Credit Manager - Small Business Lending

Bendigobank; Brisbane; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & wellbeing program

Private health insurance

Discount gym memberships

Corporate university BEN U

Job summary

Bendigo Bank is seeking a Credit Manager Direct to exercise sound credit judgment within our risk framework and support our Business Direct team servicing customers with borrowings up to $1.5M. You will assess escalated applications, mentor bankers, and shape credit practices while collaborating with senior leaders to improve risk management.

This permanent, full-time role offers hybrid working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in business credit risk or lending, with delegated lending authority preferred.
• Deep understanding of credit risk management, bank policies and regulatory environment.
• Ability to make decisive, efficient decisions in a high-volume, fast-paced role.
• Strong written and spoken communication with ability to influence stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Assess escalated lending applications outside frontline authority.
• Provide expert credit support and mentorship to bankers.
• Contribute to the development of the DLA assessment framework.
• Support policy maintenance and design credit risk strategies.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to implement risk management improvements.
• Manage portfolios and ensure correct re-grading and timely action.

Skills

Business lending expertise

Credit risk knowledge

Decision making

Stakeholder engagement

Forward-thinking mindset

Job description

We’ve never been ‘just a bank’. Just like you should never be ‘just an employee’. We’re united in our belief that in banking, better can be bigger, and together we’re making it happen.

It starts here. With Bendigo Bank… and you.

About the opportunity

Known internally as a Credit Manager Direct you will exercise sound commercial judgment consistent with our credit risk policy framework, balancing traditional credit disciplines with innovative, contemporary approaches to credit risk and portfolio management to support our Business Direct team which services Business customers with business borrowings up to $1.5m. In this role you’ll get to…

• Assess Escalated Lending Applications: Evaluate and decision credit applications that sit outside the lending authority of our frontline bankers, utilising your own Delegated Lending Authority (DLA).
• Provide Expert Credit Support & Mentorship: Act as a key technical reference point for our bankers. You will help them structure deals, interpret policy, and coach them on how to have high-quality credit conversations with customers regarding specific businesses or industries.
• Shape Credit Practices: Monitor the usage of DLAs by frontline lenders and actively contribute to the development and uplift of our DLA assessment framework.
• Drive Policy & Strategy: Support the maintenance of Credit Policy, address emerging credit risk issues, and contribute to the design of credit risk strategies that streamline and improve the customer experience.
• Build Core Relationships: Collaborate closely with the Head of Direct, Business & Agribusiness Leaders, and Group Risk Leaders to introduce changes and champion a contemporary risk management framework.
• Manage Portfolios: Work alongside specialised business units to ensure non-performing loans and portfolios are appropriately re-graded and managed within required timeframes.

What you’ll bring to the role

To be successful in the role you will have:

• Business Lending Expertise: Proven success in a Business credit risk or Business lending role, preferably with experience exercising a Delegated Lending Authority. Experience with Agribusiness and business lending above 1.5 mil an advantage.
• Risk & Regulatory Knowledge: A deep understanding of credit risk management strategies, bank policies, and the overall regulatory and lending environment that banks operate within.
• Decision making and problem solving: Ability to work decisively and efficiently in a high pace, high volume role.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills with a proven track record of influencing stakeholders, coaching others and building strong, collaborative relationships.
• Forward-Thinking Mindset: A keen interest in emerging technologies, including automation and AI in credit risk, to actively challenge the status quo.

This is a permanent, full-time opportunity. For the right candidate, we are open to this role being based out of any of our major Head Office locations.

We offer hybrid working arrangements, with a minimum local Head Office attendance requirement determined collaboratively with your leader, ensuring you find a rhythm that works best for you and your team.

So, why work for us?

Want big impact that matters? Here, you’ll know your work directly benefits the customers and communities we all serve. You’ll also get access to a great range of benefits, including:

• Health and wellbeing support, including discounted gym memberships, private health insurance options, and our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for you and your immediate family members
• Opportunities to take your learning to the next level through our corporate university ‘BEN U’ or at an external provider of your choice

We believe a diverse workforce supported by an inclusive culture is central to our success and we actively encourage applications from those who bring diversity of thought to our business. We support candidate requests for adjustment to accommodate an illness, injury, or disability to equitably participate in the selection process.

Still in two minds? Research suggests 60% of women and underrepresented groups might stop here, even after getting as far as drafting an application. We believe that diversity makes every team stronger, so even if you don’t tick every box, we still want to see your application!

We’re making better, bigger. And we’ll get there with you.

Now’s the time to set your sights even higher – on the future you and the future career you deserve.