Careers

Compliance Monitoring & Oversight Officer

About us

Belmont Green provide mortgage solutions operating through its “Vida Homeloans” brand for Buy to Let (BTL) and residential borrowers (ROO) who find themselves underserved elsewhere. Our borrowers range from Buy to Let investors, to the self-employed and customers with multiple jobs. Our business model and strategy are underpinned by our core purpose to ‘Help More People Find a Place to call Home’.

We are here to help the under-served, especially those with more nuanced personal circumstances or borrowing needs who are not able to access a mortgage from a mainstream mortgage lender. Working exclusively with intermediary partners, we combine cutting-edge technology with skilled and caring underwriting expertise to solve complex customer problems.

As a business with an aspiration to become a bank and grow over the coming years, we recognise the importance of having a clearly articulated culture strategy and the need to actively manage how it embeds in the business together with the behaviours which exemplify it.

As a recognised Best Companies Top 100 mid-sized company to work for in the UK and a finalist at the Financial Reporter Women’s Recognition Awards, we take pride in our diverse workforce, championing both ethic and gender diversity through our EDI commitments.

Having met the target set by being a member of the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter we have 50% of senior management roles filled by women.

With offices in Egham, London, and Skipton, we bring our teams together regularly to collaborate and empower our colleagues to have more choice around when and where they work on the days they are not in the office, with colleagues working remotely in various locations across the UK.

Our Culture

We are proud to have built a culture founded on an ethos of caring, and that sits at the heart of our Vida Values, driving the way we run our business, support our customers and other stakeholders on a daily basis.

We genuinely care about delivering the right outcomes for all of our stakeholders who we consider through the cultural framework as our customers, colleagues, company and communities that we operate in.

By Joining Vida you will have a sense of belonging in what is a diverse and collaborative environment, where you will be empowered to take responsibility for driving delivery.

We embrace a diversity of backgrounds and experiences in our people, in the deeply held belief that better outcomes are achieved for customers when our colleagues are better placed to empathise with and understand their unique circumstances. From application to interview, we place inclusion at the heart of all we do.

Role Overview:

To assist with the implementation of an effective Compliance Monitoring and Testing Programme. To help provide oversight of and challenge to policies, frameworks, tools, techniques, and support to enable risk and compliance to be managed in the first line, conduct monitoring to assess how effectively they are doing it, and help ensure consistency in regulatory risk management.

Key Responsibilities:

Assist and support the Senior Compliance Manager with the overall design and delivery of a proportionate, risk-based Monitoring and Testing programme including a Regulatory Inventory and Compliance Risk Assessment in conjunction with other team members, to identify the key regulatory risks applicable to BGFL.
Assist with the embedding of a customer outcomes mind-set, ensuring monitoring is focused on the identification of and enhancements to customer outcomes for all Vida customers (mortgages and retail savings).

Provide 2nd line monitoring and testing:

Perform thematic testing reviews and escalate findings to key stakeholders, working with business owners to address and mitigate any concerns identified.
Perform ongoing monitoring of key regulatory processes, ensuring key regulatory risks are identified and regularly assessed.
Perform ‘check the checker’ testing on the 1st line control framework and provide challenge and feedback to help strengthen/enhance, as appropriate.
Ensure actions are tracked to closure (including post closure testing/monitoring where appropriate)

Track, monitor and report on progress of the annual monitoring programme, updating it on a continuous basis to adapt to the changing environment and risks within the business.
Assist with the identification and assessment of current and future regulatory risks across key areas in compliance monitoring and flag/escalate issues in a timely manner. Where appropriate make recommendations to mitigate those risks
Make recommendations to improve policies, processes, and rules to improve the effectiveness of the controls, identify non-compliance with regulations or policies, identifying gaps in systems and processes.
Report clearly, accurately, and insightfully on Compliance Monitoring matters through internal governance (ERC and BRC)
Update job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities including qualifications; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organisations.
Ensure activities are aligned with those of other areas of the business e.g. operations teams such as New Business Operations, Collections and Recoveries and Customer Services, and the other 2nd line teams such as, Operational Risk and Credit Risk

Knowledge & Experience:

Experience and understanding the UK financial services industry, provision of credit and risk associated with lending.
Experience within a Compliance function and/or controls environment, ideally within a lending business.
Knowledge of reviewing, interpretation of and implementation of FCA regulatory requirements (FCA Handbook)
Proven experience of initiating and implementing process development
Knowledge of FCA regulatory expectations within a UK financial services environment for both mortgages and savings.
Good written communication skills with ability to present information clearly, concisely and accurately.
Good analytical skills with ability to gather and manage information effectively, efficiently and ethically.
Strong communication skills with the ability to communicate and present to all levels both internally and externally.

