If you are interested in this candidate, please contact Simon Blau via email sblau@cerfinancial.co.uk or call on 0207 626 6065.

00357440

PROFILE

Highly experienced finance professional, with over 20 years’ experience in the mortgage industry. Working within New Business and Post Completion sectors, processing and underwriting loan applications from both brokers and customers.

A skilled communicator, dealing with both internal colleagues, internal departments, solicitors and external customers in an empathetic yet professional manner delivering excellent customer service whilst focusing on the customer needs to facilitate the best outcome.

The ability to adapt to change due to the wider economic environment or business needs is something I believe I am capable of with ease and confidence.

I am a conscientious hardworking member of any team, who is approachable and happy to provide help and support to any team member given my wealth of knowledge across multiple areas of lending.

SKILLS

• Communication | Keyboard Skills | Microsoft Office | Underwriting | New Business | Post Completion | Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) | Affordability | Buy to Let Lending | Commercial Lending |

CAREER HISTORY

April 2024 – Present: Career Break

I came into the fortunate position of becoming mortgage free and decided to take some holidays and do some more travelling. My holidays included places such as Gambia, Egypt where the snorkelling is exceptional, Kenya where the safaris are very exciting and Australia to stay with my dad’s relatives who live on the Gold Coast. I also travelled back to Asia and noticed how more advanced and developed the country had become**.**

April 2008 - April 2024
Banking

June 2015 – April 2024
Loan Manager, Loan Management Team

• I was asked to assist the Loan Management Team, originally for a period of 8 months which was subsequently extended. This demonstrated my knowledge, flexibility, willingness and adaptability to assist the Bank where required in order to help them achieve their goals. This position was later made permanent.
• Mandate - £10m across all property types
• Assessing applications received on completed commercial mortgage accounts which alters the basis of the original mortgage decision; such as changes to loan to value (LTV), security provided for the loan and changes to mortgage serviceability (DSCR). I assessed the applications to ensure any variation will not inhibit the performance of the mortgage account or take the facility outside of the Banks Risk Lending Profile and remains within our Commercial Loan Management Guidelines.
• I put the customers financial situation at the forefront of the decisions made, having empathetic conversations with them to encourage them to share their circumstances to assist with the decisions made. I was able to propose exceptions to policy, putting forward the rationale to demonstrate how the outcome can benefit all parties.

Achievements

• Delivering high quality lending decisions within the Banks Risk Appetite and the customers’ individual circumstances whilst meeting performance targets.
• Providing clear communication, using my interpersonal skills to explain decisions confidentially and clearly.
• Building and maintaining relationships with our customers and third parties, including brokers and sales team, providing excellent customer service.
• Being adaptable in planning and prioritising day to day workloads to meet customer requirements and service standards especially during periods of high volumes.
• To provide advice, guidance and training to colleagues on lending criteria and the acceptability of proposed mortgage applications.
• Taking on some management responsibilities which included looking after the team in the absence of the team leader, managing workloads, reviewing Loan Management Guidelines with an aim to streamlining our procedures, reviewing and rewriting our letters and taking part in interviews when recruiting new team members.

April 2011 – June 2015
Banking
Lending Manager, New Business

• Mandate – Residential and HMO, £750k and Commercial, £500k
• To underwrite and assess Buy to Let and Commercial mortgage applications in line with lending policy, whilst being able to adopt a pragmatic approach, taking a commercial view when dealing with cases outside policy and proposing recommendations on cases outside my mandate. In order to do this I developed and maintained excellent working relationships with internal and external contacts, delivering good customer service with the ability to explain decisions confidentially and clearly.
• Within this role I further developed the ability to use my discretionary authority wisely, making good quality lending decisions, providing excellent customer service and work effectively both as an individual and as part of a team.

March 2008 – April 2011
Commercial Lending
Customer Service Advisor within the Post Completion Team

• Mandate - £500k to 90% ltv
• With the suspension of new lending within the Commercial Lending Organisation, I was seconded to the Post Completion Team as a result of my adaptability and lending experience. This involved considering the customer and their needs to help them through financial instability. I assessed the overall affordability position to balance both the business needs to clear customer arrears and to protect their property, against the customers desire to retain funds to ease their monetary circumstances.

December 2006 – March 2008
Commercial Lending
New Business Underwriter

• Mandate – £350k to 75% LTV and £250k to 85% LTV with all exceptions
• I underwrote and assessed the risks of new applications and pipeline business, checking supporting documentation and adopting a commercial review when dealing with cases outside policy providing justification for and recording my exceptions.

January 2006 – November 2006: Career Break

• During this time I took a career break and with a like minded person together we explored Asia, where I gained my ‘PADI’, trekked, zip wired and generally experienced other cultures. On to Australia to explore the less commercial West Coast followed by New Zealand, the land of the adrenaline rush where I thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and activities on offer, especially glacier walking and the Canyon Swing. Finally South America for the Salt Lakes, the Amazon, Machu Picchu and the worlds most dramatic waterfall, Iguazu.

April 2000 – December 2005
Mortgage Lending

January 2003 – December 2005
Senior Mortgage Underwriter

• Mandate - £500k – conforming and non-conforming applications with all exceptions.
• I underwrote and assessed the risk of new applications within my mandate and also provided recommendations and justification on cases outside of this. I’m always willing to help the team develop by providing advice, guidance and training to colleagues on criteria and how to propose new applications to Credit Committee.

April 2000 – December 2002
Case Manager

• I underwrote and processed mortgages from application through to completion. Liaising and developing relationships with brokers, solicitors, colleagues and customers, striving to offer the best level of customer service. I was a pro-active team member, helping others and suggesting new ideas and improvements to existing procedures.

July 1994 – March 2000
Local Government, Financial Services, Banking and Manufacturing Organisations
Various Roles

EDUCATION

1990 – 1994: University

BSc (Hons) in Geography

1988 – 1990

GCE A Levels in Chemistry, Geography and Mathematics with Statistics.

1986 – 1988

8 GCSE passes (Grades A – C)

References Available Upon Request

If you are interested in this candidate, please contact Simon Blau via email sblau@cerfinancial.co.uk or call on 0207 626 6065.

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