Head of Risk Assessment Division (RAD)

Job summary

UKEF's Risk Management Group (RMG) operates via 5 Divisions which are responsible for Risk Approvals, Portfolio Management, Portfolio Pricing & Risk Analytics, Special Situations and Enterprise Risk Management. This role leads the Risk Assessment Division (or “RAD”). This role involves extensive interaction with not only the Business Origination and Underwriting teams but also with the other core divisions within Risk Management including the Enterprise Risk Management Division and notably, Portfolio Management Division – to which transactions are handed over post-closing by Business Group. Given the implication of incremental transactions to the UKEF portfolio, the relationship with the Pricing & Risk Analytics Division is especially important.

Job description

Risk Approvals is evolving to embrace ESG and Climate Change. Working closely with the ESG and Climate Change Divisions, this role will be at the forefront of emerging methodologies and techniques to incorporate these factors into risk analysis. The Division, in addition to acting as RMG’s critical backbone for assessments and approvals, also undertakes the majority of RMG’s policy review and revision analysis in close collaboration with the other Divisions.

Some of the main activities within the role are:

Leadership & Management

• Leading, Managing and motivating 5 teams (1) corporate (2) project finance (3) aircraft finance (4) SME (5) financial institutions including insurance and lessors portfolios of UKEF (total of approx. 25 FTE); including Managers at SEO/Grade 6/7.
• As a member of several senior committees, the role holder is required to provide strong thought leadership coupled with very significant execution capabilities.

Specific to the role

• The Division is responsible for the provision to BG and ERiCC of timely, accurate, comprehensive, and insightful credit submissions (Incl. Expressions of Interest and Preliminary Response Letters) with respect to Corporate, Project Finance, Aircraft Finance, Financial Institutions, Insurance, Lessors and SME transactions in accordance with UKEF’s credit risk policies and procedures and most notably, with UKEF’s Risk Appetite Statement
• Provide both technical risk support and challenge to the front office when transactions are being structured and negotiated, ensuring that the transaction structure minimises the risk to UKEF’s balance sheet and is within risk appetite.

General

• Contribute to Risk Management Group policies and strategic projects
• Review and maintain methodologies for risk assessment. Ensuring that UKEF is aligned with best practice and working closely with developments in ESG and Climate Change risk factors.
• Budget authority in line with business requirements.

Person specification

To be credible in post the successful candidate will need to demonstrate:

• Proven track record as a successful, senior risk manager within a leading global financial institution, applying risk disciplines with high standards of delivery in a timely and cost-effective manner
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience of working across multiple products and asset classes including SME, leveraged finance, project and aircraft finance, Financial Institutions and of providing well thought through structuring solutions to complex financings. 
• Extensive credit risk management experience including the direct exercise of (significant) personal credit approval authority across a very diverse range of asset classes. 

Everything listed in the advert, is a "snapshot" of what the role entails, this is one of UKEFs key leadership roles. 

UKEF does not discriminate and cultivates a culture of inclusion for all employees, with some of the highest ranked statistics across the Government we continually strive to recruit people from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds. We are always keen to receive applications from people across all underrepresented groups.