Personal qualities:

Independently and collaboratively formulates strategic solutions and considers opportunities which will add value to the business and meet organisational goals.
Sets the tone for compliance and control and demonstrates and reinforces values through own behaviour to establish high standards of working practice and desired culture.
Fosters trust and collaboration by displaying respect of peoples’ beliefs, values, and time with openness and integrity.
Communicates in a constructive, friendly, and positive manner that demonstrates respect and sets an example to all.
Adapts communication style as appropriate to, support, coach and motivate both individuals and the organisation on regulatory matters, dependent on the given situation.
Confident in challenging others, whilst at the same time maintaining and building a professional relationship

Our Values

Our values are well established and recognised throughout our organisation. They provide a frame of reference for the behaviours expected from our colleagues every day.

We find ways to break old conventions, especially those which cause exclusion or customer harm. We look for these qualities when hiring new talent into the organisation, and they underpin our approach to personal development and performance management for all our people. At the heart of this is the fact we care about our Customers, Our Colleagues and our Communities. We are:

Visionary - We innovate and break old habits, thinking big and pushing boundaries together as one team

Inclusive - We value each other’s differences and work to see people for who they really are

Dynamic - We are flexible and fast, cutting through complexity and never accepting second best

Authentic - We are honest and genuine, what you see is what you get

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees’ professional and personal needs. Further details can be provided upon application.

Prudential Risk Manager

About us

Belmont Green provide mortgage solutions operating through its “Vida Homeloans” brand for Buy to Let (BTL) and residential borrowers (ROO) who find themselves underserved elsewhere. Our borrowers range from Buy to Let investors, to the self-employed and customers with multiple jobs. Our business model and strategy are underpinned by our core purpose to ‘Help More People Find a Place to call Home’.

We are here to help the under-served, especially those with more nuanced personal circumstances or borrowing needs who are not able to access a mortgage from a mainstream mortgage lender. Working exclusively with intermediary partners, we combine cutting-edge technology with skilled and caring underwriting expertise to solve complex customer problems.

As a business with an aspiration to become a bank and grow over the coming years, we recognise the importance of having a clearly articulated culture strategy and the need to actively manage how it embeds in the business together with the behaviours which exemplify it.

As a recognised Best Companies Top 100 mid-sized company to work for in the UK and a finalist at the Financial Reporter Women’s Recognition Awards, we take pride in our diverse workforce, championing both ethic and gender diversity through our EDI commitments.

Having met the target set by being a member of the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter we have 50% of senior management roles filled by women.

With offices in Egham, London, and Skipton, we bring our teams together regularly to collaborate and empower our colleagues to have more choice around when and where they work on the days they are not in the office, with colleagues working remotely in various locations across the UK.

Our Culture

We are proud to have built a culture founded on an ethos of caring, and that sits at the heart of our Vida Values, driving the way we run our business, support our customers and other stakeholders on a daily basis.

We genuinely care about delivering the right outcomes for all of our stakeholders who we consider through the cultural framework as our customers, colleagues, company and communities that we operate in.

By Joining Vida you will have a sense of belonging in what is a diverse and collaborative environment, where you will be empowered to take responsibility for driving delivery.

We embrace a diversity of backgrounds and experiences in our people, in the deeply held belief that better outcomes are achieved for customers when our colleagues are better placed to empathise with and understand their unique circumstances. From application to interview, we place inclusion at the heart of all we do.

Role Overview:

In anticipation of authorisation as a bank, we are looking to grow our Prudential Risk team by adding a Prudential Risk Manager.

The Prudential Risk Manager will support the Director of Prudential Risk in providing oversight of all aspects of prudential risk, with a particular focus on Treasury Risk, including wholesale credit risk related activities.

Key Responsibilities:

Support the Director of Prudential Risk in the second line oversight of prudential risks including capital, liquidity, funding, market and wholesale credit risks.
Monitor adherence to prudential risk limits, investigating any large movements and providing commentary to key governance committees.
Support the Regulatory Early Warnings process including horizon scanning for potential regulatory change and supporting in the assessment of its impact on the business.
Assist with regulatory communications, supporting the CRO and Director of Prudential Risk in the management of the relationship with the PRA.
Provide oversight of prudential related regulatory reporting, to include COREP, FINREP and liquidity reporting as well as ad-hoc reporting required by the PRA.
Support in the oversight of key regulatory documents including the ICAAP, ILAAP, Recovery Plan and Resolution Pack.

