Risk Analyst - Specialist Lending
Watford
Full Time
The Opportunity
This role is suited to a hands-on risk professional who enjoys translating complex risk information into clear, practical actions.
You'll take ownership of an enterprise-wide risk framework within a growing specialist finance group, helping leadership teams understand risk exposure, strengthen controls, and make better decisions as the business scales.
The position offers genuine visibility, stakeholder interaction, and the chance to shape how risk is embedded across the organisation, rather than simply reporting on it.
What You'll Be Responsible For
Own and evolve the group's risk framework, including risk registers and RCSA processes, ensuring regular review cycles and continuous improvement
Identify, assess, and track current and emerging risks across multiple business areas, highlighting material exposures and control gaps
Analyse risk incidents, operational losses, compliance issues, KRIs, and near misses to assess control effectiveness and emerging trends
Quantify the financial and operational impact of risk events and support post-incident reviews
Produce clear, decision-focused risk reporting for senior management and governance forums, highlighting changes in risk profile and control performance
Support assurance activity and targeted deep-dive reviews, identifying root causes and providing pragmatic, actionable recommendations
Maintain and enhance risk policies, procedures, and documentation to ensure consistency and regulatory alignment
Monitor external regulatory and industry developments and assess their relevance to the organisation's risk profile
Provide practical guidance to stakeholders across enterprise risk disciplines, supporting better risk ownership and accountability
Deliver training and ongoing support to risk owners to ensure consistent use of risk tools, methodologies, and frameworks
Skills & Experience
Strong analytical capability with the ability to convert data into concise, senior-level insight
Confident written and verbal communicator, comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders and committees
Proven ability to influence, challenge constructively, and build trusted relationships across the business
Experience supporting assurance reviews, investigations, or thematic risk assessments
Comfortable working with risk systems, dashboards, KRIs, and MI, alongside strong MS Office skills
Knowledge & Qualifications
At least 3 years' experience in a risk role within financial services or a regulated environment
Solid understanding of enterprise risk management principles (e.g. ISO 31000), including risk assessment and quantification
Hands-on experience designing, maintaining, or improving risk registers, RCSA cycles, and risk policies
Personal Characteristics
Proactive, solutions-oriented, and commercially minded
Highly organised with strong attention to detail
Comfortable working independently while collaborating effectively with others
Calm, pragmatic, and confident exercising sound judgment under pressure
Why This Role?
You'll be joining a fast-growing specialist finance group where risk plays a meaningful role in enabling growth—not slowing it down. The role offers exposure across multiple business lines, real influence over decision-making, and the opportunity to build a strong, long-term career in risk within a supportive and forward-thinking environment.