Head of Lending Operations

Join one of the UK’s fastest growing and award-winning banks.

We are a team of ambitious, passionate, hardworking, and committed people who have successfully created and launched one of the UK’s newest specialist property finance banks. As we embark on an exciting journey of growth, we are seeking exceptional new team members who possess both the ambition and drive to contribute to our vision. At GB Bank, we believe that career progression should not only be achievable but accelerated, enabling our employees to reach their potential in a supportive and dynamic atmosphere.

Our environment is fast-paced and collaborative, where your efforts are recognised, rewarded, and make a tangible impact. We take pride in fostering and open and inclusive culture that not only embraces change but also encourages continuous learning and professional development.

In this role, you will:

In this new role, we’ll rely on you to ensure the seamless delivery of our lending products with speed and accuracy. You’ll be responsible for the end-to-end lending process and reporting requirements, across our product range.

This role also includes direct oversight and management of the loans packaging team and loans completions team. You’ll work closely alongside our Head of Credit Underwriting and Head of Relationship Management to deliver a great experience for our customers.

Key areas of responsibility:

• Support the establishment and embedding of the new loans packaging team, implementing structure, training, policies and procedure to enhance the end-to-end lending process and taking responsibility for day-to-day management
• Manage the established loans completions team, owning all associated processes carried out by the team, implementing improvements which enhance the end-to-end journey
• Ensure there is an efficient, scalable lending capability that delivers a great standard of customer service for both internal and external customers
• Reviewing key processes and customer/broker journeys and assuring they are regulatorily compliant, efficient, and scalable, designing new processes as required.
• Review and consider opportunities to deploy automated and digital solutions to improve the customer journey
• Ensure that credit policy is followed and look for opportunities to change and enhance what we have today
• Establish clear controls across lending operations and develop or maintain audit procedures to monitor the quality of output to ensure adherence to set policy and procedures.
• Work closely with the first- and second-line risk and compliance teams to develop, implement and maintain a RCSA log
• Establish and develop a highly skilled, diverse, and motivated team to meet the needs of the business, attracting, inducting, developing, and retaining, talent for the future and ensuring the highest standards of performance, customer focus, professional conduct, ethics, integrity, and control across the lending function
• Lead the team through new the adoption of new lending system processes and procedures that deliver the customer requirements and the corporate strategic agenda
• Develop and implement operational SLAs relating to quality of processing, customer satisfaction, fulfilment times and accuracy
• Liaise with other functions and departmental heads to understand all aspects and needs of operational development, and to ensure they are fully informed of operational objectives, purposes, and achievements
• Develop and implement an operational capacity management framework to ensure proactive resource management, enhance productivity and ensure that performance standards are set and regularly reviewed across the area

A bit about you

• Extensive experience in lending operations, ideally within a regulated financial services environment, with a strong understanding of end-to-end loan processing from packaging through to completion
• Proven leadership in establishing and embedding new teams, including designing operational structures, implementing procedures, and delivering targeted training to enhance efficiency and service deliver
• Track record of successfully managing operational teams, ensuring high standards of accuracy, customer service, and policy compliance throughout the loan lifecycle
• Demonstrated ability to assess, design and improve operational processes, with a particular focus on scalability, efficiency, and regulatory alignment
• Experience introducing and leading the adoption of digital and automated solutions, with a focus on improving the customer and broker journey while driving internal productivity
• Sound understanding of credit policy and underwriting practices, with the ability to apply, challenge, and enhance existing frameworks in response to customer and business needs
• Strong working knowledge of regulatory compliance, risk frameworks, and audit controls, including the ability to work collaboratively with first- and second-line functions to maintain robust operational oversight
• Experienced in establishing and maintaining robust control environments, including ownership of audit procedures, SLAs, and performance metrics to assure delivery and compliance
• A strategic and people-focused leader, with experience building and developing high-performing, diverse, and engaged teams, fostering a culture of integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Capable of developing and implementing capacity management frameworks to ensure resource optimisation, effective planning, and delivery against operational KPIs
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across departments and influence change in line with business strategy
• Experienced in setting and maintaining customer service standards, including measurement of customer satisfaction, service quality, and fulfilment times

What we can offer you:

💰 8% company pension contribution and 3% individual contribution

🌴 30 days holiday every year – which includes your birthday off 🎂 + bank holidays on top

🏥 Top tier private medical cover with WPA – includes no excess + you can add family

🔒 Death in service at 4 x base salary with Aviva

🧠 Mental health support – through a helpline and counselling sessions

👶 Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave

🎉 Various surprise and delight moments throughout the year to help build team connection

What else do I need to know?

• Location: London, 3-4 days per week onsite
• Salary: £100,000
• Hours: 35 Hours per week

We are an equal opportunities employer and positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates, regardless of their age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital/civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity.

At GB Bank, we value privacy and data protection rights. We have longstanding data protection culture and promote robust ethical standards in data management. Please read our Privacy Notice in relation to our recruitment activities before submitting your application to work with us.