Senior Credit Underwriter in Northampton

Bonus

• Uncapped bonus, typically 5-15% of salary
• Job Overview

Our client is a fast-growing hybrid broker-lender with ambitious plans to significantly expand its own-book lending portfolio over the coming years.

As part of this growth, they are looking for an experienced and commercially minded

Credit Underwriter to join their expanding Credit function.

Working closely with the Head of Credit, the successful candidate will be responsible for assessing and underwriting SME funding applications across

Asset Finance and Commercial Loans , operating within an agreed delegated authority framework.

The role will initially have a particular focus on small-ticket transactions , while also providing exposure to larger and more complex funding requirements through collaborative underwriting with the Head of Credit.

This is not simply a transactional underwriting position.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to the continued development of the Credit function, including credit policy, deal structuring, approval processes, portfolio management and the ongoing improvement of systems and procedures.

The Underwriter will work closely with Account Managers, Sales Support and other functions across the business, balancing robust credit risk management with the commercial approach and high levels of customer service required within a growing lending business.

Importantly, our client is looking for someone who wants to grow with the business . There is genuine scope for the successful individual to progress into a

Senior Underwriter position and beyond as the lending operation continues to expand.

Key Responsibilities

• Underwrite individual transactions and credit facilities within the agreed business appetite, Credit Policy and delegated approval authority framework.
• Review and analyse credit applications, producing clear and commercially considered recommendations and lending decisions.
• Assess SME and corporate customer cash flows, financial statements, trading performance and overall ability to service proposed borrowing.
• Support the Head of Credit with the initial review and write-up of larger or more complex funding requirements.
• Work collaboratively with the Head of Credit on transactions falling outside individual delegated authority.
• Ensure all lending decisions comply with agreed approval authorities, Credit Policy and internal controls.
• Maintain an appropriate balance between commercial decision-making and effective risk management .
• Take ownership and responsibility for the quality and performance of an allocated portion of the lending portfolio, with the support and guidance of the Head of Credit.
• Assist with the development, implementation and ongoing evolution of Credit Policy across Asset Finance and Commercial Loans.
• Work closely with Account Managers and Sales Support to structure transactions appropriately and progress viable opportunities efficiently.
• Support and champion a pragmatic, responsive and commercially minded approach within the Credit team without compromising credit quality.
• Develop strong working relationships across Sales, Operations and other functions within the business.
• Support the timely production of management information for the Head of Credit and contribute to reporting used within the monthly Board Report.
• Help improve the quality of credit management information to enable stronger portfolio oversight and better-informed decision-making.
• Identify opportunities to enhance internal credit processes and procedures, combining appropriate controls with greater automation and fewer unnecessary manual tasks.
• Undertake annual reviews of existing lending accounts to assess financial standing, performance and any deterioration in credit quality.
• Support the continued development of a scalable Credit function capable of supporting significant growth in the client's own-book lending portfolio.
• Undertake additional responsibilities as required by the Head of Credit or Board Directors.

Skills, Experience & Competencies

• Current or previous experience within a

Credit Underwriting role.

• Strong understanding of

SME and/or corporate customer cash flows .

• Ability to undertake comprehensive analysis of company financial statements, including profit and loss, balance sheet and cash-flow information.
• Thorough understanding of the credit assessment and underwriting process.
• Experience or strong knowledge of leasing, asset finance and/or corporate unsecured lending .
• Ability to assess both financial and non-financial information when determining creditworthiness.
• Strong analytical and decision-making capability.
• Commercially astute and able to balance opportunity with appropriate risk management.
• Comfortable taking ownership and accountability for lending decisions within delegated authority.
• Able to communicate credit decisions and rationale clearly and confidently to commercial stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail without losing sight of the wider commercial picture.
• Collaborative approach and the ability to build strong relationships across Credit, Sales and Operations.

Ideally, candidates will have 5+ years' underwriting experience across one or both of the following areas:

• SME Asset Finance
• Experience underwriting both hard and soft assets.
• Transaction sizes ranging from below £15,000 to approximately £350,000 .
• Experience underwriting commercial loans to SME customers.
• Ideally, experience of shorter-term facilities ranging from approximately

3-24 months .

• Typical transaction sizes of approximately

£50,000 .

Experience across both Asset Finance and Commercial Loans would be advantageous but is not essential .

This is a newly created position arising from the continued growth of our client's lending operation.

As the own-book portfolio expands, the Credit function is expected to grow alongside it, creating significant scope for the successful individual to develop their responsibilities and delegated authority.

For an ambitious Underwriter, this represents an opportunity to join the business at an important stage of its development, gain exposure to increasingly complex transactions and progress towards a

Senior Underwriter position and potentially further leadership opportunities within Credit .

Our client is therefore particularly interested in candidates who are looking for more than their next underwriting position and who want the opportunity to grow alongside an ambitious lending business .

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