Underwriting Lead

Aldermore Bank; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent financial institution in Manchester is seeking an Underwriting Lead to develop a specialist team of mortgage underwriters. The role involves leading underwriting excellence and aligning with business strategies while maintaining strong relationships with brokers and customers. Ideal candidates will possess proven leadership in credit underwriting, strong analytical and communication skills, and the ability to inspire high-performing teams. Competitive salary and a hybrid working policy included.

Benefits

30 days annual leave

Discretionary bonus scheme

Private Medical Insurance

Pension contributions

Generous maternity leave package

Group Income Protection

Employee Assistance Programme

Season ticket loan

Shopping discounts

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in property credit underwriting.
• Strong credit function and operational management expertise.
• A track record in shaping risk and credit policy.
• Commercially minded with analytical decision-making skills.
• Confident communicator with regulatory knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of expert underwriters handling complex mortgage applications.
• Manage mandate frameworks ensuring responsible lending.
• Provide technical capability across portfolio lending and credit risk.
• Act as the go-to escalation point for new business exceptions.
• Drive underwriting KPIs to reinforce our position.

Skills

Leadership

Credit policy shaping

Analytical decision-making

Communication

Operational management

Job description

Are you ready to lead from the front in a pivotal role that blends technical expertise, leadership, and strategic influence?

We’re looking for an Underwriting Lead to develop a team of specialist mortgage underwriters delivering profitable growth across the property portfolio. This role ensures underwriting excellence, adherence to risk appetite, and alignment with business strategy while maintaining strong broker and customer relationships.

What will your day look like

Reporting to the Property Operations Manager you’ll:

• Lead and develop a team of expert underwriters handling high‑value and complex mortgage applications.
• Manage mandate frameworks that ensure responsible lending across specialist residential and buy‑to‑let sectors.
• Provide first‑line technical capability across portfolio lending, corporate financials, and property credit risk.
• Take ownership of delegated underwriting authority, ensuring decisions align with our Lending Policy and Group Risk Appetite.
• Act as the go‑to escalation point for new business exceptions, appeals, and loan restructuring.
• Build strong trusted relationships with brokers, distribution partners, and internal teams.
• Drive underwriting KPIs to reinforce our proposition as a leading specialist lender.
• Identify and mitigate bad debt drivers, working with partner teams to enhance controls.
• Collaborate with credit risk partners to refine and evolve credit policy.

What do we expect from you

You’ll bring a blend of leadership, technical depth, and commercial acumen to the role, including:

• Proven leadership experience in property credit underwriting.
• Strong credit function and operational management expertise.
• A track record in shaping risk and credit policy.
• Commercially minded with analytical decision‑making skills.
• Confident communicator with regulatory knowledge.
• A people leader who develops talent and inspires high‑performing teams.

What can you expect from us

• Hybrid working policy (3 days onsite in Manchester and 2 days at home).
• Competitive salary and a range of core benefits, including 10% pension, 30 days holiday, and an annual bonus.
• A friendly and flexible culture that reflects the way we work with our customers.
• A growing organisation that offers ample opportunities for progression.
• A drive for continuous improvement, empowering you to make an impact from day one.

Let us tell you a bit about us

We’re Aldermore, the award‑winning bank trusted and highly rated by over a quarter of a million customers for more than a decade. With our range of specialist mortgages, savings accounts, and business finance solutions, we back more people to go for it.

We thrive by saying yes to our customers. We respect the ingenuity of entrepreneurs and their startups; we give first‑timers a leg‑up onto the property ladder; we open the lending market to many; and thousands of customers choose us each week to buy their next car, van, or motorbike.

This is where you come in. We are on a journey, defined by a destination, to deliver on our purpose.

Still curious

Join us and we’ll make the same promises to you as we do to our customers. We’re committed to building a working environment that values respect, diversity, and compassion. We welcome people regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, pregnancy, or family leave.

Please note

We have a thorough screening and referencing process, including criminal record checks.

The Company

We champion equality by supporting exceptions to the rule and getting finance where it’s needed.

We lend the money people save with us to those who want to advance in life, build businesses, create employment, buy property, and purchase vehicles to move families and goods around.

Behaviour Framework

Our behavioural framework underpins our purpose and strategic drivers. It outlines the behaviours we need to demonstrate to succeed. In your second interview, we’ll ask you to discuss examples of how you’ve demonstrated these behaviours in previous roles.

The Benefits

We offer a competitive basic salary and reward package, and you’ll benefit from a commitment to investing in your professional development throughout your journey with us.

• 30 days annual leave
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Private Medical Insurance – provided by Bupa. Aldermore pays the premium and you pay the tax.
• Pension – managed by Aviva. Save for your retirement, with contributions enhanced by up to 2× by Aldermore.
• Generous maternity leave package of up to six months on full pay
• Group Income Protection – financial support equivalent to 75% of your basic salary if you can’t work due to illness or injury.
• Group Life Assurance – lump‑sum benefit to your family or next of kin if you pass while employed by the company.
• Employee Assistance Programme – access to qualified advisers for various life challenges through Zurich.
• Unlimited dental advice from UK dentists.
• Flu jab and eye‑care vouchers.
• Shopping discounts.
• Critical illness cover.
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme.
• Dental insurance.
• Give As You Earn.
• Government tax‑free childcare scheme.
• Octopus electric vehicle support.
• Bus and tram benefit.
• Save Our Planet – plant trees, build habitats, calculate your own carbon footprint, sponsor renewable energy projects.
• Season ticket loan.
• Microsoft discounts.
• Spouse or partner life assurance.
• Technology – buy new tech devices through salary deduction.
• Wearable technology.
• Wellbeing app.
• Will writing.
• Metrolink annual pass & Clipper ticket.