At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive growth strategies and solve commercial challenges at YouLend.
- Company: Join an award-winning fintech recognised for its supportive culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy stock options, private medical insurance, and a vibrant office environment.
- Other info: Dynamic team culture focused on feedback and collaboration.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-growing company with global opportunities.
- Qualifications: 3-6 years in analytical roles; strong SQL and Excel skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
About the Role: Commercial Strategy Managers are YouLend’s commercial problem solvers. You will work on the growth problems that matter most: scaling major partners, turning around underperformance, building business cases for investment into new products or markets, shaping commercial proposals, and driving cross-functional initiatives that could materially change YouLend’s growth trajectory. You will have real autonomy to define your own roadmap. Some initiatives will be obvious and urgent; others you will be expected to find yourself. You will spot the problem/opportunity, get into the data, work out what is happening, decide what should happen next, align the right teams and drive the work through to impact.
Key Responsibilities
- Identifying, prioritising and driving high-value growth opportunities across partners, products and markets.
- Owning performance deep-dives for strategic partners and turning the findings into action.
- Building business cases for new product, market and partner initiatives.
- Structuring commercial proposals, pilots and partner growth plans.
- Building the operating rhythms, tools and processes that help YouLend scale.
- Working across Partnerships, Product, Risk, Data, Operations and Capital Markets to get things done.
Example Problems
- YouLend is considering a major new product, market or partner investment. How big could it be, what would need to be true for it to work, and should we go after it?
- A pricing, risk or eligibility change could unlock significant growth, but could also create downside risk if we get it wrong. How do we size the opportunity, make the trade-offs clear and drive the decision?
- One of our largest global partnerships isn’t growing as fast as we want. What is holding it back, what would materially change the trajectory, and how do we get their senior stakeholders aligned behind the plan?
Skills, Knowledge & Expertise
What you'll need
- 3-6 years in a role that combines analytical problem-solving, commercial judgement and stakeholder management, such as consulting, strategy & ops, founder’s associate, chief of staff, fintech or another high-ownership commercial role.
- Strong SQL skills and excellent Excel/Google Sheets ability. You should be comfortable pulling, structuring and analysing data yourself.
- Strong commercial modelling skills, including opportunity sizing, business cases, unit economics and trade-off analysis.
- Excellent commercial judgement, including the ability to balance growth, risk, pricing, partner incentives and customer experience.
- Confidence working with senior external stakeholders, including C-Suite, Director, or VP-level contacts.
- Clear communication: you can turn complex analysis into crisp recommendations and senior stakeholder-ready materials.
- A self-directed, scrappy working style. You are comfortable with imperfect information, messy data and fast-moving priorities.
- Persuasive: You can convince people without formal authority and take other teams “on the journey”.
Helpful but not required
- Experience in fintech, lending, payments or embedded finance.
- Understanding of lending or MCA unit economics, including pricing, repayment behaviour, losses, opex and capital constraints.
Job Benefits
Why join YouLend?
- Award-Winning Workplace: YouLend has been recognised as one of the “Best Places to Work in 2024, 2025 and 2026” by the Sunday Times for being a supportive, diverse, and rewarding workplace.
- Award-Winning Fintech: YouLend has been recognised as a “Top 250 Fintech Worldwide” company by CNBC.
- It's just getting fun: We have developed powerful solutions, secured significant partnerships, and are growing rapidly.
- The global opportunity is still massive, and YouLend is a raw organisation where we are only just getting started.
- Lots of upsides: High-growth (>100% growth during 2022 and 2023), so clear outlook to compensation (bonus or share option appreciation) and career growth (through growth with the business).
- Well-capitalised with supportive private equity backing.
- Part of Banking Circle Group with a fully licensed Luxembourg bank, which can provide a balance sheet and support European expansion in otherwise complex regulated markets.
- Motivating work environment: A high-quality team that pushes each other to succeed through direct feedback and aligned incentives.
- Strong, transparent team culture: we have each other’s backs.
- Independent work environment where results matter.
- Data-driven culture and emphasis on speed (anti-red tape).
