Deputy Director Credit Risk & Portfolio Management - UK Research and Innovation - eFinancialCareers : Job Details

£110,000 - £115,000 gross per annum + £10,000 per annum Specialist Allowance (Subject to Pay & Reward Policy)

UKRI Band H

Closing date: 5th October 2025

Reporting to the Chief Investment Officer you will have overall responsibility for and leadership of the Credit and Portfolio functions of Innovate UK Loans Ltd. Ensuring adherence to policy and process and implementation of best practice in treating customers fairly and lending responsibly.

Since the inception of the innovation loans product in 2017, over £230 million in innovation loans have been awarded to over 250 highly innovative companies. Portfolio companies cover the full spectrum of the future economy and are distributed across the UK.

In this role, you will be part of the Innovation Finance management team and will also be responsible for representing the activities of the Directorate in policy and funding discussions within internal and external stakeholders and the public. The role may also involve being a director and Board member of the Board of Innovate UK Loans Limited and an executive member of its Credit Committee.

Key Areas of Accountability:

· Lead a team of 10 credit and investment specialists and 8 debt portfolio management experts to build and manage a portfolio of high risk, SME loans with mezzanine / structured finance features and controls

· Operate a personal delegation for credit, investment and arrears, default and recovery decisions, operating a devolved delegation on behalf of the Chief Investment Officer as required

· Support the Heads of Function for Credit and Portfolio to systematise and codify precedent in Innovate UK’s approach to responsible lending and debt management, working within the spirit of the FCA’s Treating Customers Fairly framework

· Act as Innovate UK’s technical expert in credit and portfolio management, as part of the wider risk, assurance and governance architecture of the organisation – and provide similar support to UK Research and Innovation, as required

· Work as part of the senior leadership team of Innovate UK’s investment directorate in delivering within a product-oriented, customer-insight driven organisation

· Engage with the wider organisation and across Innovate UK’s Domains and Products and Services as part of the senior management team, contributing to the growth and development of the organisation.

About You

Essential Skills/Qualifications/Experience:

(S) – Assessed at shortlisting

(I) – Assessed at interview

(S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

· Demonstrating substantial equivalent experience in SME lending and/or investment decisioning in a fund, banking or alternative finance environment and experience in working with early stage, immature and innovating businesses would be beneficial (S&I)

· Experience in originating and maintaining a portfolio of SME loan assets as a (stretched-) senior and/or mezzanine/structured finance lender (S)

· Experience in a leadership capacity (I)

· Proven track record in building, maintaining and leading a high performing team across several technical disciplines through consensus-building, empowerment and coaching (I)

· Willingness and ability to flex mindset to deliver a portfolio which delivers on the innovation objectives and economic impact of the programme while achieving an overall balance of risk/reward consistent with the risk appetite established by Innovate UK (I)

· Experience of working with senior government stakeholders, developing and implementing policy initiatives in the context of Subsidy Control regulation and Managing Public Money contexts; and (I)

To view the full job description please click apply and visit our careers page

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package! We are committed to supporting employees’ development and promote a culture of continuous learning! A list of benefits below;

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme
• 30 days’ annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent)
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice
• Flexible working options

Please click here for more details on the Benefits of working for UKRI – UKRI

How to Apply

Applicants are required to provide an up-to-date CV and a cover letter outlining their suitability for the role. Further information on how to apply is listed on our careers page.