Lead Mortgage Origination & Underwriting (Hybrid)

Nottingham Building Society; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car Allowance

Bupa Healthcare

Medicash healthcare scheme

29 days annual leave + bank holidays

Job summary

Nottingham Building Society is seeking a Head of Mortgage Underwriting to lead the Mortgage Origination, Underwriting and Lending Operations teams from Head Office in Nottingham. The role focuses on shaping strategy, ensuring sound lending decisions and delivering operational excellence to support growth.

You will coach high-performing teams, maintain robust underwriting standards, drive process improvements and build strong stakeholder relationships with brokers and partners.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience across mortgage origination, underwriting and portfolio management, including residential, buy-to-let, commercial, self-build and specialist lending.
• Strong understanding of responsible lending, mortgage operations and customer servicing best practice.
• In-depth knowledge of relevant regulatory frameworks, including MCOB, FCA requirements and financial crime controls.
• Proven experience leading high-performing operational teams, driving excellent customer outcomes while developing and coaching colleagues to reach their full potential.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret MI, KPIs and performance data to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Experience of operational resilience, business continuity, risk management and incident recovery within a regulated environment.
• A track record of delivering change, transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Outstanding stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and build credibility with senior leaders, regulators, industry bodies and external partners.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the confidence to navigate complex challenges, lead through change and make sound decisions in high-pressure situations.

Responsibilities

• Shape and deliver the Mortgage Origination and Underwriting strategy, supporting the Society's growth, lending and customer ambitions.
• Lead, motivate and develop high-performing teams, creating a customer and intermediary-focused culture.
• Maintain robust underwriting standards and oversight, ensuring lending decisions are consistent, prudent and compliant.
• Drive operational efficiency, service excellence and continuous improvement across mortgage journeys and processes.
• Use data, customer feedback and performance insights to identify trends, manage risks and improve customer outcomes.
• Lead change initiatives and transformation programmes, embedding new ways of working and enhancing colleague capability.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, effective risk management and strong governance controls.
• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including brokers, solicitors, valuation partners, Credit Risk and Compliance teams.
• Oversee third-party suppliers and outsourced services, ensuring high standards of service and customer delivery.
• Champion operational resilience and business continuity, ensuring the function remains resilient and responsive to change.

Skills

Mortgage origination

Underwriting

Portfolio management

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Data analysis

Change management

Job description

Nottingham Building Society is seeking a Head of Mortgage Underwriting to lead the Mortgage Origination, Underwriting and Lending Operations teams from Head Office in Nottingham. The role focuses on shaping strategy, ensuring sound lending decisions and delivering operational excellence to support growth.

You will coach high-performing teams, maintain robust underwriting standards, drive process improvements and build strong stakeholder relationships with brokers and partners.