Head of Unsecured Business Lending

Perigon Group; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Perigon Group is seeking an experienced leader to create and grow an unsecured SME lending division within an established Australian lender. You will shape strategy, build distribution channels with brokers and referral partners, and establish an efficient operating model to deliver fast, flexible funding for Australian SMEs.

Working with executive leadership and risk, credit, and operations teams, you will drive sustainable lending growth, optimize pricing and underwriting, and deliver a

Qualifications

• Significant experience in senior commercial or general management roles within unsecured SME lending or specialist finance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the commercial strategy for the unsecured SME lending division.
• Build distribution capability via brokers, aggregators, referral partners and direct origination.
• Develop a competitive unsecured lending proposition including working capital and cash-flow lending.
• Drive improvements in customer acquisition, conversion, credit turnaround times and settlement performance.
• Collaborate with credit, risk, operations, finance and technology to scale the business.
• Define commercial metrics for originations, revenue, profitability and credit quality.

Skills

Unsecured SME lending

Broker relationships

Commercial finance

Strategic leadership

Team-building

Credit risk & pricing

Job description

The Opportunity

An established, well-capitalised Australian non-bank lender is embarking on an exciting new phase of growth, with plans to establish a dedicated unsecured business lending division.

With an established lending platform, sophisticated infrastructure and an entrepreneurial culture, the business is well positioned to expand its offering into unsecured SME finance, providing fast, flexible and commercially competitive funding solutions to Australian businesses.

Backed by the CEO and Managing Director, this new division represents a significant growth initiative and an opportunity to build a substantial business within an already successful financial services organisation.

We are seeking an experienced leader who has successfully built, grown or led an unsecured SME lending operation and is motivated by the opportunity to take ownership of a new division, shape its strategy and participate meaningfully in the financial rewards of its success.

The Role

You will be responsible for developing and executing the commercial strategy for the unsecured lending division, building the distribution capability, lending proposition and operating model required to establish a competitive and profitable business.

Working closely with executive leadership and the broader credit, risk, operations, finance and technology functions, your focus will be on driving sustainable lending growth while developing a high-performing, scalable operation.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Establishing and executing the growth strategy for a dedicated unsecured SME lending division.
• Building lending volumes through commercial finance brokers, aggregators, referral partners and direct origination channels.
• Developing a compelling unsecured lending proposition, including working capital finance and cash-flow-based lending solutions.
• Driving improvements in customer acquisition, application conversion, credit turnaround times and settlement performance.
• Working closely with credit and risk leadership on lending appetite, pricing, underwriting frameworks and portfolio performance.
• Establishing commercial performance measures across originations, revenue, profitability, customer acquisition and credit quality.
• Building and leading the division's commercial and distribution capabilities, working closely with established credit, risk and operational teams.
• Identifying opportunities to improve systems, processes and technology to support a scalable, efficient lending model.
• Taking ownership of the division's commercial performance and longer-term growth.

About You

We are looking for an accomplished leader with a proven track record in unsecured SME lending, specialist business finance or working capital lending.

You will understand what it takes to build lending volumes, develop broker relationships, establish a competitive product offering and grow a profitable business in the non-bank lending market.

Ideally, you will bring:

• Significant experience in a senior commercial or general management role within unsecured business lending or specialist SME finance.
• Demonstrated success growing lending originations, distribution channels and commercial performance.
• Strong relationships across the commercial finance broker, aggregator and referral market.
• A thorough understanding of cash-flow-based lending, credit assessment, pricing, portfolio performance and the economics of unsecured finance.
• Experience building teams, developing lending propositions and improving operational performance.
• The commercial judgement, initiative and leadership capability to build a business with significant autonomy.

Experience with an established specialist SME lender, particularly in an environment focused on fast, flexible business funding, will be highly regarded.

This opportunity will particularly suit someone who has already played a significant role in building or scaling an unsecured SME lending business and is ready to take ownership of the next stage of growth.

You may currently lead an unsecured lending business, oversee national distribution or hold a senior commercial leadership role within a successful non-bank SME lender.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

Opportunities to build a new lending division with genuine executive backing, established infrastructure and significant financial upside are rare.

Rather than joining a start-up and having to establish the underlying financial services platform, you will have the support of an established lender with the capital, infrastructure and ambition to compete in a growing market.

The successful individual will have the opportunity to shape the division, build their team, influence the commercial strategy and share in the rewards of its success through a highly attractive remuneration structure.

Brisbane is the preferred location, although interstate candidates are encouraged to apply, with relocation support considered for the right individual.