Head of Underwriting - Premium Finance

Close Brothers; London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK merchant banking group is seeking a Head of Underwriting for their Premium Finance division. This role involves underwriting transactions, managing a team, and ensuring compliance with credit risk standards. The ideal candidate will possess significant experience in credit approval within financial services and demonstrate strong leadership and analytical skills. A hybrid working model is offered to support work-life balance.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in credit approval and management for Commercial and SME customers.
• Experience in the insurance sector.

Responsibilities

• Lead effective underwriting service for customer and broker facilities.
• Develop understanding of Premium Finance business model.
• Manage credit risk policies and standards.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Presentation Skills

Leadership

Relationship Building

Job description

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Overall Summary
At Close Brothers, we look to recruit individuals from diverse backgrounds and encourage you to apply even if you don’t tick every box. We celebrate diversity, promote inclusivity, and are open to discussing flexible work options to help you balance your work and home life.

Join the Close Brothers Credit Risk Team, where you will underwrite transactions within personal delegated credit authority and make recommendations on facilities to higher approval authorities, including the Group Credit Committee, within agreed SLAs.

Working as part of the Credit Risk team, our ideal team member will have significant credit approval experience in a financial or insurance institution, enabling the role holder to underwrite transactions aligned with credit risk appetite and policy, with excellent analytical, written, and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

1. Lead the provision of an effective underwriting service for customer facilities, broker facilities, and insurer contingent liability risks in Premium Finance, focusing on quality and speed to meet business and broker needs while maintaining credit risk standards.
2. Develop a strong understanding of the Premium Finance business model, engaging stakeholders and providing SME advice on all credit risk matters.
3. Lead the Premium Finance Credit Team, fostering a structure that supports learning and development, ensuring high standards in credit documentation.
4. Contribute to the Premium Finance Executive Committee and Credit Risk leadership team with updates on portfolio quality and risk issues.
5. Lead engagement and delivery of credit risk projects, collaborating with business and group functions.
6. Manage and communicate credit risk policies and standards to the business and credit teams.

Developing Our People

As a line manager, you will inspire and motivate your team, encourage responsibility, and support their development through coaching and regular feedback.

Candidate Requirements

• Significant experience in a financial services environment with a proven track record in credit approval and management for Commercial and SME customers.
• Experience in the insurance sector.
• Good knowledge of banking and insurance products and services.
• Proven leadership in managing teams.
• Understanding of security, legal, and documentation risks associated with transactions.
• Ability to engage with internal and external stakeholders and build strong relationships.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Premium Finance products and services.

We are committed to accessibility and inclusivity in our recruitment process. If you need alternative formats or wish to discuss adjustments, contact us at [e-mail].

About Us

At Close Brothers, we support employees in balancing work and life, offering a hybrid working model. We are a leading UK merchant banking group providing lending, deposit taking, and securities trading, employing around 3,000 people mainly in the UK and Ireland. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, we are part of the FTSE 250.

For more information, visit our careers page, learn about our company culture, and explore our benefits.