Lead Underwriter - SME Lending

JR United Kingdom; Slough; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Une fintech à forte croissance recherche un Lead SME Underwriter pour diriger les processus de souscription et façonner la stratégie de crédit. Ce rôle clé implique la prise de décisions éclairées tout en équilibrant le risque et les besoins commerciaux, dans un environnement dynamique. Vous aurez un impact direct sur la performance des prêts et l'automatisation.

Qualifications

• Expérience avérée en souscription SME ou commerciale, idéalement dans une fintech ou une banque challenger.
• Capacité à interpréter des états financiers, des données bancaires et des rapports de crédit.

Responsibilities

• Diriger la souscription de bout en bout pour les clients SME.
• Raffiner et appliquer la politique de crédit.
• Collaborer avec les équipes pour assurer des décisions évolutives et rapides.

Skills

Analytical skills

Decision making

Job description

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We’re seeking a highly skilled and commercially minded Lead SME Underwriter to take ownership of underwriting processes across a rapidly scaling lending platform. You’ll be instrumental in shaping the credit strategy, driving high-quality credit decisions, and balancing risk with the needs of a fast-moving commercial environment. This is a rare opportunity to join a fintech scale-up at a key stage in its growth and have a direct impact on lending performance, risk appetite, and automation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end underwriting for SME customers, including reviewing financials, credit data, bank feeds, and behavioural insights to make informed decisions.
• Refine and apply the credit policy, ensuring decisions align with risk appetite and commercial strategy.
• Collaborate with Sales, Product, and Risk to ensure credit decisions are scalable, fast, and customer-friendly.
• Support development of automated underwriting models and contribute to data-led decisioning improvements.
• Manage exceptions and borderline cases, applying sound judgment in fast-paced scenarios.
• Monitor portfolio performance and suggest changes to policy or processes based on emerging trends.
• Act as the subject matter expert on SME credit, coaching junior underwriters or operations team members.
• Contribute to credit committee discussions and support investor/lender reporting where required.

Requirements:

• Proven experience in SME or commercial underwriting, ideally in a fintech, alternative lender, or challenger bank.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret financial statements, bank data, and credit reports.