Take a leading role in the oversight of wholesale credit risk, including:
Completing counterparty credit risk assessments to support the onboarding of new Treasury counterparties, as well as ongoing due diligence in line with the Wholesale Credit Policy.
Monitoring and analyse wholesale credit risk KRIs and risk appetite metrics
Monitoring compliance with the Wholesale Credit Policy, including Counterparty Credit limits and dealer mandates.
Supporting the risk assessment of new Treasury products
Monitoring Treasury compliance with applicable regulations.

Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships throughout the business, with a particular focus on Treasury and Finance.

Requirements:

Experience of Prudential Risk (and ideally Treasury Risk) at either a retail bank / building society, consultancy or regulatory body.
Experience in completion of at least one regulatory document e.g. ICAAP, ILAAP, Recovery Plan.
Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accuracy under time pressure.
Effective oral and written communicator (the role will involve report writing).

Our Values

Our values are well established and recognised throughout our organisation. They provide a frame of reference for the behaviours expected from our colleagues every day.

We find ways to break old conventions, especially those which cause exclusion or customer harm. We look for these qualities when hiring new talent into the organisation, and they underpin our approach to personal development and performance management for all our people. At the heart of this is the fact we care about our Customers, Our Colleagues and our Communities. We are:

Visionary - We innovate and break old habits, thinking big and pushing boundaries together as one team

Inclusive - We value each other’s differences and work to see people for who they really are

Dynamic - We are flexible and fast, cutting through complexity and never accepting second best

Authentic - We are honest and genuine, what you see is what you get

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees’ professional and personal needs. Further details can be provided upon application.

Financial Accountant 12-month FTC

Job Title: Financial Accountant

Position: 12-month maternity cover

About us

Belmont Green provide mortgage solutions operating through its “Vida Homeloans” brand for Buy to Let (BTL) and residential borrowers (ROO) who find themselves underserved elsewhere. Our borrowers range from Buy to Let investors, to the self-employed and customers with multiple jobs. Our business model and strategy are underpinned by our core purpose to ‘Help More People Find a Place to call Home’.

We are here to help the under-served, especially those with more nuanced personal circumstances or borrowing needs who are not able to access a mortgage from a mainstream mortgage lender. Working exclusively with intermediary partners, we combine cutting-edge technology with skilled and caring underwriting expertise to solve complex customer problems.

As a business with an aspiration to become a bank and grow over the coming years, we recognise the importance of having a clearly articulated culture strategy and the need to actively manage how it embeds in the business together with the behaviours which exemplify it.

As a recognised Best Companies Top 100 mid-sized company to work for in the UK and a finalist at the Financial Reporter Women’s Recognition Awards, we take pride in our diverse workforce, championing both ethic and gender diversity through our EDI commitments.

Having met the target set by being a member of the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter we have 50% of senior management roles filled by women.

With offices in Egham, London, and Skipton, we bring our teams together regularly to collaborate and empower our colleagues to have more choice around when and where they work on the days they are not in the office, with colleagues working remotely in various locations across the UK.

Our Culture

We are proud to have built a culture founded on an ethos of caring, and that sits at the heart of our Vida Values, driving the way we run our business, support our customers and other stakeholders on a daily basis.

We genuinely care about delivering the right outcomes for all of our stakeholders who we consider through the cultural framework as our customers, colleagues, company and communities that we operate in.

By Joining Vida you will have a sense of belonging in what is a diverse and collaborative environment, where you will be empowered to take responsibility for driving delivery.

We embrace a diversity of backgrounds and experiences in our people, in the deeply held belief that better outcomes are achieved for customers when our colleagues are better placed to empathise with and understand their unique circumstances. From application to interview, we place inclusion at the heart of all we do.

Role Overview:

The Finance team is responsible for the financial integrity of the Belmont Green business. This involves the preparation of management and statutory accounts as well as maintaining the underlying accounting records.

The Financial Accountant will have a key role in liaising with our statutory auditors in the preparation and delivery of the annual report and accounts. The role will also play a part in establishing appropriate procedures and controls within the area of financial accounting as the business obtains it’s banking licence.

