Director, Credit Risk – Cash Flow Lending

Overview

In this leadership role, you drive independent credit assessments for UK cash-flow lending, shaping high-quality decisions across the lending portfolio. You will collaborate with Debt Finance, Credit Analytics and Portfolio Management to structure deals and present strong credit recommendations. You’ll influence transactions from early stages, engage with customers, and push for efficient, data-driven risk management. This position offers direct exposure to senior decision-makers and a meaningful impact on how OakNorth lends.

Pay / Benefits

• Equity—stake in the business
• 25 days holiday with personalised benefits
• Subsidised private medical insurance
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Wellbeing events and in-house Barista Bar
• Volunteering time off and salary sacrifice schemes

Responsibilities

• Lead independent assessment and challenge of new lending opportunities across UK Trading Businesses
• Influence deal structuring with early collaboration with Debt Finance Origination and Credit Analytics
• Prepare and present clear credit recommendations to Credit Committee
• Evaluate complex transactions including cash-flow lending, acquisition finance, leveraged and sponsor-backed deals
• Engage with customers during origination to discuss credit appetite and structure
• Coordinate with Portfolio Management on existing exposures and risk flags
• Review term sheets and security structures with Legal and Loan Execution teams
• Provide balanced, pragmatic judgement on when to support, challenge or decline opportunities
• Contribute to the development of credit risk capabilities using data, technology and AI

Key requirements

• Minimum 10 years in corporate or commercial credit risk within a bank or similar institution
• Strong understanding of UK cash-flow lending and complex transactions (acquisition finance, leveraged, M&A, sponsor-backed)
• Excellent financial analysis of business models, cash-flow forecasts, debt capacity and downside scenarios
• Proven track record of independent credit judgement and influencing senior decisions
• Experience presenting complex recommendations to senior Credit Committees
• Knowledge of credit risk frameworks including covenant setting, portfolio risk management and RWA/PD/LGD
• Commercial awareness with disciplined risk management
• Strong communication, negotiation and stakeholder management across origination, credit and broader teams
• Pragmatic, entrepreneurial mindset and ability to work in a fast-moving environment
• Interest in leveraging technology, data and AI to improve risk management

• strong communication
• negotiation
• stakeholder management
• cash-flow lending expertise
• financial analysis of forecasts and debt capacity
• covenant structures and downside scenarios

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