SME Credit Underwriter

CRS; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

CRS is seeking an experienced underwriter to join our growing fintech team in London. You will assess loan applications, weigh income, cash flow and liabilities, and make disciplined approve/decline decisions within your mandate.

You will analyse bank statements and credit reports, apply affordability assessments, and support the development of underwriting models and automation. You will help improve turnaround times while maintaining risk standards and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• 2+ years underwriting experience in consumer or SME lending.
• Strong understanding of credit risk fundamentals and having held a manual underwriting mandate previously.
• Experience analysing bank statements and credit reports.
• Knowledge of affordability assessments.
• High attention to detail and ability to confidently make lending decisions.

Responsibilities

• Assess loan applications using internal scorecards, credit bureau data, bank statement analysis, and affordability models.
• Evaluate income, cash flow, liabilities, and risk factors.
• Make approve/decline decisions within mandate.
• Recommend conditions or structured offers where appropriate.
• Identify fraud indicators and escalate when required.
• Ensure lending decisions align with credit policy and risk appetite.
• Maintain strong portfolio quality and acceptable default rates.
• Monitor early arrears trends and feedback into underwriting improvements.
• Escalate complex or borderline cases appropriately. Compliance & Governance.
• Adhere to regulatory requirements (e.g., responsible lending, affordability, KYC/AML).
• Support internal and external audits. Process & Continuous Improvement.
• Provide feedback on credit policy, decision rules, and automation opportunities.
• Support testing of new underwriting models and rule changes.
• Contribute to improving turnaround times while maintaining risk standards.

Skills

Credit risk fundamentals

Underwriting

Data analysis

Bank statements analysis

Affordability assessments

Job description

My client is a growing fintech with multi million pound international lending book & a successful 12 months UK trading so far…

2025 / 2026 has been huge success with brokers, SME businesses & the SME ecosystem being very receptive and welcoming of their flexible unsecured lending product. Due to demand we are seeing MoM growth in deals & therefore looking for underwriter to support the scale

Key Responsibilities

• Assess loan applications using internal scorecards, credit bureau data, bank statement analysis, and affordability models
• Evaluate income, cash flow, liabilities, and risk factors
• Make approve/decline decisions within mandate
• Recommend conditions or structured offers where appropriate
• Identify fraud indicators and scale when required
• Ensure lending decisions align with credit policy and risk appetite
• Maintain strong portfolio quality and acceptable default rates
• Monitor early arrears trends and feedback into underwriting improvements
• Escalate complex or borderline cases appropriately. Compliance & Governance
• Adhere to regulatory requirements (e.g., responsible lending, affordability, KYC/AML)
• Support internal and external audits. Process & Continuous Improvement
• Provide feedback on credit policy, decision rules, and automation opportunities
• Support testing of new underwriting models and rule changes
• Contribute to improving turnaround times while maintaining risk standards.

What we are looking for:

• 2+ years underwriting experience (consumer or SME lending)
• Strong understanding of credit risk fundamentals and having held a manual underwriting mandate previously
• Experience analysing bank statements and credit reports.
• Knowledge of affordability assessments
• High attention to detail & ability to confidently make lending decisions
• Comfortable working with data and credit systems
• Passion to help influence business growth by creating best practice & sharing new ideas.