Underwriting Manager

Overall Purpose of Job

To ensure the smooth and effective processing of all mortgage applications, through to successful conclusion.

The Team Manager must ensure that all financial control, quality, regulatory, responsible lending and service requirements are maintained by leading, motivating and developing their team. In addition the role may be required to own and manage a pipeline of cases, assist or cover for other roles within the Lending Operations Department from time to time. Maintaining the highest levels of customer service and quality while continually improving the operational efficiency and service delivery of the department are all key areas of this role.

Key Accountabilities

Direction Setting

• Activities will involve the performance management and progression of the team.
• Ensure development of the team by motivating and building the team's skill sets ensuring good succession planning and quality.
• Proactively manage and adapt to the various changes required.
• Maximise operational and cost efficiencies, working within published budgets. Direct the team and department to deliver against the published Policy and Procedures manual and within underwriting mandate guidelines
• Build a close working relationship with the Credit Risk team to enhance the process from both a service and quality perspective

Customer and Relationship Management

• Monitor the team to ensure delivery of Service Excellence
• Ensure the highest quality of underwriting.
• Liaise with Third Party suppliers, valuers and internal customers to ensure service standards are at the appropriate level
• Adhere to the service standards both as agreed and set out in the Policy and Procedures Manual
• Act as an escalation point for the team effectively handling any escalated issues referring to other areas/your line manager as appropriate
• Deputise in the absence of other team leaders and technical manager
• To ensure that all complaints are handled in accordance with the Complaints Handling Procedures

People Management

• Lead, motivate and manage the performance of the team to maximise team performance and ensure that work is completed to achieve daily and weekly business volume, quality and service targets
• Select, train, coach and develop team members according to the agreed resourcing plan
• Work together across the department to ensure overall departmental objective met in terms of quality, service delivery and budget management.
• Ensure adequate staffing levels and prioritisation of work to achieve the agreed performance targets
• To act on the feedback from quality reporting and as a result of any complaints which have been received taking any appropriate action
• To complete monthly sample reviews to test and improve broker / customer journey

Financial Management

• Ensure that the team and department operate within the outlined agreed budget, budget identifying cost reduction opportunities whenever possible.
• Improve and enhance operational processes to optimise capacity and quality.
• Operate within outlined underwriting mandate

Process Management

• Maintain and manage small pipeline of cases utilising and setting an example of use of underwriting mandate where required
• Manage teams performance against targets
• Manage team workflow effectively and fairly ensuring highest standard of customer service delivery
• Daily and monthly auditing and monitoring of teams performance to demonstrate competency and quality. Monitor the business process to maximise team efficiency, business conversion and process timings
• Act as a point of expertise to the team, advising on technical, product, policy, procedural and customer issues
• Identify improvements to performance and team processes through Continuous Improvement and with managers and other areas of the business.
• Assist in the analysis and subsequent delivery of any changes to the system or processes
• Ensure the process and procedure manuals are up to date at all times.

Risk and Compliance Management

• Ensure adequate controls are in place to manage authorisation of cases to offer within relevant mandate levels.
• Ensure responsibilities regarding Treating Customers Fairly, the Prevention of Financial Crime (including money laundering, identification and reporting of fraud) are carried out effectively and in accordance with the Company's internal policies.
• Monitor and manage all activity in the team to ensure that it operates within regulatory guidelines.
• To ensure that all team members are trained so that all complaints are correctly identified and actioned in accordance with the Complaint Handling Procedures.

Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge, Skills

• Regulatory Knowledge as applicable to role
• Previous Underwriting Mandate
• Leadership , Coaching and Development experience
• To act with integrity at all times and embrace the philosophy of treating our customers fairly
• Business and market awareness as well as a detailed knowledge of Kensington products
• Ability to analyse and provide accurate MI and performance measures
• Ensure key business targets and performance indicators are achieved
• Experience in mortgage Underwriting essential
• Experience of leading teams in a mortgage environment is essential
• Telephone experience including complaint handling essential.
• Educated to at least GCSE level standard, with 5 passes Grade C or above including English and Maths
• CeMAP/CeRCC (Preferable, if not a willingness to train to obtain)
• Good knowledge of Residential and Buy to Let underwriting processes
• Line Management experience

Desired Skills and Experience

• Regulatory Knowledge as applicable to role
• Previous Underwriting Mandate
• Leadership , Coaching and Development experience
• To act with integrity at all times and embrace the philosophy of treating our customers fairly
• Business and market awareness as well as a detailed knowledge of Kensington products
• Ability to analyse and provide accurate MI and performance measures
• Ability to assess and mitigate risk within the team and process including complaint handling and audit requirements
• Ensure key business targets and performance indicators are achieved
• Experience in mortgage Underwriting essential
• Experience of leading teams in a mortgage environment is essential
• Telephone experience including complaint handling essential.
• Educated to at least GCSE level standard, with 5 passes Grade C or above including English and Maths
• CeMAP/CeRCC (Preferable, if not a willingness to train to obtain)
• Good knowledge of Residential and Buy to Let underwriting processes
• Line Management experience

Why Join Us

Our employees are critical to our success. We work hard to ensure that Kensington Mortgages is a great place to work. We recognise the difference it makes to our business when people challenge themselves and take advantage of the development opportunities available, so we try and support everyone however we can.

We also recognise the fact that people seek work life balance and continuously develop our benefits offering to create an inclusive and supportive culture where differences that exist between us all are recognised, understood and valued.

We are an inclusive, anti-racist and equal opportunity employer that values diversity. This means we respect and embrace differences in gender, identity, race, ethnic origin, sexual expression and orientation, religion, faith, age, marital status, disability, neurodiversity, social background, education and way of thinking. We believe in the strength of diversity and see inclusion as a strategic advantage. We are a place where you can be you.

As a reputable employer regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, all offers of employment for this role are subject to a series of background checks, including criminal (DBS) and financial checks.