Risk Manager – Corporate & Commercial Banking

Location: London, UK

Salary: Competitive + Benefits

Type: Permanent, Full-Time

The Opportunity

We are working exclusively with a well-established international bank operating in the UK to recruit a senior Risk Manager for their London branch. This is a high-profile, standalone leadership role sitting at the heart of the branch's risk management function, offering genuine influence over strategy, governance, and credit decisions.

The bank has a strong reputation in corporate and commercial lending, with particular expertise in UK Real Estate and Asset Finance. This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned risk professional to take ownership of the full risk management framework in a regulated branch environment.

The Role

Reporting to senior branch management and working closely with the Group Risk function, you will lead all aspects of risk oversight for the branch. Your responsibilities will include:

1. Providing independent, credible credit risk oversight — assessing customer creditworthiness, managing portfolio risk, and ensuring all material risks are identified and controlled in line with Group risk appetite and local regulatory expectations
2. Leading the design, implementation, and ongoing enhancement of the branch's risk management and governance framework, policies, standards, and controls
3. Overseeing identification, measurement, monitoring, and reporting across all key risk types: credit, market, liquidity, operational, information security, regulatory, and reputational
4. Making a significant contribution to credit risk strategy and decisioning, including independent review and challenge of significant exposures, transactions, and portfolio trends
5. Advising branch management and the management committee on the risk implications of strategic plans, balance sheet management, liquidity and funding, and new business initiatives
6. Setting, monitoring, and reporting on local risk appetite and limits; escalating breaches and emerging risks to senior management and governance forums
7. Ensuring robust risk reporting, incident management, root-cause analysis, and remediation oversight
8. Engaging directly with regulators, supervisors, and internal and external auditors on risk-related matters
9. Partnering with Group Risk, Compliance, and control functions to maintain consistency with Group standards while addressing local requirements
10. Championing and embedding a strong risk culture across the branch

What We're Looking For

1. Proven experience in a Credit Risk Manager, Credit Manager, or similar role within a corporate or commercial banking environment — ideally with exposure to UK Real Estate and/or Asset Finance
2. Solid background in risk management across all material risk types within a regulated banking or financial services environment
3. Demonstrated experience designing and implementing risk frameworks, policies, standards, and controls
4. A strong track record of reviewing complex credit risks, significant transactions, and portfolio trends, with the credibility to influence senior decision-makers
5. Experience advising governance committees on risk implications of strategy, balance sheet management, and new business initiatives
6. Hands-on expertise in risk appetite and limit setting, breach management, escalation, and risk reporting
7. Direct experience engaging with regulators, auditors, and supervisory authorities
8. Strong working knowledge of UK banking regulations, prudential standards, and governance frameworks applicable to branches
9. Excellent stakeholder management skills, including experience operating within a matrixed Group structure
10. The independence, integrity, and seniority to exercise constructive challenge at the highest level