Senior Credit Underwriter – SME Finance
London based – hybrid working
The Company
* An established, successful, dynamic SME and Real Estate Finance lender who have recently embarked on a substantial UK wide growth and expansion programme
* By combining technology with some good common sense, they take a personalised approach to business lending
* Their lending decisions are often bespoke and it’s this personal touch that makes them different
* A small, ambitious team with diverse backgrounds working in a non-corporate, social environment
* They support each other, learn from each other, and have a lot of fun along the way
The Role
* As a senior credit underwriter, you will be an integral part of the credit underwriting team and contribute to the credit philosophy of the business
* You will be joining a growing team with an entrepreneurial, commercial mindset and make-work attitude
* You will focus on unsecured and secured SME business loans (with possible exposure if appropriate to Real Estate and Asset Finance transactions)
* Successful applicants will be granted a sign-off mandate and be expected to contribute towards streamlining the end-to-end processing of credit decisioning and development of junior team members
Key Responsibilities
* Assess complex credit applications to determine serviceability, affordability, and alignment with the company’s lending policies and risk appetite
* Conduct in-depth reviews of borrower financials, credit history, security, and repayment capacity across a range of lending scenarios
* Identify and mitigate credit risks through sound judgement, data analysis, and consistent application of underwriting standards
* Perform second-level reviews of credit decisions made by junior or peer underwriters as part of the formal four-eye process
* Provide constructive feedback and challenge where necessary to uphold credit quality and ensure consistency across the team
* Support the development and coaching of junior team members through review discussions and knowledge sharing
* Investigate and analyse the root causes of non-performing loans or arrears cases
* Prepare clear, data-backed reports offering insights and recommendations for policy or procedural adjustments
* Collaborate with Risk and Collections teams to track early warning signs and portfolio trends
* Play a key role in monthly Credit Committee meetings, presenting cases, defending decisions, and contributing to broader credit strategy discussions
* Articulate underwriting decisions and portfolio insights to senior leadership
* Maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders, including Sales, Risk, and Legal, to support commercially sound and risk-aligned lending
* Identify opportunities to enhance the underwriting process through automation, data tools, or revised workflows
* Contribute to testing, implementing, and embedding new credit systems or technology solutions
* Help build scalable, consistent underwriting frameworks that support both volume growth and credit discipline
* Provide support to ensure the credit team meets service level agreements (SLAs) and turnaround expectations for deal reviews
* Prioritise workload to balance commercial responsiveness with thorough credit analysis
* Step in to support urgent cases or workflow bottlenecks where senior-level input is required
About You
* 5+ years SME 'trading' business credit underwriting experience with a lending mandate in a UK bank or lender
* Self-motivated, able to work under pressure and driven to succeed
* Strong communication skills both written and oral
* Ability to analyse and dissect information and present results in a logical and understandable format for all stakeholders across the business
* Growth mindset and ability to adapt to changing business requirements in a fast-paced business environment