If you are interested in this candidate, please contact Charlie Watson via email cwatson@cerfinancial.co.uk or call on 0207 626 6065.

00302185

PROFILE:

A confident professional with extensive experience in a range of target-based projects within various banking operations. As a valued member of the team, I am able to communicate concisely across all organisational levels, constantly seeking to learn and enhance operational processes. I am committed to delivering meaningful results punctually, ensuring flawless service for a broad spectrum of stakeholders. My approach to work is characterised by adept lateral thinking, enabling me to manage changing circumstances with tact and appropriateness. Recognised as a strong and supportive leader, I am able to motivate others to achieve results, and I thrive under pressure to meet client expectations and deadlines.

CAREER HISTORY:

February 2020 – Present

Banking

Assistant Manager of Credit Administration

Pre-Disbursement Responsibilities

• Co-ordinated the appointment of solicitors and valuers for loan transactions.
• Ensured all pre-sanction conditions were addressed by solicitors.
• Entered loan details into the system and processed disbursements for both residential and development loans.
• Reviewed the Report on Title (ROT) to confirm alignment with solicitors’ comments.
• Maintained and organised credit documentation files, and collated information for audit and compliance reviews.
• Developed policies and procedures for the Credit Administration Department (CAD) team.
• Supported business growth by implementing new CAD team procedures, increasing business from relationship managers.
• Raised average individual disbursements from £450k to over £3m, with a loan book of over £1.1Bn project disbursements now ranging from £15–25M
• Proactively identified potential gaps and risks in policies, facility/security documents, processes, SLAs, and reports, taking steps to improve these areas.

Post-Disbursement Responsibilities

• Ensured all post-sanction conditions were met and documentation was properly completed by solicitors.
• Monitored creation of securities, such as mortgages and pledges.
• Arranged for extension of mortgage validity and oversaw valuation of securities for existing loans.
• Safeguarded all client facility documentation, including security documents.
• Identified deviations from approved processes and recommended revised procedures for appropriate approval.
• Ensured the bank’s indemnity is protected when instructing reports.
• Possessed a strong understanding of the real estate due diligence process and the necessary documentation, with detailed knowledge of the legal and valuation requirements for lending and development facilities.
• Authorised branches for subsequent disbursements following QS reports.
• Managed end-to-end development funding and disbursements, liaising with key stakeholders throughout each project.

Other Responsibilities

• Handled day-to-day queries and managed team workflow.

Achievements

• Increased the loan book to over £1.1 billion in the past three years.

November 2018 – September 2019

Investments

Financial Administrator

• Oversaw the day-to-day running of the office, focusing on pre-completion and completion processes for client lending.
• Acted as the initial point of contact for borrowers, managing proposals and maintaining relationships with both new and existing clients.
• Conducted due diligence and completed applications to assess client eligibility.
• Maintained up-to-date client records, tracking application progress and existing accounts.
• Worked closely with solicitors and third parties, building and maintaining strong business relationships.

2017 – 2018

Investments

Investment Broker

• Certified investors and carried out due diligence after initial investment advice from senior brokers.
• Allocated suitable investment products to clients based on their future needs.
• Developed and maintained trust to build lasting client relationships for future growth and investment.
• Supported the sales process by following up on leads and generating new business.
• Responsibilities
• Monitored property markets, identifying new trends in emerging areas to inform client advice.

2002 – 2016

Wealth Management

Senior Lending Officer

• Demonstrated an excellent track record in executing banking transactions and managing high-profile client relationships for property and personal investments.
• Brought a commercial outlook and invaluable experience in risk management within private banking operations.
• Trained on the Land Registry system to complete complex UK property transactions.
• Managed the completion of property sales, including drafting contracts for security and providing deeds to solicitors for bank-held orders with redemption figures for closure.
• Issued discharge certificates (DS1, DS2, END1, TR1) and handled partial releases of security, particularly for property developers, landowners, and small estate holders initiating new developments.

Responsibilities

• Ensured daily funds were sufficient to complete redemption from suspense accounts as per client statements.
• Checked that no surplus funds remained in repayment accounts on a daily basis.
• Ensured all confirmations were completed satisfactorily and promptly.

Achievements

• Updated over 200,000 items of security on the Avaloq platform for Adam & Co. and Coutts & Co., enabling visibility of additional client security.
• Added £14.3 million in new security to the bank’s records for further advances and additional lending.

September 2007 – October 2010

Investments

Documentation Officer

• Worked as a Senior Lending Documentation Officer handling commercial, retail, private loans, and secured lending documentation.
• Created documentation for all security releases and discharges.
• Liaised with the legal department regarding credit facility documents and charged securities.
• Conducted post-drawdown checks on buy-to-let mortgages, updating valuations and processes as required.
• Processed loan repayments and closures (redemptions) including mortgages, and monitored debt management in line with security release agreements.
• Ensured compliance with company policies and FSA regulations, including Client Money & Assets (CASS) and Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) rules.

Responsibilities

• Safeguarded all security throughout the lending process.
• Provided solutions to complex queries, resolving client issues and outstanding problems.

Achievements

• Recovered over £2.3 million of security that should have been secured by the bank.
• Identified over 20,000 items of security eligible for release and return to clients.
• Helped clients save over £100,000 in storage costs for safe custody items no longer required.

April 2004 – August 2007

Investments

Senior Money Market Investment Officer

• Managed large cash balances in multiple currencies, including sterling, US dollars, and euros.
• Oversaw weekly and monthly fund rollovers, re-investing funds to maximise client returns.
• Monitored for fraudulent and irregular money investment activities.
• Maintained high levels of accuracy and awareness of market rates to enhance client investment outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Produced monthly data reports on client investments for directors and senior management.
• Generated daily investment keying documents documenting client holdings.

Achievements

• Reduced processing times for high-net-worth client investments following transfer to a new platform, improving efficiency.
• Helped develop a specialist instruction system for over 6,000 clients seeking non-automatic rollover options.
• Minimised keying times and reduced funding errors across client portfolios.

August 2002 – February 2004

Investments

International Payments Officer

• Managed international and domestic payments via the SWIFT system for both personal and business clients.
• Identified potential losses due to fraudulent payments and took action to prevent money laundering.

Responsibilities

• Reviewed and returned all foreign exchange payments promptly to avoid client losses.
• Ensured all rates were correctly aligned with current market values for buying and selling currencies.

Achievements

• Achieved 100% First Time Yield (FTY) on all client payments into investment accounts within the first year.
• Maintained a 100% accuracy rate for fund transfers and payments while on secondment, ensuring no losses for clients or the bank.

EDUCATION:

• School – CSE: Grade 1 in 5 subjects
• College – GCE O Levels: 2 subjects
• College – BTEC National Diploma in Interior Design
• University – HNC in Project Management
• University – HND in Interior Design
• BA (Hons) in Interior Design and Spatial Planning

INTERESTS:

• Lead volunteer for a local youth group mentoring scheme within the community
• Passionate about art and travel, with a keen interest in reading design magazines
• Active in fundraising for cancer, Alzheimer’s, and dementia charities
• Regular swimmer at a local club

References Available Upon Request

If you are interested in this candidate, please contact Charlie Watson via email cwatson@cerfinancial.co.uk or call on 0207 626 6065.

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