Head of Lending

Summary

Join Kraken as the Head of Lending and lead the global lending business, encompassing on-platform and OTC activities. Collaborate with various teams to scale Kraken’s lending footprint and maximize balance sheet efficiency. Own and scale Kraken’s lending business, leading strategy, product, and execution across all lending functions. Drive profitability and balance sheet optimization by deploying and managing lending strategies that enhance revenue and capital efficiency. Expand institutional lending and yield offerings by designing and developing innovative yield solutions for institutional clients. Work alongside Engineering, Trading, Risk, and Legal teams to build and scale infrastructure, improve risk frameworks, and ensure product and operational readiness. Stay at the forefront of lending innovation in crypto and traditional finance, identifying new trends to expand the platform’s competitive edge. This is a critical leadership role with high impact and visibility.

Requirements

• Lending & Structured Product Expertise
• 8+ years experience in crypto or traditional finance with a focus on lending, credit structuring, or balance sheet management
• Strong understanding of capital markets, secured lending, collateral frameworks, and Prime Brokerage
• Balance Sheet and Risk Acumen
• Proven ability to drive balance sheet ROI, manage credit risk, and structure scalable lending programs across multiple client segments
• Institutional Client Mindset
• Strong background working with institutional clients—understanding their needs, risk appetite, and capital requirements
• Ability to design lending products aligned to their goals
• Product and Strategy Leadership
• Track record of scaling financial products
• Adept at strategic thinking, product innovation, and cross-functional execution
• Quantitative and Analytical Rigor
• Solid understanding of risk-adjusted return metrics, collateral valuation, and liquidity management
• Comfort with financial modeling and data-driven decision-making
• Collaborative and Influential
• Ability to align stakeholders across the firm - Sales, Trading, Product, Legal, Compliance - and drive high-impact initiatives to execution
• Crypto-Native Mindset
• Passion for crypto, digital assets, and financial innovation
• Ability to navigate a fast-moving ecosystem while balancing risk, compliance, and scalability

Responsibilities

• Own and Scale Kraken’s Lending Business
• Lead strategy, product, and execution across all lending functions—on-platform, OTC, and bespoke institutional solutions
• Take full ownership of P&L and balance sheet performance, drive growth, and optimize ROI across yield-generating products
• Drive Profitability and Balance Sheet Optimization
• Deploy and manage lending strategies that enhance revenue and capital efficiency
• Work with Treasury and Risk to ensure prudent balance sheet utilization, risk-adjusted returns, and regulatory readiness
• Expand Institutional Lending & Yield Offerings
• Design and develop innovative yield solutions for institutional clients—including collateralized lending, rehypothecation structures, and integrated margin solutions
• Partner with Sales and Trading to expand distribution and deepen client relationships
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Work alongside Engineering, Trading, Risk, and Legal to build and scale infrastructure, improve risk frameworks, and ensure product and operational readiness
• Align lending strategies with Kraken’s broader institutional roadmap
• Market and Product Leadership
• Stay at the forefront of lending innovation in crypto and traditional finance
• Identify new trends in collateral, risk mitigation, custody, and structured products to inform and expand the platform’s competitive edge

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with derivatives, structured credit, or tokenized collateral
• Knowledge of DeFi lending protocols and yield strategies
• Background in traditional repo, securities lending, or prime finance