Credit Risk Specialist – Retail & SME Banking

**Contract:** Up to 6 months\

**Start Date:** 30 November 2026 (potentially sooner)

**Location:** London – Moorgate (Hybrid, remote considered)

**Office Attendance:** Ideally 50% over a month

**Clearance:** SC Clearance required or eligibility

We are seeking an experienced **Credit Risk Specialist** with a strong background in UK Retail or SME Banking to support a programme of credit risk and asset quality reviews.

The successful candidate will have extensive experience in **credit portfolio risk management**, with the ability to independently assess credit risk frameworks, lending portfolios, provisioning methodologies and associated governance arrangements.

This is a specialist role requiring strong analytical capabilities, regulatory knowledge and experience working within a banking or regulatory environment.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead detailed reviews of **Credit Risk Management Frameworks**, policies and governance arrangements.

- Assess credit risk appetite and its alignment with business strategy, market position and sustainability.

- Conduct **Credit Asset Quality Reviews** across retail and SME lending portfolios.

- Evaluate provisioning methodologies and approaches to determining credit losses.

- Review credit risk management practices across the full lending lifecycle.

- Assess governance arrangements, including the **Three Lines of Defence (3LOD)** model.

- Review credit management information (MI), collections, debt management and quality assurance processes.

- Undertake quantitative and qualitative analysis to identify material portfolio risks.

- Lead onsite or virtual reviews and engage with relevant business stakeholders.

- Produce detailed reports outlining findings, risks and recommendations.

Skills & Experience

- Extensive experience in **Credit Risk Management** within UK Retail or SME Banking.

- Strong background in **Credit Portfolio Risk Management**, gained within a bank or regulator.

- Proven experience conducting **Credit Asset Quality Reviews** and/or Credit Risk Management Framework reviews.

- Knowledge of retail lending products, including mortgages and credit cards, and/or SME lending.

- Experience reviewing credit provisioning methodologies and asset quality.

- Strong understanding of credit governance, risk appetite, policies and controls.

- Excellent analytical, reporting and stakeholder communication skills.

- Ability to independently lead complex credit risk assessments and present findings.

Desirable Experience

Experience or knowledge of the following would be advantageous:

- **Securitisation** and warehousing of retail or commercial assets

- **IFRS 9** credit risk and impairment models

- **IRB modelling**

- Application and behavioural scorecards

- Account management and forecasting models

- Credit risk stress testing

- Regulatory or supervisory credit risk reviews

**Important:** This requirement is currently at the Request for Information (RFI) stage and is subject to contract award. The opportunity is not yet confirmed.