Business Credit Risk Senior Specialist - Oversight & Assurance in Leeds

Description

It’s an exciting time to be joining Business Credit Insight & Innovation team as we’re growing and transforming our team into one that is ready to meet the challenges of the future, setting us up to support our ambitions. What this means is ensuring we have the right skills, capability and capacity within Risk to manage the growth and ambitions expected our Society and we’re on the lookout for like-minded individuals and innovators to help drive our strategy forward.

The role sits in a part of our team that provides impactful oversight and assurance of our lending decisions across our business portfolio, ensuring credit underwriting standards, automated strategies, financial difficulty processes along with wider credit practices are robust and fit for purpose, keeping the Society and our members safe. Through independent oversight, the team provide assurance, support and recommendations into all aspects of the credit lifecycle, ensuring safe and profitable lending growth.

We are happy to consider flexible working approaches to help you perform at your best.

At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.

For this job you'll be located at our nearest regional office or hub. There will be a need to regularly connect with colleagues for collaboration and in some locations you’ll be expected to spend at least two days a week, or if part time you'll spend 40% of your working time, in the office. If your application is successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this works.

Nationwide is committed to the redeployment of our employees impacted by change, as such applications for redeployment candidates will be prioritised in this recruitment process.

If you’re a colleague on long-term absence (for example, on parental leave) or a temporary worker, please use your personal email address to submit an application.

Responsibilities

What you’ll be doing

You will be responsible for delivering independent business oversight activity across credit risk strategies and standards, providing clear insights into risk management practices, outcomes, and opportunities for continuous improvement. Working closely with stakeholders across Business Credit Risk, Commercial, and Operational teams, you will identify practical enhancements to risk processes and the quality of risk insight shared across the business.

You will contribute to oversight reviews and recommendations that strengthen risk management practices, controls, and governance, while assessing whether business activity remains within agreed risk appetite and aligns with the wider Risk Management Framework. Success in the role will depend on building strong, collaborative relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders to promote effective working, knowledge sharing, and the adoption of best practice.

About you

As a minimum you’ll have:

• Proven experience in credit underwriting, credit assessment, and decision-making across a range of lending products and customer segments (preferably business lending), and/or experience in second line of defence credit risk oversight or assurance activities

• Experience of providing independent review, challenge and oversight of credit strategies, underwriting approaches, portfolio performance, and risk management processes, supported by evidence-based recommendations

• Experience in Credit Risk Management, preferably business lending, with a strong understanding of UK lending markets, business sectors, economic trends, and the external factors influencing portfolio performance

• Strong knowledge of credit risk frameworks, policies, risk appetite, regulatory expectations, and lending controls, with the ability to assess whether these remain fit for purpose.

• The ability to analyse complex information and communicate key insights, both verbally and in writing, in a clear, concise, and impactful manner to audiences of varying seniority

• Confidence and credibility to engage with and influence senior leaders, represent the business in internal and external forums, and respond effectively to robust challenge

• Demonstrable experience of challenging and influencing decisions through governance forums, committees, reviews, and stakeholder discussions, using strong credit risk knowledge and judgement

• Experience of driving positive change by translating complex risk issues into practical, proportionate and commercially viable solutions

• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across first and second line teams while maintaining independent judgement

• A proactive and self-motivated approach, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes in a dynamic environment.

Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:

• Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers’ shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind

• Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think – we’re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand

• Push for better - We don’t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development

• Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes

You can strengthen your application by showing how our customer first behaviours resonate with you, and where you may have already demonstrated these.

Qualifications

The extras you’ll get

There are all sorts of employee benefits available at Nationwide, including:

• 25 days holiday, pro rata

• Private medical insurance

• A highly competitive pension to help you build a strong foundation for retirement

• Access to an annual performance-related bonus

• Training and development to help you progress your career

• A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme

• Life assurance to provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones in the event of your death

• Wellhub – access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness

• Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year

Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society

We forge our own path at Nationwide.

As a mutual, we’re owned by our members - those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.

If you’re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, you’re one of us.

At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community, we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society.

We are purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.

What to do next

If this role is for you, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button. You’ll need to attach your up-to-date CV and answer a few quick questions for us.

We respond to everyone, so we will be in contact shortly after the closing date to let you know the outcome of your application.

Keeping your data and personal information confidential is important to us. To find out more about how we use and process your data, please read our .

If you want to find out more about using AI in our recruitment process, please read more here.

Disability Confident

We’re not just guided by data, we’re driven by the real experiences of our people. We’re a Disability Confident Level 3 Leader, the highest level.

That’s why we’re constantly evolving our policies and practices to make sure everyone feels genuinely supported, valued, and empowered to champion inclusion. Whatever your needs, we’re here to support you. If you need any additional support throughout your application journey, email our team at Recruitment Support.

Apply safely with Nationwide

Recruitment scams can look convincing, so take a moment to check the role is listed on our official careers site and read our guidance on Don’t be conned by a job scam.

The hiring manager for this role is Andy Bullimore, and the main recruitment contact is Ola Crown.

Please note that should you be successful in securing this role, the job title on our internal systems will be Business Credit Risk Senior Specialist.