Credit Officer – Loan Documentation & Legal Risk | London

Our client, a leading international bank with a strong presence in London's corporate and institutional banking market, is looking to hire a Credit Officer to join its Credit Management team.

This is a great opportunity for a legally-trained banking professional to move into a specialist credit documentation role, working closely with Front Office, Credit Risk and external legal counsel on high-value lending transactions.

The Role

You will be responsible for reviewing approved credit facilities, assessing legal risk, and ensuring lending documentation complies with the bank's policies and the specific conditions of approval. You'll verify that all credit conditions precedent are met, review security documentation, identify documentation risks, and ensure robust compliance ahead of disbursement.

Key Responsibilities

1. Scrutinise, draft and review lending documentation including Facility Agreements (particularly LMA standard), Guarantees, Security Documents (debentures, legal charges), Intercreditor Agreements and Conditions Precedent (CP) letters
2. Ensure the bank's security interests are legally robust, properly structured and capable of being perfected (e.g. registrations at Companies House, Land Registry)
3. Review and verify legal CPs (Board Resolutions, Director Certificates, constitutional documents, legal opinions) to confirm borrower capacity and authority ahead of drawdown
4. Identify legal and documentation risks — weak covenant definitions, gaps in Events of Default, cross-default thresholds — and ensure alignment with the bank's credit risk appetite
5. Act as the primary point of contact for external legal counsel on transaction documentation, working closely with Front Office to escalate non-standard legal risks or complex structuring issues
6. Manage credit file review, verification and archiving in line with retention policies, and keep processes updated in line with Head Office requirements
7. Prepare reports and presentations on documentation review and archiving activity for senior management and internal regulatory stakeholders

What We're Looking For

1. A law degree (or higher) with legal practice experience, or an equivalent legal qualification
2. At least 3 years' experience in Legal, Banking & Finance, specifically in loan documentation, ideally within a corporate or commercial banking environment
3. Strong familiarity with LMA standard documentation, UK corporate law and security perfection is highly advantageous
4. Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills, with the confidence to uphold credit standards under pressure from Front Office
5. Prior exposure to Syndication, Project Finance or Commercial Real Estate is a plus

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established international banking group in a role that sits at the intersection of law, credit and commercial banking.