Senior Credit Officer

Our client is a highly regarded international bank based in the City of London. They are seeking an experienced Senior Credit Officer with a strong legal background to join their Credit function.

This is a specialist role requiring an in-depth understanding of syndicated and bilateral lending documentation, with responsibility for identifying legal, credit and structural risks before facilities are released. The successful candidate will ideally have gained experience within a banking, finance or lending legal environment and will have strong knowledge of LMA documentation and security.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and scrutinise complex syndicated and bilateral loan documentation to ensure it accurately reflects approved credit terms and complies with the Bank’s internal policies.
• Review Facility Agreements, particularly LMA/LSTA standard documentation, Guarantees, Security Documents, Intercreditor Agreements and Conditions Precedent documentation.
• Identify legal and structural vulnerabilities within lending documentation, including covenant definitions, Events of Default, cross-default provisions and other areas that could impact the Bank’s position.
• Assess security and collateral arrangements to ensure the Bank’s interests are legally robust, enforceable and capable of being appropriately perfected.
• Review security perfection requirements, including Companies House and Land Registry registrations.
• Assess syndicated loan participation mechanics including lender-of-record risks, transferability restrictions and voting rights.
• Review and verify Conditions Precedent including Board Resolutions, Director Certificates, constitutional documents and legal opinions, ensuring borrowers have the necessary capacity and authority before drawdown.
• Work closely with external legal counsel on transaction documentation and escalate non-standard legal risks and complex structural matters.
• Partner with Credit Risk, Corporate Banking, Institutional Banking and other internal stakeholders on complex lending transactions.

Distressed Assets & Enforcement

• Undertake legal and credit viability reviews of deteriorating, underperforming and defaulted loans to assess the Bank’s contractual position and available remedies.
• Review the enforceability of security and the Bank’s legal position when early-warning or default triggers arise.
• Provide input to senior management regarding debt acceleration, restructuring, debt-to-equity swaps, workouts and potential enforcement strategies.
• Work with external legal counsel to assess the Bank’s position before formal enforcement or recovery action.

Credit Documentation & Governance

• Conduct reviews of credit files, ensuring documentation is complete, accurate and appropriately maintained.
• Ensure credit documentation is stored and archived in accordance with internal policies and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare reports and presentations relating to documentation reviews and credit matters for senior management and relevant internal stakeholders.
• Support additional credit and departmental projects as required.

Experience Required

• Approximately 5–7 years’ relevant experience within banking, finance law, loan documentation, credit or a related lending environment.
• Strong legal background, ideally gained within a banking and finance legal team, financial institution or law firm advising on lending transactions.
• Extensive experience reviewing complex lending and finance documentation.
• Strong knowledge of LMA documentation; LSTA experience would be advantageous.
• Experience reviewing Facility Agreements, Guarantees, Security Documents, Intercreditor Agreements and Conditions Precedent.
• Good understanding of UK corporate law in relation to lending, security and enforceability.
• Knowledge of security perfection, including Companies House and Land Registry requirements.
• Strong understanding of syndicated and bilateral lending structures.
• Ability to identify legal, structural and credit risks within complex financing arrangements.
• Exposure to distressed debt, restructuring, workouts or enforcement would be advantageous.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to work effectively with senior management, Front Office, Credit Risk and external legal counsel.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced legal or credit professional to move into a senior credit position within a respected international bank, combining complex lending, legal documentation, credit risk and distressed asset exposure.