Credit Risk Oversight Officer

Do you want to be part of a force for good, helping to make life better for customers & society in the moments that matter? At Hodge, we put people at the heart of our business and that means our customers, colleagues and communities. Hodge is a Welsh financial service provider that focus on commercial lending, and specialist residential mortgage markets.

This role in Hodge’s Risk & Compliance function will involve providing  oversight, assurance and challenge to the business on all credit risk matters across Retail and Commercial Lending credit portfolios. The role holder will principally be responsible for conducting thematic credit review activities in line with agreed assurance plans. Using internal and external data, and evaluating emerging risks and credit quality, the role holder will provide key insights into the lending portfolios’ performance. This role will also support the development, delivery and continual improvement of effective credit risk management as the portfolios evolve through the credit cycle.

Essential Experience:

• Experience in a similar credit risk oversight OR relatable secured credit underwriting role in a banking environment.

• Knowledge of Residential & Buy to Let Mortgages and Commercial & Development Finance portfolios.

• Strong data analytical skills

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide input to, and support delivery of, the 2^nd line annual assurance plan based on a risk-based assessment of key credit areas.
• Conduct thematic and ad hoc reviews, case sampling and lessons learned evaluations into selected areas of credit risk and escalate any recommendations or findings as appropriate.
• Support the Credit Risk Oversight Manager on delivery of the risk management framework linking credit risk appetite, risk assessments, policies and procedures and ensuring they are integral to business decision making.
• Review and provide input to risk opinions on proposals from the business on credit risk matters, including credit strategy, product development and policy changes.
• Support the development, preparation and embedding of appropriate Committee MI reporting to enhance monitoring of credit risk across the business and are operating in line with the defined risk appetite and regulatory requirements.
• Review, perform ad hoc data analysis, and provide insight into key drivers behind portfolio performance, underlying credit quality, and evaluate risk from external economic and market movements.
• Review and challenge credit related reporting, policies and processes across the full end-to-end credit lifecycle including origination, account management, collections, and recoveries.
• Support in design and execution of robust risk oversight and challenge to the functions responsible for managing credits risks, making recommendations for improvements in the control environment where necessary.
• Support the business in the assessment and escalation of credit related issues, breaches, loss, or near-misses should they occur, including whether any proposed measures to address are effective, and monitor through to resolution.
• Develop and maintain positive and effective working relationships with 1^st line colleagues, providing advice, guidance and support on credit risk related activities, and sharing best practice across the organisation.
• Maintain awareness and profile of risk management developments and contribute to relevant proposals to Committees to improve or enhance the banks risk management framework and best practice.
• Promote good governance practices across the Bank in line with published standards and guidance.
• Attendance and presentation to executive level committees when required.
• Identifying and promoting credit process improvements and standardisation projects across the Bank.
• Support the team in following up outstanding remediation actions to closure within agree deadlines.

Please be aware that should we pursue your application, all our Financial Services employees will be expected to complete background checks to assess suitability for employment, these include; a criminal record, identity, sanctions, adverse finance, fraud prevention and reference checks to comply with our regulatory requirements.

Hodge is an advocate of being an equal opportunities employer, We believe in promoting equality and diversity which is central to our lives today. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and recognises the value a diverse workforce brings to an organisation.

ESG and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do and serves as a reminder of the responsibility we have to our stakeholders, customers, colleagues and the communities we operate in to use our position wisely. We’re currently exploring different certifications available and have done an initial review of how we think we’d fare, as we see this as a real opportunity for Hodge given our social purpose.