Overview
In this role you drive the development of Nationwide’s small business credit decisioning capability, spanning scored, automated and manual underwriting. You will translate risk appetite and policies into lending decisions while enabling scalable, customer-focused outcomes. You’ll lead the Small Business Credit team and collaborate across Risk, Product, Distribution, Technology and Compliance to support growth with disciplined risk management. This is a strategic, shaping-leaning position at a mutual focused on fairer, responsible lending.
Pay / Benefits
- 30 days holiday
- Private medical insurance
- Competitive pension
- Annual performance-related bonus
- Training and development
- Wellhub – health and wellness
Responsibilities
- Set the strategic direction for small business credit decisioning across scored, automated and judgemental underwriting within approved risk appetite and authorities
- Own the effectiveness of scorecards, decisioning models, cut-offs, limits, overrides and controls using performance insights
- Lead and develop the Small Business Credit team, embedding risk culture and consistent lending decisions
- Provide senior credit risk input and challenge through governance, escalating material risk or portfolio concerns
- Oversee portfolio performance including arrears, losses and model effectiveness, taking action within mandate
- Lead the small business lending automation roadmap across Product, Distribution, Technology and Operations
- Use portfolio, model and customer-outcome evidence to adjust appetite, policy and standards
- Act as senior SME for small business credit risk, informing strategy, governance and investment decisions
- Provide senior oversight for complex or non-standard lending and control matters, balancing customer and risk considerations
Key requirements
- Significant experience in credit risk within small business, SME or relevant retail lending with direct exposure to scored/automated decisioning
- Strong understanding of scorecards, decisioning models, governance, underwriting and portfolio management
- Experience building or scaling automated decisioning across onboarding or point-of-sale journeys
- Ability to use data to monitor performance, identify emerging risks and optimise lending decisions within parameters
- Solid understanding of regulatory and control environment for small business lending (CONC where applicable)
- Strong commercial and risk judgement balancing growth with customer outcomes and risk management
- Experience leading specialist credit teams and driving capability development as lending scales
- Excellent stakeholder management across Risk, Product, Distribution, Technology, Operations and Compliance
- Stakeholder management
- Influencing and collaboration
- Commercial and risk judgement
- Scorecards and decisioning models
- Model governance and performance analytics
- Portfolio management and risk controls
Head of Small Business Lending employer: Virgin Money
At Virgin Money, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that champions diversity and personal development. As a Branch Leader in Hartlepool, you'll not only lead a dedicated team but also benefit from our commitment to employee growth through coaching and support, all while delivering an outstanding customer experience in a digital-first environment. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking organisation that values your contributions and fosters a collaborative atmosphere.
