Credit Underwriter - Lending

Hastings Direct; Bexhill-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus up to 5%

Hybrid working

Life insurance

Pension match up to 10%

Discount Hastings Direct products

Tech scheme

Refer a friend

Job summary

Hastings Direct in the United Kingdom is seeking a Credit Underwriter in Lending to help build and grow the underwriting function from the ground up. You will assess loan applications using market–leading software and data to decide on approvals or declines, while handling outbound calls and emails to support customers through their journey.

This role offers 37.5 hours per week with hybrid working and an initial 4–6 weeks of face‑to‑face training.

Qualifications

• Background in underwriting ideally gained from within a financial services organisation (consumer credit preferable)
• Knowledge of financial services regulation including the Consumer Credit Act (CCA)
• Underlying focus on customer service, comfortable conversing with customers on phone & email
• Proactivity in identifying process improvements to help improve commercial & customer outcomes
• Keen eye for detail and the ability to interpret relatively complex data sets
• Strong problem-solving mindset
• Willingness and ability to learn a new product line and apply existing skills in a new area
• Excellent communication, engagement and development of people skills
• Understanding of and ability to interpret customer Credit Reports (TransUnion/Equifax), CIFAS, SIRA and Iovation a distinct advantage

Responsibilities

• Analyse loan applicant’s financial information in line with our lending criteria to determine loan viability and risk
• Utilise the various data points available to you including credit reports and application data to aid in your decision making
• Review customer documentation such as open banking data and ID documents to help determine both credit viability, including affordability, and also to help identify potential fraud risk
• Making outbound calls to support our customers on their journey through their loan application with us
• Key KPI’s will include time to decision, accept rates, bad debt and fraud rates
• Make suggestions to improve underwriting processes to help improve conversion rates, process efficiency and customer outcomes
• Ensure that you are meeting customers’ fair and reasonable expectations and provide fair outcomes. Question and challenge peers and managers where processes and procedures do not meet these expectations and any activity that does not place customers’ interests at the heart of how we do business
• Complete training as mandated by the company and as mandated by various regulators

Skills

Underwriting background

Financial services regulation

Customer service

Process improvement

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Learning agility

Communication skills

Credit reports awareness

Job description

Are you searching for a new opportunity? We have an opening for a Credit Underwriter! You’ll probably know Hastings Direct as a digital insurance provider, but did you know we also have a growing unsecured lending business? We have a competitive product on market‑leading systems offering customers guaranteed eligibility and real rates through price comparison websites (PCWs). We have over four million customers but know there’s an even bigger opportunity out there and have ambitious plans to become The Best and Biggest in the UK market. We’ve made huge investments in our data and tech capabilities over the past few years, along with nurturing our 4Cs culture.

Working Hours/ Shift Patterns

You will work 37.5 hours per week on a Monday to Friday 9:00 - 17:30 No weekends or bank holidays

Training

The main training period runs for the first 4-6 weeks and takes place face to face in the office.

Hybrid Working

With hybrid working, you have more flexibility, as you usually only have to visit our office once or twice a week and work remotely for the rest of the time. You can always opt to work from the office more frequently if that suits you better. When we organize training and events you may be required to attend in person for the duration.

Salary

The starting salary is £26,850 plus benefits. There will be opportunities for further salary progression with the right focus on personal development.

Location

Our fantastic Bexhill office, which is next to the seafront, and only a short walk from Collington station.

Team Overview

As a Credit Underwriter in Lending, you will play a key part in developing and growing the credit underwriting function within our lending business. This is a unique opportunity to be involved in a business from the ground up that has lofty ambitions for the future. You will underwrite credit applications utilising various market leading software and data to help you make informed decisions around whether to approve or decline loan applications. You will be dealing with outbound calls & emails, as well as helping the wider operations team manage and support the end-to-end customer journey.

