Senior Credit Underwriter - SME Finance

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 Experience underwriting unsecured SME lending transactions 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