Key Responsibilities:

Be a key point of contact for the year end auditors including liaising with internal stakeholders to deliver the information requested.
Input into the preparation of the annual report and accounts for multiple entities ensuring filing deadlines are met.
Maintain and improve accuracy of financial controls, including documenting finance processes and procedures.
Monitoring and posting of employee expenses in line with the expense policy.
Undertake general ledger reconciliations including loan notes, funder control, securitisation costs, warehouse funding to support the delivery of month end closing processes.
Help the team with maintaining accounts payable, cost accounting, revenue recognition and payments.
Support the team with ad hoc analyses as required.

This is a perfect opportunity for a first-time mover from an audit practice or banking background looking to join a modern, dynamic and growing business that is soon to be a bank. The role will provide a fantastic stepping stone for anyone looking for a career path to Financial Controller.

Requirements:

Essential

Proven experience with statutory accounts preparation within a financial services / structured finance / banking organisation.
Thorough knowledge of accounting principles and procedures.
Fully ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified.
Able to work independently remotely but work well to support the team.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Excellent attention to detail and well organised.
Thorough knowledge of MS Excel, Word and Powerpoint.

Desirable

Previous experience of working with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Knowledge of accounting for securitisations and warehouse facilities (including consolidation).
Experience of working with IFRS9.
Experience using SAP concur or Pleo.

Our Values

Our values are well established and recognised throughout our organisation. They provide a frame of reference for the behaviours expected from our colleagues every day.

We find ways to break old conventions, especially those which cause exclusion or customer harm. We look for these qualities when hiring new talent into the organisation, and they underpin our approach to personal development and performance management for all our people. At the heart of this is the fact we care about our Customers, Our Colleagues and our Communities. We are:

Visionary - We innovate and break old habits, thinking big and pushing boundaries together as one team

Inclusive - We value each other’s differences and work to see people for who they really are

Dynamic - We are flexible and fast, cutting through complexity and never accepting second best

Authentic - We are honest and genuine, what you see is what you get

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees’ professional and personal needs. Further details can be provided upon application.

Mortgage Lending Administrator

About us

Belmont Green provide mortgage solutions operating through its “Vida Homeloans” brand for Buy to Let (BTL) and residential borrowers (ROO) who find themselves underserved elsewhere. Our borrowers range from Buy to Let investors, to the self-employed and customers with multiple jobs. Our business model and strategy are underpinned by our core purpose to ‘Help More People Find a Place to call Home’.

We are here to help the under-served, especially those with more nuanced personal circumstances or borrowing needs who are not able to access a mortgage from a mainstream mortgage lender. Working exclusively with intermediary partners, we combine cutting-edge technology with skilled and caring underwriting expertise to solve complex customer problems.

As a business with an aspiration to become a bank and grow over the coming years, we recognise the importance of having a clearly articulated culture strategy and the need to actively manage how it embeds in the business together with the behaviours which exemplify it.

As a recognised Best Companies Top 100 mid-sized company to work for in the UK and a finalist at the Financial Reporter Women’s Recognition Awards, we take pride in our diverse workforce, championing both ethic and gender diversity through our EDI commitments.

Having met the target set by being a member of the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter we have 50% of senior management roles filled by women.

With offices in Egham, London, and Skipton, we bring our teams together regularly to collaborate and empower our colleagues to have more choice around when and where they work on the days they are not in the office, with colleagues working remotely in various locations across the UK.

Our Culture

We are proud to have built a culture founded on an ethos of caring, and that sits at the heart of our Vida Values, driving the way we run our business, support our customers and other stakeholders on a daily basis.

We genuinely care about delivering the right outcomes for all of our stakeholders who we consider through the cultural framework as our customers, colleagues, company and communities that we operate in.

By Joining Vida you will have a sense of belonging in what is a diverse and collaborative environment, where you will be empowered to take responsibility for driving delivery.

We embrace a diversity of backgrounds and experiences in our people, in the deeply held belief that better outcomes are achieved for customers when our colleagues are better placed to empathise with and understand their unique circumstances. From application to interview, we place inclusion at the heart of all we do.

Role Overview:

The Mortgage Lending Administrator will work as part of a team to ensure that departmental targets are met, along with maintaining high standards to all stakeholders, in particular intermediaries, by managing the administration and communications of a pipeline of mortgage cases. There is a focus on driving excellence of service, with the opportunity to add value to your team by devising innovative ways to improve productivity or improve service.

