Head of SME & Mid Market - Business Support Unit

Title: Head of SME & Mid Market - Business Support Unit
Department: Business & Commercial Banking Credit, Risk Function
Location(s): London, Birmingham, Leeds or Edinburgh
WORKING PATTERN: Our work style is hybrid, which involves spending at least two days per week, or 40% of our time, at one of our office. Colleagues with disabilities can be supported with workplace adjustments including hybrid working expectations in line with our Flexibility Works policy.

The Head of SME & Mid Markets Business Support Unit ("SME & MM BSU") leads the management of SME and Mid Markets clients in financial difficulty, predominantly UK businesses with turnover of up to £500m. The role is accountable for delivering effective client treatment, restructuring, recovery and exit strategies, balancing fair customer outcomes with protection of the Bank's financial and reputational position.

The role provides senior leadership and judgement across complex and material credit cases and portfolio risks, ensuring effective operation of delegated credit authorities and timely impairment and write-off decisions. It also sets the strategic direction and operating model for SME & MM BSU, working closely with senior leaders across Risk and the business.

Leading a multi-location team of c.60 colleagues, the role will build the specialist capability required to manage current and emerging portfolio risks while leading significant transformation across the function. This includes simplifying ways of working, making better use of data and technology, and leading colleagues successfully through change while maintaining strong engagement, accountability and operational resilience.

Key accountabilities

• Lead SME & MM BSU, ensuring clients in financial difficulty are identified early and managed through appropriate client treatment, restructuring, recovery, or resolution plans.
• Deliver fair and sustainable client outcomes by balancing customer treatment, commercial considerations, regulatory obligations, and safeguarding the Bank's position.
• Provide senior oversight and challenge on complex cases, including impairments, write-offs, and other delegated credit decisions.
• Define the SME & MM BSU strategy and operating model in alignment with Group strategy, risk appetite, and regulatory and conduct requirements.
• Provide strategic portfolio oversight, identifying emerging and developing risks and taking timely management action, including proactive impairment recognition.
• Lead transformation, driving improvements in operational efficiency and the use of technology, data, and ways of working.
• Build and lead a high-performing team and maintain effective relationships with senior internal and external collaborators.

Essential capabilities, knowledge and experience

• Extensive credit risk experience across complex portfolios, with deep expertise in financial distress, restructuring, impairment, and write-offs.
• Strong strategic and commercial judgement, balancing risk appetite, customer outcomes, growth, and regulatory expectations.
• Experience operating credit delegated authority, risk policy, and governance frameworks, with the ability to make high-quality decisions in complex and ambiguous situations.
• Demonstrable senior leadership experience, aligning credit strategy with wider organisational objectives and delivering across business boundaries.
• Strong collaboration and influencing skills, with the credibility to engage senior executives, regulators, and external partners.
• Ability to use data, analytics, and portfolio insight to identify emerging risks and support forward-looking risk management.
• Proven success in leading high-performing teams, building specialist and future capability and delivering significant transformation and cultural change.

This is a place for you…

Our ambition is to be the leading UK business for diversity, equity and inclusion, supporting our customers, colleagues and communities. We are committed to creating an environment in which everyone can thrive, learn and develop. We were one of the first major organisations to set goals on diversity in senior roles, create a menopause health package, and launch a dedicated Working with Cancer initiative. We offer reasonable workplace adjustments for colleagues with disabilities, including flexibility in office attendance, location and working patterns.

We provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to reduce or remove barriers - just let us know what you need.

We also offer a wide-ranging benefits package, which includes…

• A generous pension contribution of up to 15%
• An annual bonus award, subject to Group performance
• Share schemes including free shares
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• 30 days' holiday, with bank holidays on top
• A range of wellbeing initiatives and generous parental leave policies

Ready for a career where you'll learn and thrive? Apply today and find out more.