Job Description

You will lead Square’s UK Lending business. In that capacity, you will be responsible for the conduct of the whole of the UK Lending business , acting under the authority of Square’s UK Board. You will spearhead strategic growth initiatives for Square UK’s Lending and financial services offerings. You will report into the Square Banking Global Head of Product based in the USA.

You will be part of the leadership team and spearhead our consumer credit authorisation with the Financial Conduct Authority at an executive level. Once we are authorised, you will be accountable for maintaining our regulatory authorisation.
 

You will:

• Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership, direction, and  support to UK Lending and cash flow product operations across a number of functions and engage and inspire staff to deliver our mission

• Maintain direct oversight of, and accountability for Square’s obligations under the Senior Management & Certification Regime

• Report and have accountability to the  Board of Directors of Squareup Europe Limited and carry out all related responsibilities for this appointment

• Supervise operations and activities in order to ensure their best execution in accordance with regulatory requirements, alongside the Head of Compliance (SMF 17 & 16) and other cross-functional leads.

• Build and manage strategic relationships with Square partners including industry bodies, financial institutions, regulators (including the Financial Conduct Authority) and industry providers.

• Identify risks of all manners affecting Square’s UK Lending and cash flow management business and ensure appropriate mitigating steps are taken 

• Understand Square’s competitive position and implement programs to further and improve operational efficiency, regulated and unregulated lending products and services and strategic objectives

• Develop and execute on the financial services strategy and growth in the UK in partnership with leadership and marketing

• Spearhead the UK Lending market, forecast growth and deliver results, including strengthening the influence and market position of Square’s UK Lending business alongside Square’s UK industry relations team and other Block entities

• Ensure high standards of behaviour and ethics, fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture.

Qualifications

You have:

• A demonstrated track record of articulating and executing strategy market growth, including market entry and new growth opportunities in the UK;

• In-depth knowledge of corporate governance, excellent understanding of UK commercial lending practices and standards, consumer protection requirements, and relevant UK regulations to be able to ensure, along with other cross-functional leaders, compliance and general management best practices, reporting to or at Board level;

• 8+ years of experience in the credit industry with expertise in regulated and unregulated product management and market growth, in a demanding, fast-paced, high-growth environment;

• Experience in relationship building and in representing a business to UK regulators, including the Financial Conduct Authority) and other industry bodies. 

• Top-notch cross-functional skills to collaborate with your team, internal and external partners to achieve strategic results.

• Strong relationship management skills and a demonstrated commercial acumen, coupled with the ability to develop consensus;

• A customer-centric focus, empathy for customer struggles, and the ability to translate their needs into outcomes;

• A demonstrated ability to deal with ambiguity, think strategically and analytically about business, product, and technical challenges;

• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills

• High levels of confidence, resilience, innovation, tenacity with an entrepreneurial mindset.

This role has been identified as a Senior Management Function (comprising both SMF1, Chief Executive and SMF3, Executive Director) by the Financial Conduct Authority. As such, as part of our upcoming application for consumer credit authorisation, we will have to obtain approval from the Financial Conduct Authority, in order to appoint you to this role. To obtain this approval, we will need to demonstrate that you are appropriately qualified and experienced to perform this role, which will require (among other steps)  initial reference checks as well as annual fitness and propriety checks.