Key Responsibilities:

Work as part of a team to ensure departmental targets are met along with maintaining high service standards to all stakeholders, in particular intermediaries.
Check adequacy and authenticity of reference enquiries together with the raising queries as necessary
Respond to customer, intermediary or solicitor enquiries
Build successful working relationships with external contacts such as brokers, customers, surveyors and solicitors as well as internal teams such as Sales & Marketing, Risk, Compliance etc to help to ensure all lending requirements are satisfied prior to release of funds
Ensure workload is actioned within set SLA
Ensure a high level of customer service is maintained on a daily basis
Identify ways to improve department productivity or quality of service to brokers
Interact with intermediaries and customers to ensure expectations are being met at all times
Receive inbound calls from intermediaries and action as appropriate
Deliver on promises made
Target Right First Time procedures and processes
Outbound calls – chase valuations and intermediary documents
Send out mortgage offers
Input of valuation reports / Data input

Requirements:

Previous experience of mortgage/loans processing (desirable)
Administration and/or workflow experience
Customer contact experience with a commitment to customer service excellence
Familiar with the financial services marketplace (desirable)
Strong administrative and organisational ability
Excellent keyboard and IT literacy (including use of Microsoft Word and Excel)
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Confident, clear and professional telephone manner
Attention to detail
Ability to perform well under pressure and adhere to strict deadlines
Ability to work as part of a team
Able to quickly assimilate & understand new information
Flexible approach to working practices
Desire to progress to hold a lending mandate to approve mortgage applications

Our Values

Our values are well established and recognised throughout our organisation. They provide a frame of reference for the behaviours expected from our colleagues every day.

We find ways to break old conventions, especially those which cause exclusion or customer harm. We look for these qualities when hiring new talent into the organisation, and they underpin our approach to personal development and performance management for all our people. At the heart of this is the fact we care about our Customers, Our Colleagues and our Communities. We are:

Visionary - We innovate and break old habits, thinking big and pushing boundaries together as one team

Inclusive - We value each other’s differences and work to see people for who they really are

Dynamic - We are flexible and fast, cutting through complexity and never accepting second best

Authentic - We are honest and genuine, what you see is what you get

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees’ professional and personal needs. Further details can be provided upon application.

Underwriter

About us

Belmont Green provide mortgage solutions operating through its “Vida Homeloans” brand for Buy to Let (BTL) and residential borrowers (ROO) who find themselves underserved elsewhere. Our borrowers range from Buy to Let investors, to the self-employed and customers with multiple jobs. Our business model and strategy are underpinned by our core purpose to ‘Help More People Find a Place to call Home’.

We are here to help the under-served, especially those with more nuanced personal circumstances or borrowing needs who are not able to access a mortgage from a mainstream mortgage lender. Working exclusively with intermediary partners, we combine cutting-edge technology with skilled and caring underwriting expertise to solve complex customer problems.

As a business with an aspiration to become a bank and grow over the coming years, we recognise the importance of having a clearly articulated culture strategy and the need to actively manage how it embeds in the business together with the behaviours which exemplify it.

As a recognised Best Companies Top 100 mid-sized company to work for in the UK and a finalist at the Financial Reporter Women’s Recognition Awards, we take pride in our diverse workforce, championing both ethic and gender diversity through our EDI commitments.

Having met the target set by being a member of the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter we have 50% of senior management roles filled by women.

With offices in Egham, London, and Skipton, we bring our teams together regularly to collaborate and empower our colleagues to have more choice around when and where they work on the days they are not in the office, with colleagues working remotely in various locations across the UK.

Our Culture

We are proud to have built a culture founded on an ethos of caring, and that sits at the heart of our Vida Values, driving the way we run our business, support our customers and other stakeholders on a daily basis.

We genuinely care about delivering the right outcomes for all of our stakeholders who we consider through the cultural framework as our customers, colleagues, company and communities that we operate in.

By Joining Vida you will have a sense of belonging in what is a diverse and collaborative environment, where you will be empowered to take responsibility for driving delivery.

We embrace a diversity of backgrounds and experiences in our people, in the deeply held belief that better outcomes are achieved for customers when our colleagues are better placed to empathise with and understand their unique circumstances. From application to interview, we place inclusion at the heart of all we do.

Role Overview:

The successful candidate will be a suitably qualified and experienced manual Underwriter in the specialist mortgage market, having recently held both Residential and Buy to Let lending mandates for a minimum of 2 years and a strong understanding of complex specialist lending scenarios.

