Senior Credit Underwriter (progression to be head of credit)
For a Specialist Agricultural & Rural Finance Lender
Location: Kent | Hybrid Working – 3 Days in the Office, 2 Days Remote (Closest station is Sevenoaks)
Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time
Salary: Competitive, Dependent on Experience
The Opportunity:
An established and growing specialist agricultural finance lender is seeking an experienced Senior Credit Underwriter to join its expanding credit team.
The business provides secured lending solutions to individuals and businesses operating within the agricultural and rural sectors, supporting borrowers with funding secured primarily against land and rural assets. Its lending portfolio includes secured term loans and bridging finance.
This is an excellent opportunity to join a relationship-led specialist lender where you will play a key role in underwriting decisions, team leadership and the continued development of the credit function.
Reporting directly to the Head of Credit, you will combine hands‑on underwriting with responsibility for supervising a team of underwriters, contributing to Credit Committee decisions and helping shape the business's lending policies and risk appetite.
Agricultural lending experience is desirable but not essential. We are keen to hear from experienced underwriters with backgrounds in agricultural finance, bridging finance, specialist property finance, commercial secured lending or SME lending who can bring strong credit judgement and a commercially minded approach.
Key Responsibilities
Credit Underwriting & Risk Assessment
- Assess, structure and underwrite secured term and bridging loan applications for agricultural and rural borrowers.
- Analyse borrower financial statements, cash flow, affordability and sensitivity scenarios to assess creditworthiness.
- Review property and land valuations, legal security structures, loan-to-value ratios, covenants and enforceability.
- Prepare detailed credit papers and provide clear, balanced lending recommendations.
- Identify potential risks and recommend appropriate mitigants or alternative lending structures.
Team Leadership & Credit Management
- Supervise, mentor and support a small team of underwriters, ensuring consistently high standards of credit assessment.
- Operate within delegated credit authority and **escalate** complex, higher-value or non-standard transactions to the Credit Committee.
- Work closely with the Head of Credit, deputising when required.
- Contribute to Credit Committee discussions and support senior management in making informed lending decisions.
- Help refine lending criteria, credit policies and risk management processes.
- Monitor underwriting pipelines and identify opportunities to improve turnaround times and operational efficiency.
Stakeholder Management & Governance
- Build strong relationships with Business Development Managers, external brokers, valuers, legal partners and internal operations teams.
- Ensure lending decisions comply with internal policies, funder requirements and delegated authority.
- Maintain accurate, auditable records and contribute to reviews, audits and control testing.
- Communicate credit decisions and lending rationale clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
- Promote responsible lending practices, with a focus on risk management, fraud prevention and quality of documentation.
Experience & Skills Required
Essential
- Proven experience underwriting UK commercial secured lending, such as bridging finance, specialist property lending, commercial term lending or SME lending.
- Strong understanding of financial statements, cash flow, affordability and credit risk.
- Experience assessing property valuations, legal security, LTV, covenants and lending structures.
- Ability to produce clear, well-reasoned credit recommendations.
- Strong commercial judgement and the confidence to make informed lending decisions.
- Excellent communication, organisation and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple cases while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
Desirable
- Previous experience in agricultural finance, rural lending or lending secured against land.
- Experience supervising, mentoring or providing quality assurance for underwriters.
- Exposure to Credit Committee discussions and presentations.
- Familiarity with loan origination systems and credit reporting processes.
What's on Offer?
- Competitive salary, dependent on experience.
- Performance-related bonus opportunities and additional benefits.
- Hybrid working, with three days in the office and two days remotely.
- Private healthcare and life assurance.
- The opportunity to join a growing specialist agricultural lender.
- A collaborative, entrepreneurial working environment with a flat management structure.
- Direct exposure to senior decision-makers and the opportunity to influence credit strategy.
- Genuine long-term career development, with potential progression towards a Head of Credit position.
The Ideal Candidate
This opportunity would suit a commercially minded credit professional who combines strong technical underwriting expertise with a pragmatic, solution-focused approach to lending.
You will be confident assessing complex secured lending transactions, supporting and developing colleagues, and balancing sound risk management with commercial objectives.
You'll also enjoy working in a smaller, collaborative business where autonomy, adaptability and cultural fit are important.
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Senior Credit Underwriter employer: Stride Recruitment
Join a well-established specialist bank in London as a Senior Credit Risk Underwriter, where you will thrive in a dynamic hybrid work environment that promotes a strong credit risk culture and offers significant exposure to complex lending transactions. With a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits including private healthcare and pension contributions, and ample opportunities for professional growth, this role is perfect for those looking to make impactful decisions in the world of specialist mortgages and bridging finance.
