Specialist Buy-to-Let Underwriting- Permanent Hybrid role
We are seeking a Credit Manager to lead our growing Credit Underwriting and Financial Crime team. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the credit policy and ensuring prudent risk management practices that support the successful delivery of our lending growth plans.
This role requires a strategic leader with a strong understanding of credit risk assessment in the property finance sector (particularly specialist Buy-to-Let) and a proactive mindset towards financial crime prevention.
One of the key opportunities in this role is to help deliver sustainable growth by maintaining high credit and customer onboarding standards, as well as a well-balanced lending book. In turn, this will support our ambition to become the Buy-to-Let lender of choice.
Key Responsibilities:
* Lead and mentor a team of credit underwriters, with full oversight of credit decisions, risk exposure, and loan structuring – including regular 1-2-1s and monthly team monitoring.
* Oversee the onboarding, training, and assessment of new credit underwriters, including approval of new and higher mandates.
* Use your own delegated lending authority (£750k–£1m) for complex cases or those outside standard policy.
* Present lending cases above mandate to external funding partners.
* Maximise the use of fraud detection systems (CIFAS, SIRA) and maintain regular performance reviews with third-party providers.
* Ensure suspicious activity and documentation are thoroughly investigated and reported as appropriate.
* Promote a culture of responsible lending aligned with company credit risk appetite.
* Build collaborative relationships across internal teams, including underwriting and sales.
* Ensure all lending is compliant with relevant regulatory and legislative requirements.
* Prepare high-quality management reports for Credit Committee and ExCo.
What We’re Looking For:
* Extensive credit underwriting experience in banking or financial services, with a strong track record in Buy-to-Let and portfolio lending.
* Currently hold (or have previously held) a personal lending mandate of £750k–£1m, with at least 10 years of mandate-level experience.
* Strong leadership and mentoring skills – able to inspire, develop, and manage high-performing teams.
* Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
* Strong working knowledge of AML, CTF, sanctions, and wider financial crime compliance.
* Sound commercial judgement and the ability to balance risk and reward.
* Comfortable operating strategically in a fast-paced, results-driven environment.
If you’re ready to shape credit strategy, lead a high-performing team, and help build the future of Buy-to-Let lending – we’d love to hear from you.