Head of Credit Underwriting

Job summary

As Head of Credit Underwriting, you will lead our growing first-line Credit Underwriting. You will be responsible for overseeing the credit underwriting process, ensuring prudent risk management practices to support the successful delivery of our lending growth plans. This role requires a strategic leader with a deep understanding of both credit risk assessment in the SME property finance sector (particularly specialist Buy-to-let, bridging and commercial mortgage finance).

Key role responsibilities

Credit Underwriting Leadership:

• Leading and mentoring a growing team of commercial credit underwriters responsible for assessing creditworthiness, determining risk exposure, and structuring loan facilities for SME clients.
• Being the technical lead for the Lending Policy & its supporting policies (e.g. periodic benchmarking to market, proactively identify opportunities for improvement, etc.)
• Reviewing and implementing first-line credit underwriting processes and procedures to optimise lending decision making whilst maintaining prudent risk management practices and ensuring alignment with the Bank’s Policies, Risk Framework, regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
• Overseeing the end-to-end credit assessment process, including risk analysis, financial modelling and due diligence, to make informed lending decisions.
• Designing and reviewing delegated lending authority structures.
• Utilising your own personal delegated lending authority for more complex cases and those which may be outside the Bank’s standard policy criteria. Presenting lending cases above your personal delegated lending authority to the Board Credit Committee.
• Work closely with the portfolio management team to understand the credit portfolio performance and use this to inform continuous improvements into the underwriting process and assessment.
• Responsible for first-line lending Quality Assurance (QA) relating to underwriting decisions.

Financial Crime:

• Contribute feedback and ideas to the Financial Crime team to aid developing and enhancing controls, processes, and systems to ensure compliance with relevant anti-money laundering (AML), counterterrorism (CTF), and sanctions regulations.

Risk Management and Governance:

• Liaising with Relationship Management, Loan Completions, Sales Support & Portfolio Management teams to ensure effective credit risk management and fair customer outcomes are central to their ways of working.
• Being the business area lead for new & emerging regulatory developments (e.g. Basel 3.1, Consumer Duty, Financial risks of climate change, etc.)
• Being the business area lead for new projects (e.g. loan book acquisitions, forward flow agreements, etc.) and for new product launches / existing products into new markets.
• Building relationships with and managing key external suppliers (e.g. credit reference agencies, valuation and legal panels) to support business objectives.
• Acting as subject matter expert on Credit Risk, providing insights and recommendations to executive management and relevant committees, including Credit Committee and Regulatory and Conduct Risk Committee.
• Keeping abreast of market trends, regulatory changes, and industry developments impacting SME lending, providing insights and recommendations to executive management.

Key responsibilities as a member of GB Bank’s management team

Leadership

• Communicate a compelling vision that engages and inspires team members to create a fulfilling and purposeful employment experience
• Translate company-wide goals into actionable departmental and individual objectives to achieve desired business outcomes and organisational success.
• Foster a high-performance environment by setting direction, building alignment, and motivating the team to achieve excellent results
• Actively model and promote behaviours that reflect the company’s values and culture

Talent Management

• Lead efforts to attract, develop, and retain a diverse, inclusive, and high-performing team
• Ensure effective onboarding and continuous development of team members through coaching, feedback, and structured growth opportunities
• Create a culture of learning and accountability that supports individual career development and team capability building

Financial Management

• Contribute to effective resource planning and cost awareness within the team
• Support budget adherence by ensuring spend aligns with approved priorities

Key Skills & Experience

• Expertise in credit risk across financial services and Specialist Property-backed lending.
• Extensive experience of working with senior executives and the ability to influence outcomes.
• Strong awareness of the regulatory framework.
• Proven analytical skills with a strong working knowledge of credit risk systems, processes and reporting.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong leadership capabilities with the ability to communicate effectively with both risk and front-line relationship teams.
• Evidence of balanced and independent judgement.
• Strategic interest and vision.
• Exceptional problems solving skills.
• Strong financial acumen and expertise in project finance, risk management, and financial modelling, Loan & Debt servicing.
• Ability to multitask and prioritise projects.
• Proven track record of developing team/team members to improve business and individual performance.

Professional Qualifications

• Degree/Higher Education Institute (HEI) qualifications are favourable
• Professional accreditations from recognised industry bodies and a commitment to continual professional development are preferred
• Significant demonstrable experience in relevant roles and organisation is favourable