SME Policy & Credit Risk Manager

The Opportunity

Shawbrook provides finance to a wide range of customer segments that value the premium experience, flexibility and certainly we deliver. We are a purpose-led organisation, with a focus on delivering long-term sustainable value for all our stakeholders.

We have a diversified offering, with our innovative lending propositions tailored to meet specific customer needs in carefully selected markets across SME, Real Estate and Personal. Our products range from complex structured credit facilities for growth-focused businesses to mortgages for professional landlords and property investors, as well as simple loans for consumers delivered digitally. We fuel our lending through customer deposits, which we attract by delivering a premium experience, choice and consistently great value to smart savers.

The business model we have created is unique and difficult to replicate, with our ‘best of both’ approach combining deep human expertise with advanced digital, tech and data capabilities. This combination not only allows us to deliver excellent customer experiences, but to do so efficiently and at scale. We are proud of our innovative and agile culture, which drives consistently high employee engagement scores and makes Shawbrook an attractive destination for the best talent. If you’re willing to roll up your sleeves, contribute new ideas and believe anything is possible, you’re our kind of person.

Work with us because you:

• Want to be part of a bank built for the dynamics of the modern world

• Relish a challenge and enjoy a fast-paced, innovative and hardworking culture

• Enjoy finding new and better ways to solve complexity and make things happen

• Want to belong to a diverse culture that stands shoulder to shoulder with minority and underrepresented groups

• Care about society and the environment and want to be part of a business that cares too

• Want to continue to grow professionally and be the best version of yourself

The Role & Responsibilities

The SME Policy and Credit Risk Manager plays a key role in supporting the Head of SME Credit Policy & Governance to ensure Shawbrook Bank’s credit policy framework remains robust, forward‑looking and aligned to the Bank’s stated risk appetite. The role provides high‑quality analytical insight to inform credit strategy, policy development and governance, ensuring that credit risk is appropriately identified, assessed, monitored and controlled across the SME portfolio.

The role combines quantitative and qualitative analysis, stakeholder engagement and governance support, helping the Bank respond effectively to emerging risks, market developments and key events, while maintaining a balanced approach to growth and risk management.

Key Responsibilities

Credit Policy & Framework

• Support the development, maintenance and ongoing review of SME credit policies to ensure alignment with the Bank’s risk appetite, regulatory expectations and strategic objectives.

• Assess and challenge consistency and alignment across the end‑to‑end credit risk management framework, including policies, standards, controls and governance processes.

• Identify gaps, weaknesses or inconsistencies in the framework and support the design and implementation of proportionate enhancements.

• Contribute to periodic and ad‑hoc credit policy reviews, ensuring evidence‑based recommendations are clearly articulated and documented.

Credit MI, Analytics & Insight

• Proactively develop, enhance and maintain high‑quality credit management information (MI) and insights to support effective decision‑making.

• Analyse portfolio performance, trends, concentrations and emerging risks across asset classes and products.

• Work closely with Data Science and Analytics teams to leverage data, models and tools to improve insight and reporting.

• Translate complex data into clear, concise and actionable insights for senior stakeholders and committees.

Governance, Committees & Stakeholder Engagement

• Provide analytical support and insight to divisional credit forums, risk committees and other governance forums.

• Prepare high‑quality papers, presentations and supporting analysis for committees, clearly setting out risks, opportunities and recommendations.

• Engage proactively with a wide range of stakeholders across the first, second and third lines of defence to support effective credit risk oversight.

• Act as a trusted partner to origination, product and project teams, providing constructive challenge while supporting commercial objectives within risk appetite.

Risk Oversight & Challenge

• Assess and challenge credit risk practices across the business, ensuring policies and standards are applied consistently.

• Support the identification and assessment of emerging risks, external market developments and key events that may impact the SME portfolio.

• Work collaboratively with 1LOD Risk and Origination teams to understand business practices and outcomes, providing balanced and proportionate challenge.

• Support internal and external audit activity, regulatory engagement and reviews as required.

The Person

Skills & Capabilities

• Strong analytical capability with the ability to interpret and assess complex quantitative and qualitative information.

• Solid understanding of credit risk management principles, credit policy and governance frameworks.

• Ability to develop clear, insightful MI and present findings in a compelling and accessible way.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to provide effective challenge at all levels of the organisation.

• Well‑developed written and verbal communication skills, including experience producing committee‑level papers.

• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to balance rigour with pragmatism.

Knowledge & Experience

• Experience in credit risk, credit policy, portfolio risk or a related risk management role, ideally within SME or commercial lending.

• Understanding of regulatory expectations relating to credit risk and governance within a UK banking environment.

• Experience working within a multi‑line of defence framework.

• Exposure to credit analytics, portfolio monitoring and risk reporting.

• Experience engaging with senior stakeholders and governance forums.

Additional Information

This role requires flexibility to support ad‑hoc analysis, policy reviews and governance activity in response to changing business needs, market conditions and regulatory developments.

Reward

Your Wellbeing - We take your health and well-being very seriously by providing a range of benefits to give you and your family peace of mind. These include:

• Market leading family friendly policies such as access to our Maternity, Adoption and Paternity policies from Day 1 of your employment

• Free access to Headspace, a mindfulness & meditation digital health app

• Free access to Peppy digital health app that offers personalised support through fertility treatment becoming a parent or menopause

• EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) - Offering you support on a wide range of subjects including financial concerns, mental wellbeing and more general queries around family, work, housing, and health

• Cycle to work scheme

• Discounts on gym membership

• Contributory pension scheme & death in service

Your Lifestyle - It’s important you strike the right balance between your work and personal life. We provide benefits to support you when at work and when you’re enjoying your leisure time.

• Minimum of 27 days holiday per year

• Option to buy or sell holiday days through our flexi-holiday scheme

• Discounts on gym membership nationwide

• Access to discounts on a range of high street and online brands

• Community support and charitable giving

Your Contribution - We’re focused on rewarding those that go the extra mile in helping us achieve our goals.

• Participation in our annual discretionary bonus scheme designed to reward your contribution to our success

• Proudly Shawbrook recognition scheme focused on recognising our role models and thanking our colleagues for a job well done