a credible alternative to the larger private credit houses — best described as investors posing as bankers. The firm primarily supports lending platforms providing venture and growth capital to UK SMEs, with plans to expand into Europe over time. Individual loan sizes typically range up to £10–11m, with a strong emphasis on diversification. Alongside this, they also run a separate real estate debt strategy, backing specialist property lenders and funds.

The Role

This is a hands-on Credit Associate position, focused on underwriting new SME loans and, on occasion, select property transactions (although this would be supporting a separate CRE team). You’ll work closely with senior investors, playing a meaningful role in credit decision‑making and helping to shape underwriting frameworks as the platform continues to scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Underwrite new SME loans, producing clear, structured credit papers for investment committee.
• Assess deal introductions from partner platforms, reviewing financials, valuations and key risk factors across a range of sectors.
• Support ongoing portfolio monitoring, ensuring exposures, performance data and risk metrics are up to date.
• Liaise with external lending partners and internal stakeholders to ensure transactions align with credit policy and risk appetite.
• Contribute to process improvements, helping to refine underwriting and monitoring systems as the business grows.

What They’re Looking For

• Experience in credit underwriting, lending or transaction due diligence, ideally within SME, corporate or property finance.
• Strong analytical skills and financial modelling capability, with a commercial approach to identifying and mitigating risk.
• A collaborative, curious and entrepreneurial mindset — comfortable operating in a fast‑growing, evolving environment.
• A solid understanding of loan documentation and credit approval processes.

This Role Is Likely to Suit Someone Who Is:

• In a Corporate or Leveraged Finance team at a bank and looking for a more creative, investment‑led role.
• Working in Big 4 (or equivalent) Transaction Services and keen to move into a credit‑focused position.
• Already in private credit, but wanting the flexibility and long‑term thinking that comes with an evergreen capital structure.

This is a genuine opportunity to get closer to investment decision‑making within a business that has long‑term capital, strong momentum and ambitious growth plans. If you’d like to find out more — confidentially, of course — feel free to get in touch.