Credit Associate – SME Lending

Credit Associate – SME LendingLondon | Hybrid | £75,000 – £85,000 + bonusI’m working with a highly entrepreneurial investment group that’s quietly building one of the most dynamic credit platforms in the market. They have evergreen capital — so no fundraising cycles — and a track record of building and scaling successful businesses across multiple sectors before turning their focus to financial services.Their strategy is to back and scale lending platforms, currently partnering with one SME lender and four property lenders, with plans to onboard several more next year. The business has a £170m loan book which will double over the next 12 months, and the ambition is to build a genuine alternative to the larger private credit houses — think “investors posing as bankers.”The firm operates across SME, property and specialist sectors (including healthcare) and lends throughout the UK, with future plans to support European platforms too. Individual loan sizes are typically up to £10–11m, and while the capital base allows flexibility, their strategy is to maintain a well-diversified portfolio.They’re now hiring a Credit Associate to help underwrite new SME and, potentially, property loans. It’s a hands-on role where you’ll work directly with experienced investors, helping to shape credit decisions and develop underwriting frameworks as the platform scales.Key ResponsibilitiesUnderwrite new SME and selected property loans, preparing clear, well-reasoned credit papers for committee approval.Assess partner deal introductions, reviewing financials, valuations and risk factors across diverse sectors.Support monitoring of the loan book, ensuring exposures, performance data and risk metrics remain current.Liaise with external lending partners and internal teams to ensure transactions align with credit policy and risk appetite.Contribute to process improvements and help refine underwriting and monitoring systems as the platform grows.What They’re Looking ForExperience in credit underwriting, lending or transaction due diligence, ideally within SME, corporate or property finance.Strong analytical and financial modelling skills, with an ability to interpret data and identify key risks.A collaborative, curious and entrepreneurial mindset – comfortable in a fast-growing, evolving environment.A solid understanding of loan documentation and credit approval processes.This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to get closer to the investment decision-making process in a firm with long-term capital, strong momentum and serious growth ambitions.If you’d like to find out more (confidentially, of course), feel free to get in touch.