Head of Small Corporate & Trade Finance Risk

UK Export Finance; Greater London; On-site; GBP 62,000; Full time

Job summary

A government financial institution is seeking a Senior Credit Risk Analyst to manage a team assessing credit risks for UK exporters. The role involves producing high-quality credit analysis, liaising with stakeholders, and developing risk policies. This position requires significant knowledge in credit analysis and strong communication skills. The salary is £61,250, with additional benefits including a Civil Service pension scheme.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Inclusive environment

Learning and development tailored to your role

Civil Service pension with employer contribution

Qualifications

• Significant knowledge of credit analysis required.
• Ability to assess industry risk in new sectors.
• Clear communication and relationship building skills essential.

Responsibilities

• Manage Senior Credit Risk Analysts in assessing credit risks.
• Produce high-quality credit analysis and ensure compliance with UKEF risk appetite.
• Lead development of risk policies and training for analysts.

Skills

Credit analysis

Financial account understanding

Industry risk assessment

Credit risk factors evaluation

Data interpretation

Microsoft Office proficiency

Education

GCSE Maths and English or equivalent

Job description

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. To perform its statutory function, UKEF must assume significant credit risks on behalf of UK exporters. Consequently, the financial success of the Department is crucially dependent upon sound credit risk assessment, particularly given the elevated default risks associated with emerging markets and SMEs. The Risk Assessment Division (RAD) is responsible for providing probability of default (PD) ratings and loss given default (LGD) assessments on all non-sovereign risks assumed by the Department.

RAD's case work is split currently into three teams:

• Corporate & Strategic Sectors (incl. SME & Trade Finance)
• Project Finance
• Specialised Products Risk (Aerospace, Financial Institutions and Active Portfolio Management)

The role holder is responsible for managing Senior Credit Risk Analysts (SEO) who assess the credit risks of existing exposures and proposed transactions within their area. The role holder is highly experienced on the credit features of the particular sectors and are responsible for managing the case work that falls within it; they lead on complex cases which may include novel features, negotiations with exporters/buyers, and supervise the case work of more junior analysts within the division. They are responsible for the credit risk approval of cases within their delegated authority.

Main Activities

1. Managing, producing and aiding the production of high-quality credit analysis (including credit ratings & LGD assessments as required) on casework (which may include novel and unusual features) relating to corporate obligors, large and small.
2. Ensuring proposed business is within UKEF risk appetite.
3. Demonstrating subject matter competence in the team's sectors and industries, as well as trade finance products and emerging markets.
4. Liaising with UK exporters, overseas counterparties and other stakeholders including leading meetings, often with senior management, to understand the business and transaction structure.
5. Credit risk approval for cases within delegated authority.
6. Presentation of analysis and recommendation for approval to risk colleagues and the Enterprise Risk & Credit Committee (ERiCC), including providing support to more junior analysts presenting their cases.
7. Lead in the development of new elements of UKEF's risk policies, procedures & frameworks, as well as continuous improvement of internal process efficiency and robustness.
8. Identification and implementation of training and up skilling analysts (and non-analysts) as required.
9. Lead on any assigned corporate contribution roles supporting the general management of the Risk Management Group and UKEF.
10. Responsibility for the motivation of a team to deliver timely and robust risk assessments.
11. Review financial information for initial enquiries where necessary. The role holder provides advice on whether a case is likely to meet the minimum credit risk standard and, if not, to suggest acceptable alternative structures where possible.

This list is not exhaustive, and you may be required to carry out additional duties according to business needs.

Behaviour Assessment

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical Assessment

• Presentation
• Questions

Following the sift stage, you will be invited to an initial interview. This will include the following assessment:

1. Behaviours - a formal panel interview where you will be interviewed across all four behaviours highlighted.
   1. Seeing the Big Picture (Lead Behaviour)
   2. Communicating and Influencing
   3. Leadership
   4. Making Effective Decisions
2. Technical - you will be assessed across your technical expertise and acumen, in relation to the essential criteria:
   1. Presentation – a topic to be agreed by UKEF and will be provided to relevant candidates, to be prepared in advance.
   2. Questions

Details of interview panel members will be e‑mailed to all successful candidates who are invited for interview. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check and meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check. See our vetting charter. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.

Nationality Requirements

• UK nationals
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre‑settled status under the EUSS
• Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements is available.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Person Specification

UK Export Finance is looking for motivated individuals with a desire to learn about the business. Successful candidates will be provided not only with functional training to enable them to do well in their role, but also with personal development to help them to achieve their career ambitions.

The person specification below outlines at which stage(s) you will be assessed on how you meet the criteria for the role(s):

• GCSE Maths and English equivalent or above and/or relevant professional development (A)
• Significant knowledge of credit analysis (A, I, P)
• Understanding of financial accounts including typical analytical adjustments to assess cash flow, working capital, liquidity and debt sustainability
• Ability to assess industry risk within unfamiliar/new sectors or geographies
• An understanding of the key credit risk factors of major corporates, including UK SMEs and an understanding of credit risk factors associated with trade finance
• Expert knowledge of a range of credit risk structuring and assessment tools for analysing qualitative and quantitative risk factors to produce probability of default ratings (PDs) and loss given default assessments (LGDs)
• Knowledge of transaction structuring including the use of covenants
• Understanding and experience of typical banking products including loans or trade finance products (bonding, LCs, working capital facilities)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (A)
• Ability to interpret complex data and make sound, commercially balanced decisions; strong planning and organisational skills to manage priorities and meet deadlines (A, I)
• Clear written and verbal communication, including leading meetings and presenting complex information effectively; ability to build collaborative relationships across teams (A, I, P)
• Capacity to work independently while seeking guidance when appropriate (A, I)
• Demonstrated success in credit risk analysis within a relevant organisation, including producing credit ratings and assessments for corporates or SMEs; experience applying credit risk rating models and advanced risk measurement techniques (A, I)
• Experience managing or mentoring junior team members (A, I)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,250, UK Export Finance contributes £17,744 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%