Senior Credit Underwriter in Kent

Location: Kent – hybrid working, 2 days in the office

The Business

Our client is a specialist lender focused on responsible, relationship-led finance – a growing, stable, established, innovative and flexible business. They offer secured loans, with funds available for any credible business purpose.

Summary

You’ll join a collaborative team, with direct exposure to senior decision-makers, an opportunity to shape the evolution of the credit function as the business grows, as well as the satisfaction of providing real-economy lending with long term impact. Our client is looking for a motivated Senior Credit Underwriter with proven experience of underwriting UK commercial secured lending across a wide variety of sectors. This is a new role that will supervise a small team of underwriters assessing and processing secured term loans for agricultural and rural borrowers, funding a wide variety of assets up to £10m. You will report to the Head of Credit and deputise for them, as well as working closely with the Credit Committee and ExCo in order to grow the business.

Role Overview

The Senior Credit Underwriter will be pivotal in maintaining the quality, consistency, and integrity of lending decisions. You will combine hands-on underwriting of secured term and bridging loans for agricultural and rural borrowers, with leadership across complex cases, mentoring of underwriters and a meaningful input into the credit policy, and active engagement with the Credit Committee to drive sustainable portfolio growth. This is a senior, decision-led credit role with genuine influence over outcomes.

Core Underwriting Responsibilities

• Assess, structure, and underwrite secured term and bridging loan applications in line with lending policy and risk appetite.
• Analyse borrower financial statements, cash flows, affordability, and sensitivity cases; produce clear, balanced credit recommendations.
• Review and challenge valuations and legal security structures to ensure adequacy of collateral, priority and enforceability.
• Produce high-quality credit papers using standard formats and templates.

Senior & Leadership Responsibilities

• Operate within delegated credit authority, recommending loans and acting as a point of escalation to the Credit Committee on complex, higher-value or nonstandard transactions.
• Provide guidance, coaching and quality assurance for Underwriters, including the proactive management of the pipeline, resolving issues swiftly and pragmatically.
• Contribute to Credit Committee discussions and papers, including identifying mitigants and alternative structures.
• Help refine lending criteria, sector guidance, and credit policy based on portfolio performance and market trends.
• Partner with the Head of Credit to drive process improvements (efficiency, turnaround time, data quality) and deputise on reporting obligations and stakeholder meetings (including external funders, the ExCo and Board).

Essential Experience & Skills

• Proven experience underwriting UK commercial secured lending (can include bridging, term, specialist property and SME lending experience however pure property finance experience won't be suitable).
• In depth understanding of financial statements, cash flow/serviceability, and credit risk; ability to stress test and articulate sensitivities.
• Experience reviewing valuations and legal security, with sound understanding of priority, LTV, covenants, and enforcement.
• Ability to produce clear, well-reasoned written credit recommendations and communicate decisions credibly.
• High attention to detail, organisation, and the ability to manage multiple cases concurrently in a decisive and commercially astute manner.
• Ability to develop strong working relationships with all stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel.

Desirable Experience & Skills

• Exposure to agricultural or rural lending and related asset/security nuances.
• Participation in or preparation for Credit Committee discussions.
• Experience mentoring or providing QA for Underwriters.
• Familiarity with loan origination systems and data/reporting best practice.

Salary is competitive, dependent on skills, experience, and knowledge; benefits include pension, healthcare and bonus.

There’s lots more to tell! Please apply with your CV and/or contact to schedule an initial conversation and receive a full job description.