Underwriting Team Lead

Abound; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A fast-growing fintech company in the UK is seeking an Underwriting Team Lead to drive underwriting performance and operational excellence. This leadership role involves managing a team of underwriters, ensuring high-quality decisions, and achieving ambitious targets. Candidates should have at least 2 years of experience in underwriting leadership and a robust understanding of credit assessment. The position offers equity in the company, a hybrid work model, and multiple employee benefits including wellness initiatives and generous holiday allowance.

Benefits

Equity in the company

Hybrid working model

25 days' holiday plus 8 bank holidays

2 paid volunteering days

One month paid sabbatical after 4 years

Employee loan

Free gym membership

Team wellness budget

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years' experience in a Senior Underwriting or Team Lead role.
• Proven ability to inspire, motivate, and develop others.
• Strong understanding of credit policy and affordability assessment.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of up to 10 underwriters.
• Drive team performance to achieve quality and customer outcome targets.
• Analyse Open Banking data to assess affordability and creditworthiness.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Risk management

Time management

Job description

About Abound

We're on a mission to make affordable loans available to more people. Using the power of Open Banking, we have built state-of-the-art technology that allows us to look beyond traditional credit scores and offer fairer credit to people ignored by traditional lenders.

We have two parts of our business. On the consumer side, we have Abound. Abound has proven that our approach works at scale, with over £800 million lent to-date. While other lenders only look at your credit score, we use Open Banking to look at the full picture - what you earn, how you spend, and what's left at the end.

On the B2B side, we have Render. Render is our award-winning software-as-a-service platform that allows Abound to make better, less risky lending decisions. And less risky decisions mean we can offer customers better rates than they can usually find elsewhere. We're taking Render global so that more companies, from high-street banks to other fintechs, can offer affordable credit to their customers.

About the role

As Underwriting Team Lead, you will play a pivotal role in driving Fintern's underwriting performance and operational excellence. Leading a team of skilled underwriters, you'll inspire a culture of high achievement, precision, and continuous improvement - ensuring every decision upholds Fintern's standards of fairness, quality, and customer care.

This is a dynamic leadership position that demands drive, innovation, and adaptability. You'll be responsible for delivering against ambitious performance targets, overseeing underwriting quality, and ensuring team efficiency across day to day operations. You'll lead from the front - setting clear expectations, mentoring your team, and empowering them to consistently deliver strong results.

Collaboration will be key. You'll work closely with senior stakeholders to refine our underwriting strategies, enhance decision frameworks, and introduce innovative solutions that improve accuracy, scalability, and customer outcomes. You'll bring analytical rigor, sound judgment, and a proactive approach to every challenge.

At Abound, we believe excellence should be recognised and rewarded. Outstanding performance in this role is supported by a competitive bonus and incentive structure, designed to celebrate individuals and teams who consistently meet or exceed targets.

In this position, you'll not only guide a high-performing team but also help shape the future of our underwriting function - driving innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable growth in a fast paced fintech environment.

How we work

• Shift pattern work covering 8am to 8pm


• Some Saturday and bank holiday working

What you'll be doing

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of up to 10 underwriters, setting clear goals and expectations.


• Drive team performance to achieve productivity, quality, and customer outcome targets.


• Support the Head of Underwriting in strategic initiatives, onboarding, and departmental improvements.


• Take ownership of escalated credit decisions and complaints, ensuring balanced, compliant, and fair outcomes.


• Underwrite unsecured personal loan applications using cutting edge decision technology.


• Analyse Open Banking data to assess affordability and creditworthiness with precision.


• Perform detailed fraud and AML checks in line with company policy.


• Provide quality assurance feedback, conduct 1:1 reviews, and foster continuous professional growth.


• Champion innovation by trialling new products, technologies, and underwriting approaches.


• Collaborate across departments to drive alignment, efficiency, and operational excellence.

Who you are

• Minimum 2 years' experience in a Senior Underwriting or Team Lead role.


• Proven ability to inspire, motivate, and develop others.


• Demonstrated success in achieving performance targets within a fast paced environment.


• Strong understanding of credit policy, affordability assessment, and risk management.


• Excellent communication, organisational, and time management skills.


• Resilient, adaptable, and proactive in navigating change.


• Experience in near prime lending or a fintech/start up environment is advantageous.


• A \"Customer First\" mindset and a commitment to quality in every decision.

What we offer

• Everyone owns a piece of the company - equity


• Hybrid with 3 days a week in the office


• 25 days' holiday a year, plus 8 bank holidays


• 2 paid volunteering days per year


• One month paid sabbatical after 4 years


• Employee loan


• Free gym membership


• Team wellness budget to be active together - set up a yoga class, a tennis lesson or go bouldering