Head of Legal, Credit & Collections (UK)
Location: Fully Remote with occasional travel to Durham HQ
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
About SimplyFunded
SimplyFunded is a fast-growing UK business lender, providing short-term working capital solutions to SMEs nationwide. With a £multi-million loan book and ambitious growth plans (including overseas expansion), we're looking for a senior professional to take charge of our Legal, Credit & Collections functions in the UK.
The Role
This is a key senior leadership position, reporting directly to the Managing Director. You'll take overall responsibility for credit, collections, and legal strategy, while managing three overseas experienced team leads:
* Credit Manager – day-to-day underwriting oversight and credit risk policy.
* Collections Manager – arrears management, recoveries performance, and collections processes.
* Paralegal – legal administration, court filings, and case support.
Your role is to coordinate, guide, and enhance these functions to ensure the business balances growth with strong risk management and recoveries.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead the function – provide strategic direction and management for Credit, Collections, and Legal.
* Portfolio oversight – monitor arrears, defaults, and recovery performance, ensuring write-offs stay within provision.
* Policy ownership – refine and implement credit and collections policy, aligning with regulatory and commercial requirements.
* Legal management – oversee CCJs, charging orders, insolvency, and enforcement actions; liaise with external solicitors.
* Team leadership – manage and mentor the Credit Manager, Collections Manager, and Paralegal, ensuring collaboration and accountability.
* Board reporting – provide the MD and leadership team with clear risk, arrears, and recovery analysis.
* Support growth – help design and implement frameworks as we expand into new geographies and markets.
About You
You'll be someone who can step in and own this critical function from day one. Comfortable managing managers, you'll combine hands-on legal and credit knowledge with strong leadership skills.
Essential:
* Strong knowledge of UK business lending, litigation, and enforcement (CCJs, insolvency/bankruptcy, recovery).
* Experience managing senior staff or team leaders in credit/collections.
* Commercial, pragmatic decision-maker able to balance risk and opportunity.
* Track record of improving credit/collections performance in a lending environment.
Desirable:
* Legal qualifications (solicitor or paralegal background).
* Experience implementing credit and collections automation.
* Exposure to international lending operations.
What We Offer
* Competitive salary (dependent on experience).
* Remote-first role with flexibility, plus occasional HQ visits.
* Leadership of a high-performing team with strong foundations already in place.
* Direct reporting line to the MD, with scope to influence company direction.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £30,000.00-£60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
* Work from home
Experience:
* Business loan : 1 year (preferred)
* Litigation: 1 year (preferred)
Work Location: In person