They’ll be confident and well-reasoned in their decision making with excellent attention to detail, proactive in managing their applications, always be striving to provide an excellent customer journey and be a great team player.

Key Responsibilities:

Underwrite and decision complex Residential and BTL mortgage applications whilst ensuring exceptional customer service
Self-manage their own caseload in line with the business priorities while achieving agreed production and quality targets, and annual objectives
Have a ‘can do’ approach to responsible lending decision making, considering mortgage applications outside of our standard lending policy where a justifiable business reason exists
Ensure responsibilities regarding Consumer Duty, the Prevention of Financial Crime (including AML, identification, and reporting of fraud) and responsible lending are carried out effectively and in accordance with the Company’s policies
Develop and maintain knowledge of our mortgage products and our bespoke underwriting approach, aligned to Vida’s risk appetite, products, and criteria
Support out Intermediary partners with their queries

Requirements:

Extensive experience of specialist mortgage manual underwriting, the mortgage intermediary market, its products, marketing approach and processes
Held a specialist residential and BTL lending mandate for a minimum of 2 years (£500k+ mandate desirable)
A detailed understanding of complex Residential and BTL lending types, such as: Portfolio Buy to Let, SPV’s, New Build, Help to Buy/First Home Fund, Contractors, Ex-Pats, Self-Employed, Credit Repair, HMOs and MUBs and LIR.
Regulation / Legislation Awareness - Knowledge of the Regulated Financial Services environment and a demonstrable understanding of Consumer Duty and responsible lending.
CeMap qualified or industry equivalent (desirable)
Able to demonstrate a proactive, hardworking and flexible attitude to work and be team player
Proficient in MS Office, credit risk decision systems

Our Values

Our values are well established and recognised throughout our organisation. They provide a frame of reference for the behaviours expected from our colleagues every day.

We find ways to break old conventions, especially those which cause exclusion or customer harm. We look for these qualities when hiring new talent into the organisation, and they underpin our approach to personal development and performance management for all our people. At the heart of this is the fact we care about our Customers, Our Colleagues and our Communities. We are:

Visionary - We innovate and break old habits, thinking big and pushing boundaries together as one team

Inclusive - We value each other’s differences and work to see people for who they really are

Dynamic - We are flexible and fast, cutting through complexity and never accepting second best

Authentic - We are honest and genuine, what you see is what you get

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees’ professional and personal needs. Further details can be provided upon application.

Senior Underwriter

About us

Belmont Green provide mortgage solutions operating through its “Vida Homeloans” brand for Buy to Let (BTL) and residential borrowers (ROO) who find themselves underserved elsewhere. Our borrowers range from Buy to Let investors, to the self-employed and customers with multiple jobs. Our business model and strategy are underpinned by our core purpose to ‘Help More People Find a Place to call Home’.

We are here to help the under-served, especially those with more nuanced personal circumstances or borrowing needs who are not able to access a mortgage from a mainstream mortgage lender. Working exclusively with intermediary partners, we combine cutting-edge technology with skilled and caring underwriting expertise to solve complex customer problems.

As a business with an aspiration to become a bank and grow over the coming years, we recognise the importance of having a clearly articulated culture strategy and the need to actively manage how it embeds in the business together with the behaviours which exemplify it.

As a recognised Best Companies Top 100 mid-sized company to work for in the UK and a finalist at the Financial Reporter Women’s Recognition Awards, we take pride in our diverse workforce, championing both ethic and gender diversity through our EDI commitments.

Having met the target set by being a member of the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter we have 50% of senior management roles filled by women.

With offices in Egham, London, and Skipton, we bring our teams together regularly to collaborate and empower our colleagues to have more choice around when and where they work on the days they are not in the office, with colleagues working remotely in various locations across the UK.

Our Culture

We are proud to have built a culture founded on an ethos of caring, and that sits at the heart of our Vida Values, driving the way we run our business, support our customers and other stakeholders on a daily basis.

We genuinely care about delivering the right outcomes for all of our stakeholders who we consider through the cultural framework as our customers, colleagues, company and communities that we operate in.

By Joining Vida you will have a sense of belonging in what is a diverse and collaborative environment, where you will be empowered to take responsibility for driving delivery.

We embrace a diversity of backgrounds and experiences in our people, in the deeply held belief that better outcomes are achieved for customers when our colleagues are better placed to empathise with and understand their unique circumstances. From application to interview, we place inclusion at the heart of all we do.

