Head of Credit - International Cards

About this role

ABOUT LENDABLE

Lendable is on a mission to build the world's best technology to help people get credit and save money. We're building one of the world’s leading fintech companies and are off to a strong start:

- One of the UK’s newest unicorns with a team of just over 700 people

- Among the fastest-growing tech companies in the UK

- Profitable since 2017

- Backed by top investors including Balderton Capital and Goldman Sachs

- Loved by customers with the best reviews in the market (4.9 across 10,000s of reviews on Trustpilot https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/lendable.co.uk)

So far, we’ve rebuilt the Big Three consumer finance products from scratch: loans, credit cards and car finance. We get money into our customers’ hands in minutes instead of days.

We’re growing fast, and there’s a lot more to do: we’re going after the two biggest Western markets (UK and US) where trillions worth of financial products are held by big banks with dated systems and painful processes.

JOIN US IF YOU WANT TO

1. Take ownership across a broad remit. You are trusted to make decisions that drive a material impact on the direction and success of Lendable from day 1

2. Work in small teams of exceptional people, who are relentlessly resourceful to solve problems and find smarter solutions than the status quo

3. Build the best technology in-house, using new data sources, machine learning and AI to make machines do the heavy lifting

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Head of Credit to lead our international credit card operations, with responsibility for our existing US and Mexico credit card portfolios and potential future credit card expansions. This strategic leadership position will focus on driving sustainable portfolio growth while maintaining strong credit risk discipline across multiple markets. The ideal candidate combines deep credit risk expertise with proven experience managing credit card portfolios and building high-performing teams.

Key Responsibilities

International Credit Strategy & Portfolio Growth

- Develop and execute credit risk strategies for sustainable growth across US and Mexico portfolios

- Review credit policies, underwriting standards, and risk appetite frameworks for each market

- Drive portfolio expansion through data-driven decisioning and continuous strategy refinement

- Balance growth objectives with credit quality targets and profitability metrics

- Lead strategic planning for future market expansion opportunities

- Partner with US and Mexico leadership teams to align credit strategy with business objectives

- Conduct ongoing market assessments to identify opportunities and emerging risks

Market-Specific Optimization & Operations

- Navigate US and Mexico regulatory landscapes

- Maintain and strengthen relationships with industry partners in both markets

- Continuously refine credit products and risk models based on market performance and data insights

- Optimize risk-return trade-offs through ongoing portfolio analysis and strategy testing

- Implement market-specific risk mitigation strategies and collection approaches

- Prepare credit frameworks and infrastructure for future market expansions

Portfolio Management & Sustainable Growth

- Drive sustainable portfolio growth across US and Mexico while maintaining credit quality standards

- Monitor and optimize portfolio performance metrics including originations, delinquency, losses, and profitability

- Implement robust early warning systems and portfolio monitoring frameworks for proactive risk management

- Conduct vintage analysis and cohort tracking to inform strategy adjustments

- Lead portfolio stress testing and scenario planning to ensure resilience

- Balance growth objectives with prudent risk management and capital efficiency

- Drive continuous improvement through champion-challenger testing and iterative optimisation

- Establish performance benchmarks and reporting cadences for executive leadership

Team Building & Leadership

- Help build and lead a world-class international credit risk organization

- Recruit, develop, and retain top talent

- Partner with Product, Operations, Technology, and Compliance teams on portfolio optimization initiatives

- Work closely with Finance on capital planning, provisioning, forecasting, and P&L management

- Collaborate with Data Science teams on model development, enhancement, and innovation

- Support Marketing and Growth teams with credit-informed customer acquisition and retention strategies

- Engage with Legal and Compliance on regulatory navigation, risk governance, and policy development

Essential Experience

- 10+ years of progressive experience in credit risk management within consumer lending or credit cards

- 5+ years in senior leadership roles with demonstrable impact on portfolio performance

- Proven experience managing and growing credit card portfolios across multiple markets

- Deep expertise in credit risk strategy, modelling, and portfolio optimization

- Strong track record of building and managing high-performing, geographically distributed teams

- Experience with US credit card market regulations and operations required

- Experience with Latin American markets (Mexico preferred) or emerging market credit operations

Key Success Factors

- Ability to drive sustainable portfolio growth while maintaining credit quality and profitability

- Strong business acumen with deep understanding of credit card economics and P&L drivers

- Data-driven decision maker who can translate analytics into actionable strategies

- Skilled at balancing short-term performance with long-term portfolio health

- Effective at building trust and collaboration across borders and organizational functions

- Resilience and adaptability in navigating different market dynamics and regulatory environments

- Strategic thinker with strong execution capabilities to deliver results

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