- We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Stock options
- Private Medical Insurance (via Vitality)
- EAP with Health Assured
- Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave
- Great office space (including a gym!) in Central London
- Subsidised lunch (via Feedr)
- Deliveroo allowance if working late in the office
- Monthly in-office masseuse
- Team and Company socials
- Sports clubs
At YouLend, we champion diversity and embrace equal opportunity employment practices. Our hiring, transfer, and promotion decisions are exclusively based on qualifications, merit, and business requirements, free from any discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, religion, nationality, or any other protected basis under applicable law.
Commercial Strategy Lead in London employer: YouLend
YouLend is an exceptional employer located in the heart of Greater London, offering a dynamic work culture that encourages innovation and collaboration. With benefits like stock options and private medical insurance, employees are well-supported while enjoying a vibrant office environment that fosters creativity and growth. The company prioritises professional development, providing ample opportunities for career advancement in a fast-paced and rewarding setting.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Strategy Lead in London
✨Dive Into Corporate Strategy Communities
Get yourself involved in online communities or forums focused on corporate strategy. Places like LinkedIn groups or specific Slack channels can hook you up with industry insights, trends, and many potential job leads. Don't hesitate to share your thoughts or ask questions; it’ll boost your visibility!
✨Attend Industry Conferences and Events
Keep an eye out for corporate strategy conferences or networking events in your area (or online!). These gatherings are gold mines for meeting hiring managers and making impactful connections. Plus, having a few good conversations can lead to job referrals at companies like YouLend!
✨Showcase Your Strategy Skills
Create content that showcases your knowledge of corporate strategy—think reports, blogs, or even video discussions. Sharing these on platforms like LinkedIn or Medium can demonstrate your expertise and make you stand out to employers looking for fresh talent.
✨Apply Directly Through Our Website
Don’t forget to apply for the Commercial Strategy Lead position at YouLend via our website! This shows your genuine interest, and who knows, you might just land that interview in a matter of days. Keep your application focused on how you can add value to their strategy team.
We think you need these skills to ace Commercial Strategy Lead in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Strategic Thinking:When crafting your CV and cover letter, highlight your strategic analysis skills. Focus on past experiences where you've effectively assessed market trends or made impactful recommendations. Evidence-based achievements, like improving processes or contributing to significant projects, will help us see your potential for driving corporate strategy at YouLend.
Tailor Your Narrative:Don’t just send us a generic application! Personalise your cover letter by connecting your experiences and aspirations to YouLend’s mission and goals. We love seeing candidates who genuinely understand what we do; share how your vision aligns with ours and what you can bring to the table.
Highlight Relevant Academic Credentials:In your CV, make sure to showcase your academic background, especially if you have qualifications in business, economics, or analytics. We appreciate candidates who can back up their skills with relevant degrees or certifications, so don’t be shy about flaunting those achievements!
Utilise Professional Language:While we want you to be yourself, remember that corporate strategy roles demand a level of professionalism in communication. Use clear and concise language in your application materials, ensuring that your ideas come across as well-structured and sophisticated. It’s all about making a great impression right from the written application stage!
How to prepare for a job interview at YouLend
✨Master the Numbers
Corporate strategy often involves data analysis and financial forecasting. Brush up on your quantitative skills, and be prepared to handle case studies or numerical problems during the interview. We might get questions about how to approach market trends or assess the performance of a hypothetical company — so practice these scenarios!
✨Know Your Frameworks
Familiarity with strategic frameworks like SWOT, PESTLE, or Porter’s Five Forces can set you apart. We should be ready to discuss how we’d apply these tools to real-world business situations — maybe even relating them to YouLend. This shows we’re not just theory-happy but can articulate our practical application.
✨Engage in Strategic Conversations
In a full-time role like this, it’s crucial to show that we're engaged and informed about current trends in the industry. Keep up with major news and prepare to discuss how recent developments could impact strategic decisions at YouLend. This will demonstrate our passion and proactive approach to the field.
✨Showcase Relevant Experience
Whether through internships or projects, we should highlight any experience that relates to corporate strategy. Have specific examples ready to talk about how we’ve contributed to strategic growth or improvements. It's about showcasing our unique journey and how it will bring value to YouLend.
