Nwes is seeking a motivated and experienced individual to join our team as a Business Advisor / Loan Assessor for the Start Up Loans programme. This is a full-time role with the flexibility to work remotely from home or from our King’s Lynn office. The salary for this position is £30,000 – £35,000, depending on experience. In this key role, you will both advise and assess. As a Business Advisor, you’ll work directly with aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs to develop robust business plans and financial forecasts, providing tailored feedback and guidance through the Start Up Loans application process. Separately, as a Loan Assessor, you’ll carry out fair, consistent lending assessments for applicants that you have not personally advised. As a target-driven role, you will be responsible for delivering personalised support to applicants while assessing loan applications. You’ll work with a diverse range of small business owners—from pre-starts to those trading for up to three years—including those applying for second loans. The primary goal of this position is to support the successful delivery of the Start Up Loans contract by meeting performance targets while delivering an excellent customer experience throughout the end-to-end journey of the programme. If you're passionate about supporting small businesses and helping them succeed, we’d love to hear from you. Key responsibilities: • Manage a personal caseload of applicants through to loan drawdown. • Assess business plans, cash flow forecasts, and survival budgets, working collaboratively with applicants to ensure financial viability and compliance with Start Up Loans standards. • Deliver timely, accurate, and well-justified loan assessments, ensuring a "right first time" approach. • Complete and document all Know Your Customer (KYC) and compliance checks in accordance with internal policies and regulatory requirements. • Accurately assess loan applications in line with scheme guidance and lending policy and clearly demonstrate the decision-making process. • Provide excellent customer service responding promptly and professionally to customer queries. • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of Start Up Loans products, compliance requirements, and the wider SME market. • Ensure all customer records and decisions are accurately maintained and compliant with data protection legislation (e.g., GDPR). • Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and process efficiencies to enhance the applicant experience. We are looking for a candidate who can demonstrate: • Proven experience in supporting small businesses, including the ability to review and interpret financial documents such as business plans, cash flow forecasts, and survival budgets. • Sound judgment and the ability to make fair, well-informed lending decisions, balancing risk and opportunity effectively. • A high level of self-motivation, with the confidence to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team environment. • Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the capability to gather, evaluate, and present relevant financial and business information. • Awareness of FCA guidance, particularly the principles around Treating Customers Fairly (TCF). • A results-driven mindset, with a focus on practical solutions and the ability to act decisively. • Exceptional attention to detail, with clear and concise report-writing abilities. • Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate confidently and naturally. • Strong analytical thinking, with the ability to assess complex information and resolve problems effectively. What we offer: • A supportive and collaborative team • Generous Holiday • Stakeholder pension with matched employer contributions • Health cashback scheme To apply, please send your CV and a short cover letter to vacancies@nwes.org.uk. We look forward to hearing from you Closing date: Friday 19th September Interview date: Tuesday 30th September