Portfolio Risk Associate

LendInvest is the UK’s leading FinTech platform for property finance. Over the past 17 years, we have grown from just our two founders to a team of over 200 working to make property finance simple for everyone. A workplace culture built around trying new things, getting things done, and having fun while we do it has helped us lend more than £7.5 billion of mortgages, put thousands of new or improved homes into the UK housing market, and successfully launch on the London Stock Exchange. We have big plans to continue growing the business, our products, our technology, and our people.

This specialist role is to lead recoveries on complex short-term Development Finance and Bridging Finance lending cases that have failed to repay and require specialist knowledge of debt recovery to mitigate the risk of losses. The role will involve significant on-site time working with borrowers, LPA Receivers, Administrators, and the LendInvest senior team to ensure the nature of the security is fully understood and to subsequently recommend and oversee actions to recover the outstanding debt. You must have proven expertise in real estate finance and debt recovery, including planning, building regulations, legal, insurance, and corporate/personal insolvency. This role reports to the Director of Portfolio Risk and will be required to work with the broader collections and loan servicing team adding insights and value to all aspects of the management of the LendInvest loan book.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct ownership for the management of distressed assets including working with/controlling LPA receivers, solicitors, and related third parties.
• Visit securities to manage both the borrower relationship and risk profile, understanding the ongoing viability of the security and potential exit options.
• Coordinate professional teams as required to assist with the smooth completion of construction projects.
• Collaborate in high-risk and debt work-out forums, to provide oversight and direction on all types of lending exposure.
• Proactively contribute to collections forums and identify cases where your expertise can be applied.
• Providing the Investment & Credit Committee with timely and relevant management information on exposure to loss, workout strategies on recovery cases, changes to planning, or other regulations or laws impacting property lending.
• Support the completion of the IFRS 9 provisioning routine concerning expected recoveries.
• Provision of timely and accurate data.
• Working closely with the Head of Loan Servicing to ensure recovery activities are closely aligned.
• Ensuring that all property recovery matters are handled appropriately and in line with responsible lender practices.
• Taking appropriate and proportionate action to mitigate losses.
• Demonstrate a robust relationship with receivers and solicitors, ensuring actions to recover are dealt with swiftly, cost-effectively, and appropriately.
• Establish and maintain positive SME relationships with other key departments such as Sales, Operations, Development Finance, and Underwriting.

About you

• Experienced in managing and recovering distressed real estate debt.
• Ability to manage project teams and a good understanding of the development and planning process.
• Experience in critically assessing and challenging development finance construction plans and budgets.
• Resilient and committed with the ability to engage with a variety of stakeholders and gain their confidence.
• Ability to build strong but robust relationships with demanding/challenging clients.
• Dispassionate and independent thinker, but at all times collaborative.
• Ability to work on own initiative to drive out strategies and processes to mitigate exposure to non-performing loans.
• Capable and experienced in dealing with a high-volume workflow and prioritising accordingly.
• Understanding of Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) and Conduct Risk.
• Ability to analyse data and produce management reports.
• RICS, building surveying, or similar professional qualifications are beneficial but not essential.

Benefits & perks

• Competitive salary + company bonus scheme.
• Hybrid working policy.
• 25 days holiday (increasing with the length of service).
• Private healthcare.
• Enhanced parental leave.
• Matched pension contributions up to 4%.
• Critical illness cover.
• Employee Assistance Programme & Mental Health support.
• Life assurance.
• Regular performance reviews to promote a culture of growth and development.
• Leadership training for managers.
• Give as you earn scheme for charitable donations.
• Support for attending conferences and professional learning & development.
• Discounts via Perkbox.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Season ticket loan.
• Electric car loan scheme.
• Monthly socials & annual offsite.

Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at LendInvest

At LI we believe in bringing your whole selves to work, and we are committed to a culture of belonging where individuals can form a genuine community. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. We are happy to discuss and implement reasonable adjustments to support candidates throughout the recruitment process.