Credit & Growth Financing Manager

Role Overview

Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is seeking a Credit & Growth Financing Manager for a 12-month freelance engagement. The role supports a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening Abu Dhabi’s gaming ecosystem through innovative financing models that do not require founders to dilute ownership.

DCT Abu Dhabi is the government authority responsible for advancing the long-term growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors and for helping establish the emirate as a leading destination for culture, creativity, and tourism.

The selected professional will help shape financing products for growth-stage gaming studios and work with suitable financing partners to take these solutions from concept to market.

Financing Strategy and Product Development

• Contribute to the creation of a non-dilutive financing structure that allows scaling gaming studios to expand without sacrificing equity.
• Help build a product portfolio that may include project and production lending, user-acquisition financing, revenue or incentive advances, guarantees, and co-investment matching funds.
• Set eligibility rules, pricing logic, and the right balance between concessionary support and preservation of capital.
• Support the prioritisation of product rollouts and the design of phased launch plans.
• Compare proposed terms with market alternatives to keep the products competitive while avoiding displacement of private lenders.

Partner Sourcing and Structuring

• Identify the partnerships needed to deliver the financing products effectively.
• Evaluate delivery approaches such as development-oriented lenders, specialist finance providers, and hybrid or first-loss structures.
• Work with banks, development lenders, and specialist financing institutions to co-create and deliver solutions.
• Assist in defining partner responsibilities, underwriting rules, and portfolio management frameworks.

Term Sheets and Implementation

• Support the drafting and negotiation of financing terms, pricing, and eligibility requirements with partner institutions.
• Embed appropriate risk controls and repayment or recoupment mechanisms into the financing instruments.
• Assist in launching the products and tracking adoption and performance outcomes.
• Coordinate with the broader enterprise support ecosystem to align founder eligibility and financing pathways.

Requirements

• Applicants should bring 7 to 9 years of experience in credit, lending, structured finance, private credit, fintech lending, banking, or financial consulting.
• Hands-on exposure to financing product design, credit assessment, or structured lending settings is required.
• Experience collaborating with financing partners, banks, and development lenders is important.
• Prior experience in a gaming finance organisation would be an added advantage.

Core Capabilities

• Strong analytical and structuring ability, including instrument design, concession economics, and default/return modelling.
• Practical experience in underwriting, facility monitoring, and credit evaluation.
• Solid knowledge of debt instruments and financing formats such as project finance, receivables financing, guarantees, and user-acquisition loans.
• Confidence in engaging with financing partners, banks, and development lenders.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills.
• Comfort operating in fast-moving and evolving work environments.

Additional Experience and Preferred Background

• Exposure to user-acquisition or revenue-linked lending, including studio cash-flow underwriting, ROAS analysis, payback analysis, and facility monitoring, is valuable.
• Gaming financing experience involving user-acquisition loans, royalty advances, or receivables financing is preferred; lending exposure in media or creative sectors is also relevant.
• A background across banks, credit funds, fintech lenders, or specialist finance providers is beneficial.
• CFA qualification or similar credit-focused training would be an advantage.
• Familiarity with concessional or government-supported financing models for creative or strategic industries is useful.
• Strong practical use of AI tools for strategy work and credit analysis is expected.

Contract Details

This is a 12-month freelance contract based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Application Note

Candidates who are interested may submit or share their CV for consideration.