Head of Intermediary Lending

**Salary: competitive**
**Permanent, Full Time**

Here at The Cumberland you'll hear us use the term "Kinder Banking ", but what does that mean? It means taking the opportunity to make our time spent with customers and partners, meaningful and memorable, so that we can give a fantastic experience every time. We can only do that through our people, and that's where you come in.

We’re obsessive about doing the right thing and helping customers achieve their goals whether they choose to seek their mortgage advice directly from us, or through our intermediary partners, to help realise their home buying dreams.

**About the role**

You’ll lead the strategic development of our intermediary lending business continuing to build and scale our proposition both locally and nationally through new and existing brokers. Combining strong commercial acumen, people leadership, risk management and customer focus, you will build a function critical to the future of the Cumberland in delivering margin growth, defining the operating model, developing contemporary sales practices and relationship management, allied to the business’ existing excellence in customer service.

This is a hybrid working position where the successful applicant will be required to work from our Head Office in Carlisle as required. The role will also likely involve some UK national travel.

**Main Responsibilities**

As well as developing and leading the overarching intermediary lending strategy to underpin the overall company strategy, your main responsibilities will include:

- Defining and recruiting our intermediary support team while developing and directing the intermediary lending proposition ensuring the team have the right level of competency and support to be able to grow revenue and defend margin though scaling niche markets
- Providing leadership to build ‘best in class’ processes and activity across intermediary lending whilst leading the team and ensuring successful embedding of processes, policies, and procedures
- Developing and optimising key relationships with particular emphasis on scaling our strategic niches through new and existing partnerships
- Acting as a spokesperson for The Cumberland’s intermediary lending to the broker networks and accountability for building reputation working with marketing and PR
- Championing and delivering exceptional intermediary and customer experience with overall accountability for the customer journey and sales processes across all intermediary Residential and holiday let lending
- Accountability for intermediary onboarding and monitoring, ensuring risk is appropriately managed throughout the intermediary lending function and the effectiveness of partnerships is appropriately managed.
- Accountability for ensuring all objectives and targets are met and responding proactively with effective tactical solutions if the team are off target, articulating, proposing and initiating wider change required to enhance channel performance
- Carrying out activities in accordance with all regulatory and compliance requirements
- Acting as key leader within the Chief Customer Office (CCO) whilst working in partnership with other teams to leverage collaboration and to ensure that the Chief Customer Officer, Senior Leadership Team and Board, have the appropriate visibility of channel performance

**Your Experience, Knowledge and Qualifications**
- Expert in the intermediary lending market, with extensive knowledge of competitor products and services, as well as deep experience of national intermediary firms, networks, and clubs.
- A strong leader with significant experience of sales team management with a passion for building skills and capability across new and existing teams.
- Proven leadership experience in the financial services industry delivering broker and customer value whilst exceeding financial targets with a focus on key strategic outcomes.
- Experience of developing a sales strategy to reflect customer experience, the digital age and future proofing an organisation within the changing landscape of mortgage distribution.
- Thorough knowledge of operational and regulatory risk management and controls and regulatory environments relevant to the financial services industry.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and influencing skills managing senior stakeholders and developing strong relationships at all levels to achieve successful outcomes.
- Strategic thinking and the ability to simplify complex and conflicting issues, ensuring that these are effectively managed and communicated, providing clear recommendations and direction for the business.
- Previous experience of strategic development and execution of the design and development of an intermediary lending business.
- Excellent cultural fit displaying The Cumberland values: Customer Led, Straightforward, Responsible, Forward Thinking, Better Together.

**Why Apply?**
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays which increases with length of ser