Senior Underwriter - Real Estate Finance

My client is an established Challenger Bank with dedicated real estate finance teams. They are recruiting for an experienced Senior Underwriter to join their 2LoD credit risk team.

Are you ready to apply Make sure you understand all the responsibilities and tasks associated with this role before proceeding.

Overview:

The Credit Risk Team, under the leadership of the Chief Credit Officer, sits within the 2nd Line of Defence Risk and Compliance function, and provides management, control and execution of Credit Risk policy and related processes across the Bank\’s portfolio of lending exposures in its chosen specialist industry sectors including Real Estate Investment and Development Finance (including bridging finance/short term lending) and Wholesale Finance (including Structured and Funds Finance and Block Discounting).

Senior Underwriter, taking primary responsibility for sanctioning credit proposals within own delegated authority and providing sanctioning support and cover within the wider Credit Risk team.

Typical facilities range between £1m – £35m. The role holder will be expected to be able to analyse in detail new and existing propositions focussing on Development Finance and desirably across real estate bridging and investment sectors, make well balanced decisions and where required provide suitable recommendations and opinion to senior management and/or Transactional Credit Committee and operate confidently and diligently within a personal lending mandate.

The role holder will also be involved in the review and monitoring of credit risk at portfolio level, the review and analysis of credit risk data and where required assisting in the review and development of credit risk management frameworks, including credit policies. The role holder will have responsibility for supporting the Head of Real Estate in delivery of sector Portfolio Reviews and any deep dive investigations as and when required and will support the Head of Real Estate in Lending Decision Assurance activity.

Responsibilities:

• Act as a sounding board to the Development Finance business and sometimes more widely to the Bridging & Specialist Mortgages business units in respect of transactions in process.
• Operate a personal delegated lending authority in accordance with the Bank’s Credit Risk Management Framework and Credit Risk Policies ensuring compliance and mitigating risk effectively.
• Prepare and present comprehensive credit risk assessment reports and actionable recommendations to the Transactional Credit Committee and Board Transactional Credit Committee
• Support the development of an appropriate risk culture within the business including providing support and training in credit risk analysis and management to lending teams and 1st Line underwriters.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and review of credit risk policies to maintain a coherent framework for the management and oversight of credit risk, as well as supporting improvements and operational efficiencies to the credit risk framework and sanctioning processes.
• Assist the Head of Real Estate in the review, monitoring and reporting of credit risk profiles at a counterparty and portfolio level including responsibility for supporting the HoRE in the preparation and presentation of succinct portfolio level risk reports relating to own sector
• Support the HoRE in identifying emerging risks early and maintaining a robust problem debt management framework. Cultivate strong, positive, and transparent working relationships with the Bank’s lending business.
• Implementation of Compliance approved financial crime controls and management of financial crime risks relevant to the department.
• As required, act as Secretary of Transactional Credit Committee and/or Credit Committee including preparation of agendas, meetings, distribution of credit papers and taking and distribution of minutes.

What you will Bring:

• Significant and recent lending experience in credit risk underwriting and sanctioning roles (Min 5 years) with a strong emphasis on Development Finance demonstrating a deep level of knowledge in this sector and desirably with some experience in Real Estate Bridging Finance & Specialist mortgages including Buy to Let, HMO and PBSA finance.
• Proven ability to exercise a personal delegated sanctioning authority, ensuring compliance with the Bank’s Credit Risk Management Framework and Policies.
• Extensive knowledge of financial, business, economic, and property markets, coupled with a strong awareness of the regulatory framework, enabling informed decision-making.
• Strong analytical skills with a good working knowledge of risk grading systems and processes.
• Experience in credit risk management at a portfolio level preferred, including analysis and development of credit risk management information and the design and development of credit risk policies and frameworks.
• Preferably educated to degree standard with relevant related professional qualification (e.g. ACIB or similar).
• A team player willing to go beyond the norm to deliver exemplary standards.

Competencies

• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Problem solving
• Proven analytical ability and exercised personal delegated authority

Salary: up to £95k (depending on experience)

Location: London (hybrid working)