At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop high-performing underwriting teams while shaping lending strategy.
- Company: Join Darlington Building Society, a mutual committed to community and member support.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous holidays, pension scheme, hybrid working, and wellbeing support.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a growing organisation while influencing lending strategies.
- Qualifications: Significant mortgage underwriting experience and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 80632 - 80632 £ per year.
Shape the future of lending at Darlington Building Society. We're looking for an experienced and strategic Head of Underwriting to lead our underwriting function, ensuring we continue to deliver excellent customer outcomes whilst maintaining a strong and sustainable lending portfolio.
As a member of our Senior Leadership Team, you'll play a key role in shaping lending strategy, supporting the Society's growth ambitions and driving a high-performing underwriting team. You'll balance commercial opportunity with responsible lending, helping us deliver exceptional service to both members and intermediary partners. This is an exciting opportunity for a senior underwriting professional who thrives on leadership, continuous improvement and making informed decisions in a changing mortgage market.
What you'll be doing:
- Leading and developing our underwriting teams, creating a culture of high performance, accountability and continuous learning.
- Owning the Society's underwriting approach, ensuring lending decisions align with our risk appetite, policy framework and regulatory requirements.
- Working closely with colleagues across Sales, Products, Finance, Risk and Operations to shape and deliver our lending strategy.
- Monitoring underwriting quality, service levels and operational performance, identifying opportunities to improve processes and customer outcomes.
- Providing oversight of complex lending decisions and maintaining delegated lending authorities across the underwriting team.
- Using management information and market insight to identify trends, monitor risk and support decision making.
- Leading change initiatives across lending operations, helping the Society adapt to evolving customer, regulatory and market demands.
- Acting as a senior subject matter expert on mortgage lending, underwriting policy and credit risk.
What we're looking for:
We're seeking an experienced underwriting leader with a strong understanding of mortgage lending, risk assessment and regulatory requirements. You'll have:
- Significant experience in mortgage underwriting, including specialist or complex lending.
- Strong leadership skills with a track record of coaching, developing and motivating high-performing teams.
- Excellent judgement and decision-making capability, balancing commercial objectives with prudent risk management.
- Strong knowledge of mortgage regulation, including MCOB requirements, Consumer Duty and customer outcome principles.
- Experience using data and MI to drive performance, identify trends and make informed decisions.
- The ability to influence and collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels.
- A strategic mindset, with the ability to turn business objectives into practical outcomes.
- A passion for delivering excellent service to members, brokers and colleagues.
Why join Darlington Building Society?
At Darlington Building Society, we're proud of our mutual values and our commitment to supporting our members, communities and colleagues. In return, you'll receive:
- Salary of £70,628 - £80,632 per annum
- Generous holiday entitlement
- Pension scheme with employer contribution (matched up to 10%)
- Death in service benefit
- EV salary sacrifice scheme
- Health cash plan
- Hybrid working (3 days on site)
- Access to wellbeing support and employee assistance services
- A supportive and collaborative working environment
- The opportunity to help shape the future direction of a growing and ambitious mutual
Our Values:
- Be Better - always looking for ways to improve and grow.
- Be Trusted - doing the right thing for our members, colleagues and communities.
- Be Yourself - bringing your authentic self to work every day.
If you're an experienced underwriting professional looking for an opportunity to influence strategy, lead high-performing teams and make a real impact, we'd love to hear from you.
Head of Languages (French and Spanish) in Darlington employer: Darlington Building Society
At Darlington Building Society, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer that values flexibility and work-life balance, offering hybrid working arrangements to suit your lifestyle. Our supportive culture encourages personal growth and development, with a strong focus on enhancing member experiences through innovative digital solutions. With competitive benefits including generous holiday allowances, a robust pension scheme, and health and wellbeing support, you'll find a rewarding environment where you can truly make an impact in the financial services sector.
Contact Details:
Darlington Building Society Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Languages (French and Spanish) in Darlington
✨Tap into Campus Networks
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Don’t shy away from reaching out directly to firms like Darlington Building Society. Use their websites and apply through them, but also consider following up with a polite email to express your enthusiasm. Being proactive can make a huge difference in getting noticed in the competitive financial services sector.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Languages (French and Spanish) in Darlington
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers!:In the banking and financial services world, quantifiable achievements are key. Make sure your CV highlights your grades in relevant subjects, any financial certifications you hold, and specific projects where you've delivered measurable results. Employers love to see how your skills translate into real-world success.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Role:When applying for a full-time position, your cover letter should make a direct connection between your experience and the job description. Don't just state your enthusiasm for finance—dive into how your background in banking or financial analysis sets you apart. Let your passion shine through while being specific about what you can bring to Darlington Building Society.
Include Relevant Financial Software Experience:If you've worked with financial modelling tools or software like Excel, SAP, or specific analytical tools during your studies or internships, bring that up! Highlighting your proficiency can really make your application pop and show you're ready to hit the ground running in a full-time role.
Research and Reflect:Before hitting that 'apply' button on Darlington Building Society's website, do a little digging. Look up their recent projects, values, and culture. Reflecting their ethos in your application can make a huge difference and show you’re genuinely interested in being part of the team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Darlington Building Society
✨Brush Up on Financial Analysis Skills
Make sure you're well-versed in financial concepts and analytical techniques relevant to banking and financial services. Get comfortable with tools like Excel for modelling or financial forecasting, as technical questions in this area are common during interviews with Darlington Building Society.
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Expect to tackle case studies that demonstrate your problem-solving skills in real-world banking scenarios. Familiarise yourself with the types of problems you might face—think risk assessments or investment evaluations—and be ready to articulate your thought process clearly.
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✨Network with Industry Professionals
Before your interview, reach out to current or former Darlington Building Society employees on platforms like LinkedIn. They'll offer unique insights into the company's culture and the interview process, which can give us a delightful edge in showcasing a good fit for the team.