Job Details

• Analyse loan applicant’s financial information in line with our lending criteria to determine loan viability and risk
• Utilise the various data points available to you including credit reports and application data to aid in your decision making
• Review customer documentation such as open banking data and ID documents to help determine both credit viability, including affordability, and also to help identify potential fraud risk
• Making outbound calls to support our customers on their journey through their loan application with us
• Key KPI’s will include time to decision, accept rates, bad debt and fraud rates
• Make suggestions to improve underwriting processes to help improve conversion rates, process efficiency and customer outcomes
• Ensure that you are meeting customers’ fair and reasonable expectations and provide fair outcomes. Question and challenge peers and managers where processes and procedures do not meet these expectations and any activity that does not place customers’ interests at the heart of how we do business
• Complete training as mandated by the company and as mandated by various regulators

Transferable/essential skills we would love you to have

• Background in underwriting ideally gained from within a financial services organisation (consumer credit preferable)
• Knowledge of financial services regulation including the Consumer Credit Act (CCA)
• Underlying focus on customer service, comfortable conversing with customers on phone & email
• Proactivity in identifying process improvements to help improve commercial & customer outcomes
• Keen eye for detail and the ability to interpret relatively complex data sets
• Strong problem-solving mindset
• Willingness and ability to learn a new product line and apply existing skills in a new area
• Excellent communication, engagement and development of people skills
• Understanding of and ability to interpret customer Credit Reports (TransUnion/Equifax), CIFAS, SIRA and Iovation a distinct advantage

What we offer

Join us and you’ll find a different way of doing things. We call it the 4Cs. So, we focus on getting it right for our colleagues, customers, company and community. As one of our colleagues, you’ll be helping to drive our growth, so in return, we’ll give you all the support, training and development you need. That includes initial in-house training on our products and systems, as well as taking live calls alongside an experienced colleague, and regular, on-going training tailored to your individual needs.

Benefits you’ll receive

• Up to 5% annual discretionary Bonus
• Hybrid working (1 day per week in the office with the option to do more depending on your preference)
• A fantastic open plan modern office
• We promote a relaxed, friendly & diverse working environment
• 'Harrys' - a great onsite restaurant, with a wide range of choice at breakfast and lunchtime & an on-site Costa coffee
• 25 days holiday and bank holidays equivalent (plus buy and sell up to 5 days)
• Pension match up to 10% of your salary
• Life insurance (4 x base salary)
• Discounted Hasting Direct products
• Discounts & cashback with well-known retailers
• Tech scheme, cycle to work, health assessments, and skin check - on completion of probation
• Refer a friend scheme - earn £500 for every friend you refer
• We will provide you will all the tech that you need! Including a brand-new Microsoft Surface laptop

Disability Confident Employer

As a Disability Confident employer, we’re committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are fully inclusive – what this means to you is if you’re applying for a job with us, you’ll have fair access to support and adjustments throughout your recruitment journey. For this position, we’re regrettably unable to accept applications through the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) due to the extremely high volumes of applications we receive. However, what we put in place for these positions instead in order to remove barriers is an opportunity for all candidates to complete first stage assessments, in the form of some online exercises, which we can also provide adjustments for on a case-by-case basis. For more information on the DCS, please visit our inclusive business page on our careers site. If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made throughout the assessment process you should contact the recruitment team at [e-mail] prior to starting any assessments, in order that adjustments can be considered.

Equal Opportunities

Hastings Group is an equal opportunities employer which means we treat people fairly. We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of their gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status.

We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of their gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status. Please also note that we have a thorough referencing process, which includes credit and criminal record checks. At Hastings Direct, we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, we encourage you to be open with us. Our recruitment team is here to provide the support you need to ensure a fair and accessible experience for all. Hastings Group is an equal opportunities employer which means we treat people fairly. We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of their gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status. Please also note that we have a thorough referencing process, which includes credit and criminal record checks. At Hastings Direct, we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, we encourage you to be open with us. Our recruitment team is here to provide the support you need to ensure a fair and accessible experience for all.

Hastings Direct is a fast growing, agile, digitally focused general insurance provider of products and services to over 4 million customers in the UK, employing over 4,600 colleagues. Our vision – to be the best and biggest digital insurance provider in the market. It's our attitude and the way we run our business that makes us different. We focus on getting it right for our colleagues, customers, company and community. It's a dynamic, flexible, fun and constantly changing environment. You'll enjoy the scope to make a real difference for our customers, influence our company, benefit the communities we work in and have fun along the way.