Sr. Director, Credit

About Blackhawk Network

Today, through BHN’s single global platform, businesses of all kinds can tap into the world’s largest network of branded payment solutions. BHN helps businesses grow revenue, increase loyalty, motivate and reward their teams, disburse funds and engage consumers. Branded payment solutions include the issuance and distribution of gift cards, egifts, corporate payouts and rewards, along with the technology to deliver these products in seamless, integrated ways. BHN’s network spans the globe with more than 400,000 consumer touchpoints. Learn more at BHN.com.

 

This position may be performed remotely anywhere within the United States except for the State of Alaska, North Dakota, or South Dakota. Employees located within 50 miles of a BHN office will be considered a "Hybrid" employee and are required to come into the office 2 days per week based on office schedule.

Overview

The Senior Director, Credit is responsible for setting the credit strategy, governance, and execution framework that protects the company’s balance sheet while enabling profitable growth. This role leads the global credit function, including credit policy, underwriting, portfolio management, collections strategy, and credit risk analytics, partnering closely with Sales, Finance, Treasury, Legal, and Operations.

Responsibilities

Strategy & Leadership

• Define and own the enterprise credit risk strategy, aligning it with overall financial and commercial objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing credit team (managers, analysts, and specialists) across regions.
• Establish and maintain credit governance, including policies, standards, approval matrices, and risk escalation processes.
• Represent Credit in senior leadership forums and cross-functional initiatives (e.g., new products, large deals, M&A).
• Partner with Accounts Receivable team to provide strategy and guidance on challenging collection items

Policy, Underwriting & Portfolio Management

• Design and maintain credit policies and procedures covering new customer onboarding, credit limit setting, and ongoing reviews.
• Oversee credit underwriting for key customers and partners, including review of financial statements, bank and trade references, and external ratings.
• Set and manage credit limits and terms, including exceptions and non-standard approvals, balancing risk and commercial needs.
• Monitor the credit portfolio (concentrations, sector/geographic exposure, trends) and recommend risk mitigation actions.

Collections, Disputes & Loss Management

• Own collections strategy and performance; establish targets for DSO, bad-debt expense, and dispute resolution.
• Partner with Billing, Accounts Receivable, and Sales to streamline invoicing, dispute handling, and cash application.
• Oversee workout strategies for distressed accounts, including restructures, payment plans, settlements, and use of external agencies.
• Develop and maintain credit loss provisioning methodologies in partnership with Accounting / Controllership.

Risk Analytics, Reporting & Controls

• Implement and enhance credit scoring models, risk ratings, and decisioning tools.
• Build robust KPIs and dashboards (e.g., exposure by rating, aging, write-offs, limit utilization, top exposures).
• Provide regular reporting to executive leadership and the Board on credit risk profile, emerging risks, and key metrics.
• Ensure strong internal controls and compliance with relevant regulations, internal policies, and audit requirements.

Business Partnership & Commercial Support

• Partner with Sales, Product, and Finance on deal structuring, pricing trade-offs vs. risk, and non-standard term requests.
• Support growth initiatives (new products, regions, or channels) with credit risk assessments and guardrails.
• Collaborate with Treasury on capital, liquidity, and credit support structures (e.g., guarantees, collateral, letters of credit).
• Lead or support contract negotiations related to credit terms, security, and default remedies.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or related field.
• 10–15+ years of progressive experience in credit risk, corporate credit, or commercial lending, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Demonstrated track record managing a large, complex credit portfolio and improving key metrics (DSO, write-offs, loss rates).
• Strong expertise in financial statement analysis, cash flow assessment, and covenant / contract structuring.
• Proven experience leading and developing multi-location or global teams.
• Advanced E