Head of Portfolio Management

TN United Kingdom; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dynamic leader to head the Portfolio Management Division within their Risk Management Group. This pivotal role involves overseeing a significant credit and sovereign risk portfolio, ensuring sound credit risk assessments, and integrating ESG factors into risk management practices. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership capabilities, guiding and mentoring a dedicated team while collaborating with various stakeholders. This position offers an exciting opportunity to shape the future of risk management in a government agency renowned for its commitment to supporting UK exports and financial sustainability.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in managing credit risk portfolios.
• Strong leadership skills with a focus on team development.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Portfolio Management Division and manage credit risk.
• Conduct credit reviews and monitor ongoing risk factors.

Skills

Credit Risk Assessment

Leadership

ESG Risk Management

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

Degree in Finance or Economics

Professional Risk Management Certification

Tools

Credit Risk Management Software

ESG Assessment Tools

Job description

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UK EXPORT FINANCE
UKEF is the UK’s export credit agency, founded in 1919 as the world’s first export credit agency. We have over 100 years’ track record supporting UK exports. Our mission is to “advance prosperity by ensuring no viable UK export fails for lack of finance and insurance, doing so sustainably and at no net cost to the taxpayer.” We provide loans, guarantees, and insurance to help UK companies win overseas sales, fulfill export contracts, and ensure they get paid. We operate to complement, not compete with, the private sector, working with over 100 private credit insurers and lenders. UKEF is a government department, reporting to the Secretary of State for International Trade, and aligned with the Department for Business and Trade.

The Division

1. The principal role of the Department is to support UK companies exporting to foreign markets by providing insurance, loans, and guarantees against non-payment or non-performance by UK exporters and overseas buyers.
2. The financial success of the Department depends on sound credit risk assessment, especially given the default risks in emerging markets. The Portfolio Management Division (PMD) handles credit reviews for all non-sovereign risks, creating probability of default (‘PD’) ratings and loss given default (‘LGD’).

The Role

This role leads the Portfolio Management Division within the Risk Management Group of UKEF. The division manages a large portion of UKEF’s credit and sovereign risk portfolio. Key activities include:

• Managing the portfolio of performing cases (Post Issue Management)
• Conducting credit reviews and ongoing monitoring (Post Issue Credit Risk)
• Managing ESG factors and stress testing on all cases

The role is expected to add intellectual capacity to UKEF’s Risk Management team at a senior leadership level and support talent development. As risk environments evolve and ESG expertise grows, the team must be both scaled and skilled to meet these challenges.

Main Activities

Leadership and Management

• Leading and motivating 3 teams (~18 FTE), including managers at Grade 6/7 and a deputy at SCS 1 level.
• Providing thought leadership as part of UKEF Senior Leadership Team, Risk Management Senior Leadership Team, and ERiCC.
• Liaising with internal and external stakeholders, including government departments, industry peers, insurers, and banks.
• Coaching and mentoring team members, contributing to the People Agenda, and overseeing wider people management.

Post Issue Management

• Managing activities after credit approval, including tracking conditions, financial statements, covenant compliance, and breach follow-up.

Post Issue Credit Risk Management

• Monitoring credit profiles and loss given default, reporting deterioration, and working with related teams.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Risk Development

• Developing ESG factors in credit ratings, monitoring industry developments, and integrating ESG into portfolio stress testing.

General

• Contributing to Risk Management policies and strategic projects.
• Representing risk expertise internally and externally, including seminars and workshops.
• Deputising for the CRO and other senior leaders, attending various meetings and events.
• Managing budgets according to business needs.

This list is not exhaustive, and additional duties may be assigned as needed.

For further information, contact Nick Irow at 07715 210286 or #4683950, or via email.