Head of Underwriting

JR United Kingdom; London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services institution is seeking an experienced credit risk professional to lead its Premium Finance underwriting function. This senior-level role involves overseeing credit decisions, managing a team, and contributing to strategic risk projects, ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations.

Qualifications

• Extensive credit risk experience in financial services.
• Strong track record in underwriting and portfolio management.
• Experience managing high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Make and review credit decisions for Premium Finance transactions.
• Oversee quality assurance processes and manage credit risk exposures.
• Lead the management of insurer and broker relationships.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Leadership

Relationship management

Tools

Credit risk systems

Modelling tools

Job description

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A leading financial services institution is seeking an experienced credit risk professional to lead its Premium Finance underwriting function. This is a senior-level role within the second line of defence, responsible for overseeing credit decisions and providing strategic risk input across the Premium Finance business.

About the Role

You’ll take ownership of underwriting activities, assessing complex transactions within your delegated authority and making clear, well-reasoned recommendations for higher-level approvals. As a trusted subject matter expert, you'll play a key role in shaping credit risk standards and advising on broker and insurer relationships, ensuring alignment with risk appetite and regulatory expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Make and review credit decisions for Premium Finance transactions, ensuring decisions are timely, well-articulated, and meet quality standards.
• Maintain and evolve credit risk frameworks and policies across the Premium Finance portfolio.
• Oversee quality assurance processes and proactively manage in-life credit risk exposures.
• Lead the management of insurer and broker relationships, including monitoring performance, setting credit limits, and ensuring contractual compliance.
• Actively contribute to risk-related forums and cross-functional teams, supporting the development of new initiatives and risk management strategies.
• Foster strong internal relationships with commercial teams and external brokers, supporting business growth while maintaining robust risk oversight.
• Provide expert guidance and training to underwriting and business teams on credit risk matters.
• Manage and develop a team of credit professionals, promoting a high-performance culture that values diversity, learning, and collaboration.
• Drive continuous improvement in underwriting operations and contribute to strategic risk projects, including affordability modelling and IFRS9 implementation.

About You

• Extensive credit risk experience within financial services, with a strong track record in underwriting and portfolio management for Commercial and SME clients.
• Deep understanding of banking and/or insurance products.
• Demonstrated leadership skills with experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication abilities.
• Solid grasp of legal, documentation, and security aspects of financial transactions.
• Comfortable influencing and building relationships across internal and external stakeholders.
• Background in insurance or Premium Finance.
• Familiarity with credit risk systems and modelling tools.