Underwriter

OSB Group; Fareham; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus 17.5%

30 days leave

Pension contributions matching

Hybrid work 3 days in office

Disability Confident employer

Job summary

OSB Group's Interbay Commercial team is seeking a Senior Underwriter to progress commercial mortgage and bridging applications, operating within delegated authority and in line with Mortgage Credit Directive. You will assess and validate information, issue offers where appropriate, and work with intermediaries and internal stakeholders to deliver robust lending decisions.

The role requires strong technical knowledge, regulatory understanding (MCD, FCA/PRA), excellent analytical and communication

Qualifications

• Proven mandated mortgage underwriting experience within the bridging and commercial lending sectors.
• Strong knowledge of the Mortgage Credit Directive (MCD), including Knowledge and Competence requirements and their application within a regulated lending environment.
• Comprehensive understanding of FCA and PRA regulatory requirements relating to commercial mortgage lending.
• Excellent analytical and decision-making skills, with a proven ability to assess complex transactions, evaluate risk and deliver robust lending decisions that balance commercial opportunity, regulatory compliance, customer outcomes and portfolio performance.
• Exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to make sound judgements in a fast-paced and evolving lending environment.
• Experience in pension lending, with a particular focus on Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) and Small Self-Administered Schemes (SSASs), would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Underwriting allocated mortgage applications from Agreement in Principle through to formal offer, operating within delegated authority levels and agreed service standards.
• Reviewing and assessing Agreement in Principle applications, ensuring all lending decisions align with the Bank's lending policy and communicating outcomes to intermediaries in a timely and professional manner.
• Issuing mortgage offers within delegated mandate, ensuring all conditions have been satisfactorily met and any outstanding information has been thoroughly reviewed prior to completion.
• Building strong relationships with intermediaries and internal stakeholders, providing clear guidance and support through both written and verbal communication, whilst effectively managing queries and objections.
• Collaborating closely with Sales and key business stakeholders to deliver excellent customer outcomes, balancing service expectations with prudent and responsible lending decisions.
• Presenting complex cases to the Transactional Credit Committee and conducting borrower meetings when required.
• Providing technical expertise, coaching and mentoring to less experienced underwriters, supporting their development through case guidance, complaint resolution, fraud awareness and the sharing of best practice.

Skills

Mortgage underwriting

Regulatory knowledge

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

SIPPs/SSASs experience

Job description

The Interbay Commercial team is a dynamic, fast-paced lending unit within the OSB Group, dedicated to facilitating and progressing commercial mortgage and bridging applications. The team balances prudent risk management with exceptional service to deliver robust lending decisions and great customer outcomes. Collaborative and expert-driven, the team works closely with internal Sales units, key business stakeholders, and external intermediaries to manage complex transactions and present high-level cases to the Transactional Credit Committee. It is a supportive, mentoring-focused environment where technical knowledge, regulatory compliance, and analytical expertise are shared to help colleagues and communities prosper. What you will be doing?: As Senior Underwriter you will work within the Interbay Commercial team facilitating and progressing commercial mortgage and bridging applications, within the assigned mandate level, through to mortgage offer and in line with the Bank's operating procedures and policies and the Mortgage Credit Directive. The role requires a combination of technical knowledge, strong communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate with various teams.

Key responsibilities

• Underwriting allocated mortgage applications from Agreement in Principle through to formal offer, operating within delegated authority levels and agreed service standards, while obtaining, reviewing and validating additional information where required.
• Reviewing and assessing Agreement in Principle applications, ensuring all lending decisions align with the Bank's lending policy and communicating outcomes to intermediaries in a timely and professional manner.
• Issuing mortgage offers within delegated mandate, ensuring all conditions have been satisfactorily met and any outstanding information has been thoroughly reviewed prior to completion.
• Building strong relationships with intermediaries and internal stakeholders, providing clear guidance and support through both written and verbal communication, whilst effectively managing queries and objections.
• Collaborating closely with Sales and key business stakeholders to deliver excellent customer outcomes, balancing service expectations with prudent and responsible lending decisions.
• Presenting complex cases to the Transactional Credit Committee and conducting borrower meetings when required.
• Providing technical expertise, coaching and mentoring to less experienced underwriters, supporting their development through case guidance, complaint resolution, fraud awareness and the sharing of best practice.

Requirements

• Proven mandated mortgage underwriting experience within the bridging and commercial lending sectors.
• Strong knowledge of the Mortgage Credit Directive (MCD), including Knowledge and Competence requirements and their application within a regulated lending environment.
• Comprehensive understanding of FCA and PRA regulatory requirements relating to commercial mortgage lending.
• Excellent analytical and decision-making skills, with a proven ability to assess complex transactions, evaluate risk and deliver robust lending decisions that balance commercial opportunity, regulatory compliance, customer outcomes and portfolio performance.
• Exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to make sound judgements in a fast-paced and evolving lending environment.
• Experience in pension lending, with a particular focus on Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) and Small Self-Administered Schemes (SSASs), would be advantageous.

About us

At OSB Group, we understand how much our people bring to our organisation, which is why we try our best to give back too! Our Purpose is to help our customers, colleagues and communities prosper and we are on a transformation journey to become 'the bank of the future'. Our commitment to professional development, flexible working, and employee well-being fosters a dynamic and supportive workplace.

Compensation & Benefits

We offer a base salary dependent on experience of between £41,000 - £45,000 and a competitive benefits package including:

• Annual discretionary bonus opportunity: 17.5%
• 30 days annual leave
• Choose to contribute 3% or 5% pension, with employer contributions of 6% or 8% respectively
• Enhanced family-focused benefits
• Hybrid-working 3 days per week in the office, 2 at home

Still on the fence? Hear from our team or explore our process: Shortlisted candidates will go through a personalised recruitment process, that is relevant and conversational.

If you need any adjustments or support, we're here to make sure you can show your best self.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace where everyone can thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and encourage candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions to apply. If you meet the minimum criteria for the role and would like to be considered under our Disability Confident Scheme, please indicate this on your application.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Our team value spending time together in the office, typically 3 days a week to support collaboration and connection with colleagues, but we're happy to have a conversation about what flexibility might look like for you. Not sure if you meet the spec? Let us decide. Research tells us that those from marginalised groups feel like they need to meet 100% of the criteria to apply. Here at OSB, we are committed to inclusivity and understand the value different experiences and perspectives can bring, so please don't feel like you need to check every box to apply for a role internally. We champion diversity at all levels, with Board-level Diversity Champions tracking our progress. We are proud to be signed up to the Women in Finance Charter to actively support the growth and development of senior women in our sector and are dedicated to treating all our employees and job applicants equally, opposed to discrimination on any grounds.