Head of Credit - Bridging Finance

A Platinum Investors in People employer and an award‑winning UK bank is seeking a Head of Credit to lead credit strategy, develop teams and manage risk. The role will operate in a flexible, inclusive environment focused on growth, sustainability and customer outcomes.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead credit strategy and team development – design and implement the bridging credit and underwriting strategy, mentor, and scale a high‑performing team aligned to business objectives.
• Own credit risk framework and portfolio oversight – take full ownership of credit risk policies, governance, and decision‑making, ensuring consistent underwriting quality and regular portfolio performance reviews.
• Drive underwriting excellence and operational efficiency – ensure processes are efficient, scalable and customer‑focused while maintaining strong turnaround times and continuously improving systems and automation.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and governance – maintain compliance with regulatory requirements, manage audits and stakeholders, and uphold a strong control environment.
• Lead analytics, reporting and cross‑functional collaboration – oversee credit models, reporting and performance analysis, partnering with Commercial, Product, Finance and Compliance teams to balance risk, growth and innovation.

About You

We are looking for an experienced professional who:

• Has 8‑15+ years of bridging finance credit‑risk, underwriting or financial‑risk leadership experience with a strong understanding of lending dynamics.
• Has proven leadership capability – demonstrated success in leading and developing underwriting teams or credit functions, driving high performance and technical excellence.
• Has deep bridging finance expertise – strong background in bridging lending, with the ability to assess complex deals and navigate nuanced risk scenarios.
• Possesses a strategic and commercial mindset – a track record of developing and executing credit strategies that support sustainable, profitable growth while managing risk effectively.
• Has a strong academic and professional foundation (desirable) – degree in Finance, Economics, Business, Mathematics or related field, with professional certifications such as CICM, CFA or FRM considered advantageous.

Even if you don’t meet all the criteria, we encourage you to apply.

Benefits

• Generous Holiday Allowance – starting from 27 days and climbing to 30, plus a day off for your birthday, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve; you can also buy or sell up to a week’s leave.
• Share Save Scheme – opportunity to buy shares in Paragon at a discounted rate.
• Profit‑Related Pay – share in annual profit with eligible employees.
• Pension Plan – contribution up to 10% of annual salary.
• Family‑Friendly Policies – enhanced parental pay and paid time off for fertility treatment.
• Employee Discounts – exclusive discounts on entertainment, travel, shopping, motoring and more.
• Volunteering Day – one day per year to support causes you care about.
• Life Assurance and Personal Accident Cover.

Working Hours

Hybrid working 37.5 hours per week – Monday to Friday (2‑3 days in the office).

Inclusion

As a Disability Confident Employer, we want to ensure that our vacancies are accessible for everyone. If you have a disability, long‑term health condition or are neurodiverse and need us to adjust our recruitment process, please get in touch with our recruitment team.

Application Requirements

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. We do not offer visa sponsorship.