Job Description
About us
Have you got what it takes to succeed The following information should be read carefully by all candidates.
We are a team of ambitious, passionate, and committed people who have come together to make our shared purpose a reality – to help build better futures for the communities that need it most. We are determined to grow a bank that we can be proud of, one that makes a difference, is empathetic, fair and creates opportunities for everyone.
Role purpose
We are seeking a Head of Credit Underwriting to lead our growing first-line Credit Underwriting and Financial Crime teams. The successful candidate 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) and a proactive mindset towards mitigating financial crime risks.
One of the best things about this role is the opportunity to help GB Bank deliver sustainable growth, through maintaining high credit and customer on-boarding standards and a well-balanced lending book. In turn, this will help us to achieve our ambitions and really make a difference.
As Head of Credit Underwriting you’ll find yourself…
1. 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.
- Monitoring credit portfolio performance, identifying emerging risks, and implementing proactive strategies to mitigate potential losses.
- Managing the onboarding, training & assessment of new underwriters for new / larger lending mandates.
- Responsible for first-line lending Quality Assurance (QA) relating to underwriting decisions.
2. Financial Crime Oversight:
- Overseeing the first-line financial crime team, responsible for preventing, detecting, and mitigating financial crime risks within the SME lending portfolio.
- Developing and enhancing controls, processes, and systems to ensure compliance with relevant anti-money laundering (AML), counterterrorism (CTF), and sanctions regulations.
3. 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.
Skills and experience – you are/will have most of the following:
- Extensive credit underwriting experience within the banking or financial services industry with a proven track record of managing SME property lending portfolios.
- Excellent leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate high performing teams, drive change initiatives, and foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
- A deep understanding of credit risk assessment methodologies, financial analysis and regulatory compliance requirements.
- Strong commercial acumen and the ability to balance risk and reward in lending decisions.
- Strong understanding of financial crime compliance requirements, including AML, CTF, and sanctions regulations, preferably within a first-line risk function.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
- Demonstrable ability to think strategically, solve complex problems, and drive results in a fast-paced environment.
- Professional qualifications such as London Institute of Banking and Finance (LIBF) or Chartered Banker are desirable but not essential.
- Excited by the opportunity to work in a start-up bank with a real purpose and passion
What we can offer you:
8% company pension contribution and 3% individual contribution (which you can opt to increase)
30 days holiday every year - which includes your birthday off + bank holidays on top
Work from Anywhere - for four weeks of the year you can work from anywhere worldwide
Flexible working - you 'own the way you work' and we are proud to have been recognised as being one of the top 100 most flexible companies to work for in the world.
Top tier private medical cover with WPA - includes no excess + you can add family through salary sacrifice
Death in service at 4 x base salary with Aviva
Mental health support - through a helpline and counselling sessions
Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
Various surprise and delight moments throughout the year to help build team connection
What else do I need to know?
Location: London–based (hybrid/remote)
Salary: £90,000 - £105,000 per annum, commensurate with experience
Hours: 35 hours per week
How to Apply:
Please submit both your CV and cover letter to careers@thegbb.co.uk, linking your experience to our requirements in order to have your application considered.
We are an equal opportunities employer and positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates, regardless of their age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital/civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity.
At GB Bank, we value privacy and data protection rights. We have longstanding data protection culture and promote robust ethical standards in data management. Please read our Privacy Notice in relation to our recruitment activities before submitting your application to work with us.