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- Tasks: Own credit strategy decisions and drive impactful changes in a fast-paced environment.
- Company: Fast-growing UK consumer lending business within a respected financial services group.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, share scheme, and flexible working arrangements.
- Other info: High autonomy and influence in a dynamic, low-bureaucracy setting.
- Why this job: Make real decisions that shape the future of consumer lending and see your impact directly.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in credit risk and hands-on SQL skills required.
The predicted salary is between 65000 - 65000 £ per year.
We're working with a fast‑growing UK consumer lending business that sits within a highly respected financial services group. While the group itself is well established, this particular lending arm operates much more like a scale‑up - small, capable teams, high autonomy, and a strong bias toward execution over process.
They're looking for a Lead Credit Risk Analyst to play a key role in shaping and optimising credit strategy across a growing consumer lending portfolio (including motor finance). This is a hands‑on, non‑managerial role, aimed at someone with the seniority and confidence to take ownership of decisions and drive change end‑to‑end.
In simple terms, this role suits someone who can have a short conversation about a problem, immediately understand what needs to be done, and go away and execute - without heavy direction or hand‑holding.
What you'll be doing:
- Owning credit and underwriting strategy decisions end‑to‑end, including credit policy, lending criteria and decisioning rules
- Identifying performance issues or opportunities, proposing changes, and driving them through to implementation
- Spending a significant amount of time hands‑on in SQL (and/or Python) to analyse portfolio performance, approvals, losses and risk drivers
- Balancing growth, profitability, automation and risk appetite in a regulated consumer lending environment
- Writing clear, structured, data‑backed proposals or papers and presenting recommendations to senior stakeholders and governance forums
- Operating in a fast‑moving environment with evolving priorities, limited bureaucracy and a high degree of personal responsibility
This is not a role focused on people management - it's about doing the work, owning the outcome, and seeing the direct impact of your decisions.
What we're looking for:
- Strong experience in credit risk / credit strategy within consumer lending (motor finance experience would be beneficial but is not essential)
- Clear examples of credit strategy or policy decisions you personally owned, rather than only supporting or analysing
- Evidence of initiating and delivering change, not just recommending it
- Comfortable influencing senior stakeholders through well‑structured, evidence‑led proposals
- Confident, hands‑on SQL user (you write and run your own queries; you don't rely on a separate data team)
- A mindset suited to pace, accountability and autonomy - this role will not suit someone who prefers highly structured, slow‑moving environments
Package & working pattern:
- Salary circa £65,000, plus participation in a share scheme
- Ideally once a week in Cardiff, but once a month is workable for the right candidate based further away
- High visibility, genuine influence, and scope to help shape how the portfolio evolves over time
If you're looking for a credit risk role where you truly own decisions rather than advise on them, and where execution matters as much as analysis, this is likely to be of interest.
Lead Credit Risk Analyst in Cardiff employer: Identify Solutions
Contact Detail:
Identify Solutions Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Credit Risk Analyst in Cardiff
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising your storytelling skills. Be ready to share clear examples of how you've owned credit strategy decisions and driven change. Make it engaging and data-backed to impress those senior stakeholders!
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your SQL skills! If you get the chance, demonstrate your hands-on experience with queries during interviews. It’s a great way to prove you’re not just about analysis but can execute too.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got some fantastic opportunities waiting for you, and applying directly shows your enthusiasm and commitment to joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Credit Risk Analyst in Cardiff
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Ownership: When you're writing your application, make sure to highlight instances where you've taken ownership of credit strategy decisions. We want to see clear examples that demonstrate your ability to drive change and not just support it.
Be Data-Driven: Since this role involves a lot of data analysis, include specific examples of how you've used SQL or Python in your previous roles. We love seeing candidates who can back up their proposals with solid data, so don't hold back!
Keep It Clear and Structured: Your written application should be easy to read and well-organised. Use headings, bullet points, and concise language to present your ideas clearly. We appreciate clarity, especially when it comes to complex topics like credit risk.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This way, we can ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it’s the easiest way for us to keep track of all the amazing talent out there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Identify Solutions
✨Know Your Numbers
Make sure you brush up on your SQL and Python skills before the interview. Be ready to discuss specific queries you've written and how they impacted credit strategy decisions. This role is hands-on, so showing your technical prowess will definitely impress.
✨Showcase Your Ownership
Prepare clear examples of credit strategy or policy decisions you've owned in the past. Highlight how you identified issues, proposed changes, and drove them through to implementation. This will demonstrate your ability to take charge and execute without needing heavy direction.
✨Communicate with Confidence
Practice presenting your ideas and proposals clearly and concisely. You’ll need to influence senior stakeholders, so being able to articulate your thoughts in a structured manner, backed by data, will be key to showcasing your capability in this role.
✨Embrace the Fast-Paced Environment
Familiarise yourself with the dynamics of a scale-up environment. Be prepared to discuss how you handle evolving priorities and maintain accountability. Showing that you thrive in a less structured setting will align well with what they're looking for.