Senior Credit Underwriter in Liverpool

Location: North West (Hybrid)

We are seeking an experienced Underwriting Mobilisation Lead / Senior Underwriter to design, implement, and embed the underwriting capability required to launch and scale a new Commercial Real Estate (CRE) secured lending proposition. This is a unique opportunity for a senior underwriting professional who enjoys building operating models rather than simply maintaining them. You will work at the heart of a major mobilization programme—designing underwriting frameworks, governance, controls, processes, and future-state capabilities to support an expanding secured lending business. By the end of the initial mobilization, you will have established a fully functioning underwriting operation, transferred knowledge into permanent teams, and laid the foundations for long-term growth.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Build the Underwriting Operating Model: Design the target operating model for secured lending. Define roles, responsibilities, governance structures, delegated authorities, and clear hand-offs across Origination, Credit, Operations, and Risk.
• Develop Underwriting Standards & Governance: Design and implement underwriting frameworks, delegated lending authorities, policy exception management, and quality assurance/file review processes.
• Support Mobilisation & Launch Readiness: Document end-to-end underwriting procedures and guidance. Support operational readiness, define go-live criteria, and embed controls ahead of launch.
• Shape Automated Underwriting Capabilities: Define future-state decision rules, workflows, and automated underwriting requirements in collaboration with Data and Technology teams.
• Establish MI & Management Frameworks: Design underwriting performance reporting, governance packs, and first-line control monitoring frameworks to provide leadership with clear operational insights.
• Build Capability for the Future: Support recruitment, create training materials, and coach permanent team members to deliver a structured handover into the business-as-usual (BAU) function.

What We’re Looking For

• Deep Underwriting Expertise: Extensive experience within commercial real estate (CRE), specialist lending, or secured lending environments.
• Operating Model & Governance Design: Proven track record in designing and implementing underwriting frameworks, delegated authorities, and QA processes.
• Proposition Launch Experience: Experience supporting the launch of new lending products or business transformations within challenger banks, specialist lenders, or commercial finance institutions.
• Stakeholder Management: Ability to collaborate seamlessly across Risk, Operations, Technology, and Commercial teams.
• Pragmatic & Delivery-Focused: A hands-on approach with a passion for creating structure out of ambiguity and building scalable capabilities.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary plus a flexible cash benefit allowance (e.g., 7.5% to use toward pension, private medical, or take-home pay).
• 26 days holiday + bank holidays (increasing with service, plus buy/sell options).
• Hybrid & Flexible Working options.
• Comprehensive wellbeing support, including a 24/7 GP service and wellness programmes.
• Dedicated learning and development budgets and resources.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive, accessible environment for all candidates.