Head of Underwriting - Commercial/SME Lending | Up to £110,000 plus bonus

Skillful; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services business in South-West London is seeking a Head of Underwriting for Commercial/SME Lending. This role involves leading credit risk functions, shaping strategy, and managing a team of underwriters. With a competitive salary of up to £110,000 plus bonuses and benefits, this position offers a chance to influence the future of risk management in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

30 days holiday

Private medical

Qualifications

• Strong credit background across commercial and SME lending.
• Experience in financial and insurance environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Credit Risk function and credit underwriting.
• Shape strategy and own policy for commercial lending.

Skills

Leadership

Credit Risk Management

Stakeholder Relationships

Job description

Head of Underwriting - Commercial/SME Lending | Up to £110,000 plus bonus

Head of Underwriting - Commercial/SME Lending | Up to £110,000 plus bonus

3 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

This range is provided by Skillful. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

Direct message the job poster from Skillful

We love all things Risk, Analytics and Data

Role: Head of Underwriting – Premium Finance

Location: South-West London (Hybrid with 2–3 days in the office)

Salary: £90,000 to £110,000 plus bonus, 30 days holiday, private medical and more

This is a brilliant opportunity to join a well-established financial services business with a strong reputation, clear values, and a people-first culture. They’re evolving fast, with big ambitions to modernise how risk is approached, and this role is a key part of that journey.

You’ll lead the Credit Risk function, taking responsibility for credit underwriting across commercial and SME lending. You’ll shape strategy, own policy, and work closely with executive teams to ensure decisions are aligned with the business’s appetite and growth plans.

But this isn’t just about credit risk on paper. You’ll lead a team of underwriters and credit professionals, building capability, setting clear standards, and supporting their growth. This is a hands-on, collaborative leadership role with the space and support to make your mark.

To be successful, you’ll need a strong credit background across commercial and SME lending, with exposure to financial and insurance environments. You’ll also bring the leadership confidence to influence senior teams, and the technical expertise to manage complex transactions.

So, if you’re comfortable with…

• Leading credit underwriting and approvals across a varied lending portfolio
• Setting and owning credit policy, standards, and appetite
• Supporting high-value transactions and presenting to Credit Committees
• Developing your team and setting a high bar for credit papers and decision-making
• Working closely with exec teams to balance risk and commercial ambition
• Driving forward projects and process improvements in a fast-paced environment

And have experience in…

• Credit approval and credit risk management across commercial and SME customers
• The insurance sector, including an understanding of financing insurance premiums
• Banking and insurance products, and how they interact
• Leading and developing teams in high-accountability roles
• Assessing security, legal structures, and documentation risk in complex transactions
• Building strong internal and external stakeholder relationships at all levels
• (Bonus) Knowledge of premium finance products and services

Then we want to speak with you – and so will they.

If you’re looking for a senior credit role with real variety, influence, and the chance to shape the future, this is one for you!

We’d love to share more details or talk through the opportunity, just let us know what works for you!

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Accounting/Auditing, Finance, and Other

• Industries

  Banking and Financial Services

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