Lead, SME Credit

This role responsible for leading the credit underwriting function, exercising high-level delegated lending authority, and defining the risk appetite for SME products. This role focuses on the end-to-end credit assessment and sanctioning of complex SME transactions.

Job Responsibilities:

• Deliver superior financial performance while minimizing potential losses

• Develop and maintain the credit risk policies and procedures for the SME portfolio

• Perform deep-dive credit reviews of individual high-value obligors to identify early warning signals

• Work with the Models Development team to develop SME models

• Help optimise NPL rate / approval rate / cost to acquire / customer experience trade-off

• Work with the SME business function to ensure adequate risk assessment of new products and programs (as well as test programs)

• Exercise a significant Delegated Lending Authority (DLA) to approve or decline SME credit applications.

• Act as the credit approver with delegated approval for low to medium-complexity cases in SME financing including Invoice, Purchase Order, and Property-backed financing

• Negotiate and structure credit facilities with Business Units to balance risk-reward, rather than just monitoring NPL rates.

• Develop and oversee the credit assessment framework, including the design of Credit Memorandums and financial analysis standards SME  portfolio.

• Conduct any independent or thematic review as required. 

• Define roles and responsibilities for the team, and maintain inventory of critical roles.

• Define and monitor key activities related to SME credit risk management and monitoring

• Assist in regulatory and business stress tests on an ongoing basis.

• Keep abreast of the regulatory landscape in Singapore particularly on economic outcomes, global economic impacts and regulatory changes related to financial institutions.  

• Develop metrics and reporting dashboards for leadership.

Requirements: 

• 10-15 years of work experience in the Singapore Micro and Small Enterprises spaces (companies with SGD 1-100-Million Turnover) with strong credentials in the SGD1-25Million Turnover segment.  

• Proven experience in Underwriting cases under Delegated Authority; Must have a proven track record of holding and exercising a personal Delegated Lending Authority in the Singapore SME Banking / Financing space

• Demonstrated ability to make independent credit decisions and defend risk positions to senior management or credit committees

• Good understanding of the Singapore economy and  economic trends impacting local SMEs

• Tertiary degree in related fields, degree in quantitative fields will be an added advantage 

• Good understanding of SME products (Invoice, Purchase Order, Hire Purchase, Property backed,  pure Working Capital)  

• Experience in implementing the three lines of defense concepts and its application related to corporate credit policy and portfolio management

• Experience with risk identification, assessment, and mitigation of material risk

• Experience with risk models and the governance process

• Ability to translate observations of market trends in SME products and SME credit risk

• Experience with risk models and ideally ML / Artificial intelligence models

• Possess strong influencing, communication, and presentation skills. 

• Confident, able to work independently and possess the gravitas and relationship skills to challenge decisions made by senior stakeholders.