Underwriter - Bridging/Development Finance

Job Title - Underwriter

Department - Underwriting

Reporting to - Head of Underwriting

Location - Office based (London), Hybrid and flexible start/finish times

Salary - £50,000 - £55,000

Working alongside our expanding and talented underwriting team, you will review a volume of applications, assessing our customer profiles and making a decision to lend in line with our criteria and our funders risk appetite. You will work on each case from application to completion and contribute to the growth of our business.

As an Underwriter, you will have a variety of tasks to complete, working collaboratively with the underwriting team, identifying solutions for our customers and making key decisions on applications.

Day to day, you will:

• Managing the entire lending process from application through to drawdown to include oversight of the underwriting and due diligence processes
• Action new lending requests for bridging loans and analyse credit worthiness.
• Underwrite bridging loans against agreed lending criteria.
• Prepare detailed credit proposals for submission to the Credit Committee.
• Preparing offer documentation and ensuring all loan conditions are met throughout the drawdown process.
• Assessing applications, carrying out due diligence as per company requirements, including but not limited to the client’s background information and financial status.
• Work closely with the Head of Underwriting to progress cases forward to completion.
• Review of valuation reports and internal due diligence reports.
• Prepare formal loan terms for issue to brokers/solicitors.
• Maintain CRM records regarding case status and ensure client/broker details are up to date and correct.
• Keep detailed records of the loans underwritten, assessment process and rationale.
• Prepare reports for meetings

Prepare correspondence to clients/solicitors Building relationships across the Hope Capital family and with our stakeholders by:

• Professionally handling broker calls on specific cases under review; managing our customers expectations and constantly building our reputation and brand image.
• Liaising with internal departments (Legal, Risk and Sales) and external parties (Surveyors, Quantity surveyors, Solicitors and Customers) to effectively manage the Hope Capital lending process.
• Liaise with Valuation Panels and Monitoring Surveyors to arrange quotes, and to formally instruct valuations and site inspections. Confirming inspections are booked, and reports are received within SLA.
• Liaise with Head of Portfolio and Asset managers and Monitoring Surveyors, follow up on return of agents reports and monitoring further advance tranche releases.
• Liaise with solicitors ensuring relevant information is provided and professional opinions sought.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal BDMs/brokers/clients, keeping them informed of case progress throughout.
• Maintain relationship with partners (solicitors/valuers/ surveyors/ Monitoring Surveyors etc.)

What you'll need:

• Underwriting experience, preferably in lending
• Experience within the B2B bridging finance space
• Passion for Hope Capital’s products and knowledge of the competitive landscape
• Excellent people and relationship building skills, across all seniority levels
• A track record of excellent negotiation skills and logic in prioritising projects
• Detail-oriented and with strong analytical skills
• Ability to work well as part of a team, driven, relentless and a proven closer - you don’t take no for an answer
• Passionate approach to customer experience
• An eye for building new processes and challenging the status quo
• Love to solve problems and be challenged
• To be a constant learner. You will be always growing - both personally and with the team

Due to the high amount of interest that we receive for each of our roles unfortunately we cannot respond to each application individually, therefore if you do not hear back from one of our consultants you have not been shortlisted for this role.

Please note that our client is an equal opportunities Employer and adheres to all relevant legislation and offer services regardless of age, race, sex, disability or religious belief.