Mortgage Underwriting Quality Assurance

Job Summary by the careerbalance.co.uk Team:

119Job Description:

When we started Kensington we were the first specialist lender to offer mortgages to people the high street turned down. Over 25 years later, we’re the UK’s leading specialist mortgage lender still blazing a trail offering people the chance to get a mortgage. Where high street lenders see black and white, we’ve always used our expertise and manual underwriting capability to see the shades in betweenIn a market where changing lifestyles mean more people are falling outside the traditional mortgage criteria, it’s an approach that can make a real difference to people who want to own a property.

It’s what we call the Kensington Difference.

Kensington Mortgage Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Barclays Bank UK PLC from 1 March 2023, and the principal activity of the Company is the origination and servicing of mortgage assets. The Company is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority for regulated activities.

Overall Purpose of Job

The role holder is responsible for ensuring the quality of Kensington underwriting outcomes and adherence to pre and post offer activities across all new lending originations and contract variations, in line with risk appetite and responsible lending, through a risk-based framework of QA and QC checks. It is expected that they will maintain a high level of relevant industry knowledge and always apply the highest standards of risk-based assessment. The relationship with other lending teams is fundamental to the success of this role and the highest levels of communication, proactive co-operation and approachability are expected.

Key Accountabilities

• Re-underwrite offered residential, buy to let mortgage and contract variations applications in accordance with the lending policy, Product matrix, TCF and responsible lending principles and the QA / QC quality framework. Review completed cases in accordance with lending policy and post offer procedure documents.
• Maintain a detailed understanding of lending policy, products, risk appetite and operational processes and procedures for all mortgage originations and contract variations.
• To work closely with the Lending Operations team managers and underwriters, providing timely feedback and clear and concise reports on any Quality oversight completed, and identifying trends or learning gaps, where appropriate.
• Supporting the ongoing development of technical skills and underwriting approach for underwriters through effective coaching and knowledge transfer.
• Identify improvements to the audit oversight and originations operational processes, working with team managers and other members of the business to drive efficiency and quality benefits.
• Maintain accurate and timely records relating to all audit activities
• Support third party audit reviews where required, investigating any challenges raised and providing detailed and accurate information as required.
• To comply with the code of Business Ethics and ensure your responsibilities regarding the prevention of financial crime (including money laundering identification and reporting of Fraud) are carried out effectively and in accordance with the Company’s internal policies.
• Proactively keep up to date with human resource policy, risk policies, external legislation, funding constraints, product criteria and underwriting criteria changes to ensure prudent underwriting.
• Adhere to the service standards and quality goals as agreed within the monthly underwriting oversight programme.
• Undertake ad-hoc project work as directed by Underwriting Technical manager or Underwriting Quality Manager. Flexibility to assist the wider business as and when required in other roles.

Experience, Knowledge, Skills

• Minimum of 5 years new originations first charge mortgage experience, including at least 3 years in a mandated underwriting role (minimum £250000 approval mandate) within a specialist lender.
• Experience of working in a QA role within a first charge mortgage lender.
• Confident communication and influencing skills.
• Ability to analyse and interpret complex information and data and providing supporting commentary on business quality.
• To act with integrity and always embrace Kensington values.
• Detailed understanding of the mortgage intermediary market and the end-to-end mortgage process.
• Detailed understanding of mortgage fraud and measures / systems in place to avoid it.
• Able to demonstrate that they are proactive, have strong attention to detail, are flexible, and able to work under own initiative but also as part of a team.
• Able to demonstrate a full understanding of TCF, responsible lending, risk layering, vulnerability indicators and regulatory knowledge applicable to the role.
• Able to prioritise effectively to manage multiple tasks.

Other skills or qualifications that would be helpful

• CEMAP qualified would be desirable
• Recent experience in Buy to let lending products including HMOs, multi-unit properties and Limited Company Buy to let would also be desirable

Start Date:

Please Note, if successful you must be available to start on either:

21st October 2024 or

27th January 2025

We also ask no long periods of holidays during the training periods.

Location: Maidenhead