Head of Risk Management
Shape and lead enterprise risk management across a fast-growing, multi-jurisdiction business.
Location
UK, with oversight of international operating locations
Reports to
Chief Financial Officer
Key stakeholders
Executive Committee, Finance, Operations, Partnerships, Credit, Technology
About the Role
We're looking for a Head of Risk and Regulation to own and evolve our enterprise risk management framework across all jurisdictions in which we operate. You'll ensure risks are identified, assessed, managed and reported effectively, in line with our strategy, risk appetite and regulatory obligations.
This is a hands-on role: you'll be just as comfortable running the day-to-day mechanics of the risk function as you are challenging the Executive Committee on strategic risk decisions.
What You'll Do
Framework & Governance
- Own and maintain the enterprise risk management framework, including policies, standards and procedures.
- Manage the relationship with our risk management software provider.
- Define and embed risk governance structures, including the Risk Committee and risk ownership model.
- Support the Executive Committee in setting and maintaining the company's risk appetite.
Risk Identification, Assessment & Monitoring
- Lead the ongoing identification and assessment of risk across all business units and jurisdictions.
- Own the central risk register, ensuring consistent risk scoring, control assessment and documentation.
- Establish key risk indicators (KRIs) and reporting dashboards that support informed, risk-based decision making.
- Ensure all material risks are monitored, reported and escalated appropriately.
Risk Oversight
- Provide oversight and constructive challenge across strategic, credit, operational, regulatory and compliance, financial, technology and cyber, reputational, people, and legal risk.
International & Regulatory Risk
- Identify and manage risks arising from operating across multiple jurisdictions, including regulatory divergence and cross-border issues.
- Support local teams in understanding and complying with applicable legal and regulatory frameworks.
- Own day-to-day management of regulatory risk across all operating regions, including licensing, financial crime, conflicts of interest and data protection.
- Lead the company's response to regulatory breaches or near misses, including internal and external communications.
- Advise the Senior Leadership Team on regulatory matters relevant to company strategy.
Controls, Incidents & Continuous Improvement
- Support functional and risk owners in identifying and closing control gaps and weaknesses.
- Drive remediation of control weaknesses and risk events.
- Oversee escalation and resolution of risk incidents, ensuring root cause analysis and lessons learned are embedded into processes.
- Promote a culture of proactive risk management across the organisation.
Reporting & Stakeholder Management
- Produce regular risk reports and insight for senior management and the Board.
- Support decision-making through robust risk analysis and scenario assessment.
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on risk matters, and engage with regulators, lenders and investors as required.
- Build, lead and develop the risk function as the company grows in scale and complexity.
What You'll Bring
Experience
- 5+ years in risk management within financial services, lending, or a similar industry.
- Experience operating in regulated or partially regulated environments.
- Experience working across multiple jurisdictions and regulatory frameworks.
- Working knowledge of SME lending products and associated risks.
Technical Knowledge
- Designed or embedded a risk management framework (policies, standards, risk appetite, governance structure) within an organisation.
- Built or managed a credit risk function — including portfolio monitoring, underwriting standards, or credit risk reporting.
- Identified and remediated operational risk and control weaknesses, including designing or improving a control framework.
- Navigated regulatory requirements relevant to business lending — for example, leading on AML/CTF compliance, data protection obligations, or local licensing applications.
- Holds an Institute of Risk Management award/certificate or equivalent qualification (preferred, not essential).
Preferred Skills
- Shaped or influenced business strategy by weighing up commercial trade-offs alongside risk considerations.
- Diagnosed the root cause of a complex problem using data and analysis, then proposed a practical fix.
- Influenced or changed the mind of senior leadership or an Executive Committee on a contentious or high-stakes issue.
- Explained a technical risk issue to a non-risk audience (e.g. the Board or commercial teams) in a way that changed how they acted on it.
Who We Are
At mcl, we help small and medium-sized businesses access the capital they need to grow — quickly, clearly, and with care.
Since 2018, we've supported over 2,000 SMEs across the UK and UAE — and we're not slowing down. We believe finance should work better for the people building our economy: fewer hurdles, faster answers, and support that feels human, not transactional.
We back ambition with real funding, smart tools, and a team that gets what running a business really takes. Our model puts people over paperwork — we work with brokers and business owners to deliver funding that fits, without the faff.
Our Mission
To reshape SME finance and level the playing field — funding that's fast, fair, and fits for the businesses of the future.
Our G.E.M.S Values
G
rowth — Not just business growth — personal growth, team growth, process growth. We level up.
E
nthusiasm — No fake hype. Just energy, urgency, and actually giving a toss.
M
aintaining Accountability — Own your actions and interactions. If it's off, say it. If it's broken, fix it.
S
eeing Strategically — Eyes on the big picture. Help us make smarter long-term moves.
