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 enforce ability 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…