Role Overview:

A level 5 (£750k) mandated underwriter is responsible for ensuring effective and efficient processing of all mortgage applications whilst developing successful relationship with brokers and advisors, and thereby enhancing our service throughout the customer journey.

Ensuring all financial, quality, regulatory, responsible lending and service requirements are met and maintained.

Key Responsibilities:

Maintaining a level 5 underwriting mandate (or above) and underwriting and decisioning mortgage applications using a holistic approach that is in line with our risk appetite, regulatory obligations, and that ensures the delivery of exceptional customer service.
Operating within agreed mandate to effectively utilise allowable exceptions to policy where appropriate and based on judgement and experience.
Review exception requests from other underwriters, approving where appropriate and providing feedback where you are unable to agree the exception.
Deliver operational effectiveness, achieving targets and objectives set by the business.
Ensure responsibilities regarding Consumer Duty, the Prevention of Financial Crime (including AML, identification and reporting of fraud), responsible lending and complaints are carried out effectively and in accordance with the Company’s policies.
Acquire a full understanding of our mortgage products and criteria.
Manage and organise caseload in line with the priorities of the business.
Build successful working relationships across the business, including our Credit and Sales functions.
Supporting the Change environment including the testing lifecycle and system development

Requirements:

Hold at least a £750k mandate (Level 5)
Extensive experience of mortgage underwriting, the mortgage intermediary market, its products, marketing approach and processes
Manual mortgage underwriting experience
Regulation / Legislation Awareness - Knowledge of the Regulated Financial Services environment and demonstrable understanding of Consumer Duty, responsible lending, and regulatory knowledge
CeMAP qualified or industry equivalent – desirable but not essential
A pro-active and customer journey focused approach
Experience of working to operational excellence metrics
Able to demonstrate a proactive, hardworking, and flexible approach, and be able to work under own initiative but also a team player.
Proficient in MS Office, credit risk decision systems

Our Values

Our values are well established and recognised throughout our organisation. They provide a frame of reference for the behaviours expected from our colleagues every day.

We find ways to break old conventions, especially those which cause exclusion or customer harm. We look for these qualities when hiring new talent into the organisation, and they underpin our approach to personal development and performance management for all our people. At the heart of this is the fact we care about our Customers, Our Colleagues and our Communities. We are:

Visionary - We innovate and break old habits, thinking big and pushing boundaries together as one team

Inclusive - We value each other’s differences and work to see people for who they really are

Dynamic - We are flexible and fast, cutting through complexity and never accepting second best

Authentic - We are honest and genuine, what you see is what you get

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees’ professional and personal needs. Further details can be provided upon application.

Operations Team Manager

About us

Belmont Green provide mortgage solutions operating through its “Vida Homeloans” brand for Buy to Let (BTL) and residential borrowers (ROO) who find themselves underserved elsewhere. Our borrowers range from Buy to Let investors, to the self-employed and customers with multiple jobs. Our business model and strategy are underpinned by our core purpose to ‘Help More People Find a Place to call Home’.

We are here to help the under-served, especially those with more nuanced personal circumstances or borrowing needs who are not able to access a mortgage from a mainstream mortgage lender. Working exclusively with intermediary partners, we combine cutting-edge technology with skilled and caring underwriting expertise to solve complex customer problems.

As a business with an aspiration to become a bank and grow over the coming years, we recognise the importance of having a clearly articulated culture strategy and the need to actively manage how it embeds in the business together with the behaviours which exemplify it.

As a recognised Best Companies Top 100 mid-sized company to work for in the UK and a finalist at the Financial Reporter Women’s Recognition Awards, we take pride in our diverse workforce, championing both ethic and gender diversity through our EDI commitments.

Having met the target set by being a member of the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter we have 50% of senior management roles filled by women.

With offices in Egham, London, and Skipton, we bring our teams together regularly to collaborate and empower our colleagues to have more choice around when and where they work on the days they are not in the office, with colleagues working remotely in various locations across the UK.

Our Culture

We are proud to have built a culture founded on an ethos of caring, and that sits at the heart of our Vida Values, driving the way we run our business, support our customers and other stakeholders on a daily basis.

We genuinely care about delivering the right outcomes for all of our stakeholders who we consider through the cultural framework as our customers, colleagues, company and communities that we operate in.

By Joining Vida you will have a sense of belonging in what is a diverse and collaborative environment, where you will be empowered to take responsibility for driving delivery.

