Head of Credit

JS Careers; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

JS Careers is seeking a newly created Head of Credit role for one of Australia’s leading non-bank lenders in Sydney. This executive position will own the end-to-end credit underwriting function, leading a team of underwriters to ensure high-quality mortgage decisions that comply with policy and regulatory obligations while expanding the loan book.

The role requires substantial experience in credit underwriting for residential mortgages, with leadership capabilities to coach and develop a

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in credit underwriting or similar leadership roles.
• Experience with residential mortgage lending, preferably with non-bank or specialist lenders.
• Strong understanding of responsible lending obligations and regulatory framework.

Responsibilities

• Own the credit underwriting function and ensure quality and consistency of decisions.
• Ensure all lending decisions meet credit policy and regulatory obligations.
• Apply flexible, commonsense credit assessment across target segments.
• Make and support complex credit decisions; act as escalation point for the team.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of credit underwriters.

Skills

Credit underwriting

Leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder management

Job description

JS Careers is currently sourcing a newly created Head of Credit role with one of Australia's leading non-bank lenders.

This exciting new leadership role will be responsible and accountable for the end-to-end credit underwriting function. You will lead a team of credit underwriters and ensure the business makes consistent, high-quality credit decisions that meet credit policy and regulatory obligations while it grows a pool of high-quality mortgages.

• Own the credit underwriting function and be accountable for the quality and consistency of all decisions;
• Ensure all lending decisions meet credit policy requirements and regulatory obligations;
• Apply flexible, commonsense credit assessment across all target segments;
• Make and support complex credit decisions, and act as the escalation point for the team.

JS Careers is currently sourcing a newly created Head of Credit role with one of Australia's leading non-bank lenders.

This exciting new leadership role will be responsible and accountable for the end-to-end credit underwriting function. You will lead a team of credit underwriters and ensure the business makes consistent, high-quality credit decisions that meet credit policy and regulatory obligations while it grows a pool of high-quality mortgages.

Key responsibilities

Credit underwriting

• Own the credit underwriting function and be accountable for the quality and consistency of all decisions;
• Ensure all lending decisions meet credit policy requirements and regulatory obligations;
• Apply flexible, commonsense credit assessment across all target segments;
• Make and support complex credit decisions, and act as the escalation point for the team.

Portfolio and policy

• Support the growth of a high-quality mortgage portfolio;
• Contribute to the development and review of credit policy as the business grows and its product range evolves;
• Work with risk and compliance partners so the division operates within the risk framework.

Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of credit underwriters;
• Maintain responsive, high-touch service for broker partners, with timely and clear credit outcomes;
• Build a culture of accountability, sound judgement, and continuous improvement.

Executive contribution

• Work as a valued member of the executive team, with the CEO and peers, to shape strategy and growth;
• Provide credit insight to inform pricing, product, and distribution decisions.

Required Experience

This role will suit an experienced credit professional, with a minimum of 10 years of experience, ideally with an Australian non-bank lender.

Candidates must possess:

• Substantial credit underwriting experience in residential mortgage lending, ideally with a non-bank or specialist lender;
• Experience leading, or acting as second-in-charge of, a credit or underwriting team;
• Strong understanding of non-prime, self-employed, commercial, and larger-loan lending;
• Working knowledge of the regulatory framework for credit, including responsible lending obligations.

Capabilities

• Sound, independent credit judgement, with the confidence to make and explain decisions;
• Ability to balance growth with credit quality and policy discipline;
• Strong leadership, coaching, and stakeholder skills, including with brokers and executives;
• A service mindset and a commercial, solutions-focused approach.

For further information or a confidential career discussion, please reach out to Jacob Smith - ***email_hidden***