We embrace a diversity of backgrounds and experiences in our people, in the deeply held belief that better outcomes are achieved for customers when our colleagues are better placed to empathise with and understand their unique circumstances. From application to interview, we place inclusion at the heart of all we do.

Role Overview:

The successful applicant will lead a mortgage underwriting team within New Business Operations, ensuring effective processing, administering and decisioning of all mortgage applications.

They will continually look for ways to deliver an excellent standard of service to our customers by supporting their team in achieving key objectives and by using operational excellence techniques to continually develop their people and the processes they use, whilst ensuring that all financial, quality, regulatory, risk and service requirements are maintained through effective oversight and control.

Key Responsibilities:

Act as a role model for behaviours and create a productive and constructive team culture in a remote working environment
Understand and effectively manage team wellbeing and morale through regular catch ups and 1:1s, and with effective use of the support provided by the business
Recognise and share excellent individual performance with the senior management team and wider business through the range of recognition channels
Understand and raise key team challenges along with proposed solutions
Optimise their team’s output through effective allocation and workload and capacity management, ensuring their team meets key KPIs and SLAs on a daily, weekly & monthly basis
Set individual annual objectives, aligned to business goals
Keep accurate records of their peoples’ performance against their annual objectives to share with them at regular intervals, and for presenting at periodic performance calibration sessions
Use effective leadership and feedback to develop their people and support them to achieve their personal development goals
Support underperforming individuals to improve through effective performance management
Ensure their team maintains a high level of customer service
Ensure all decisions are made within regulatory standards aligned with business needs and lending risk strategy
Ensure responsibilities regarding Consumer Duty, the Prevention of Financial Crime (including AML, identification and reporting of fraud) and responsible lending are carried out effectively and in accordance with the company’s policies
Present their team’s performance at regular operational performance sessions
Build strong relationships with their people, counterparts and key stakeholders across the business, and externally with suppliers and customers
Work as part of the NBO management team, sharing common role responsibilities for optimum operational effectiveness
Identify ways to improve productivity, decisioning quality and service to intermediaries and assist in the continued improvement of the originations systems, processes and procedures
Support the change environment including the testing lifecycle, system development and the delivery of relevant key changes
Be involved in the wider change management process by attending and contributing to meetings surrounding the company wide change landscape
Achieve their own annual objectives
Self-manage and organise their own workload in line with business priorities
Maintain an up to date working knowledge of our products and policies
Maintain knowledge of the current regulations and legislation applicable to underwriting
Ensure that all complaints are handled in accordance with the Complaints Handling procedure
On occasion, be a representative of the business at third party locations

Requirements:

Leadership Skills and Personal Qualities:

Excellent leadership behaviours, including strong interpersonal skills, influence and effective communication
A desire to embrace the company’s strategy and create a high performing team culture that embodies our values
Able to develop a team by motivating and building skillsets through coaching, mentoring, training and effective development plans that drive results, support retention and succession planning
Be a role model for behaviours, with strong personal resilience and drive to succeed
Able to work under their own initiative and multi-task to balance competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
Be a strong team player
Ability to produce, analyse and interpret data, business requirements and regulatory guidelines
The awareness and drive to proactively identify, manage and support departmental improvement and drive operational excellence
The confidence to constructively challenge others with your own well thought out opinions, and to challenge the status quo
An ability to work with ambiguity

Knowledge and Experience:

A minimum of 5 year’s team management and leadership experience in an operational environment, including strong people management, development, coaching and performance management skills
Demonstrable experience of effectively leading teams to deliver operational targets and of improving operational efficiency
Experience working in a financial service ‘new business’ environment and working knowledge of the applicable regulations and legislation (specialist mortgage underwriting experience desirable)
Proficient in MS Office (i.e. Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams and PowerPoint)

Our Values

Our values are well established and recognised throughout our organisation. They provide a frame of reference for the behaviours expected from our colleagues every day.

We find ways to break old conventions, especially those which cause exclusion or customer harm. We look for these qualities when hiring new talent into the organisation, and they underpin our approach to personal development and performance management for all our people. At the heart of this is the fact we care about our Customers, Our Colleagues and our Communities. We are:

Visionary - We innovate and break old habits, thinking big and pushing boundaries together as one team

Inclusive - We value each other’s differences and work to see people for who they really are

Dynamic - We are flexible and fast, cutting through complexity and never accepting second best

Authentic - We are honest and genuine, what you see is what you get

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees’ professional and personal needs. Further details can be provided upon application.