Lead Commercial Underwriter

We have an opportunity for an experienced Lead Commercial Underwriter to join a high-performing Business & Commercial Credit team, underwriting lending requests to businesses and corporate customers.

This is a senior role, offering exposure to complex, high-value transactions and the opportunity to influence key credit decisions across a diverse portfolio.

The successful candidate will be responsible for assessing new lending opportunities, credit referrals, and exceptions, ensuring decisions align with the Bank’s strategy and risk appetite.

They will make lending decisions up to £2.5m and play a key role in larger transactions up to £20m, including preparing and presenting cases to Credit Approval Committees.

Working closely with the first line relationship management team and their sector specialists, they will evaluate deals, balance risk and reward, and provide clear, well-structured recommendations.

The role also includes oversight of existing lending, conducting annual reviews and renewals while monitoring customer performance and early warning indicators. The role holder is expected to build a good awareness of the overall portfolio performance.

Sector exposure includes real estate, housing associations, healthcare, and renewables, with a strong focus on ESG and sustainable lending.

Location: We operate on a team-led hybrid approach with at least 1 day a week in the Manchester office.  

Our benefits include:

• 28 days holiday a year plus bank holidays and a holiday buy/sell scheme.
• Annual discretionary bonus scheme
• Personal pension with matched contributions
• Life assurance (6 times annual salary)
• Company car allowance
• Private Medical Insurance

For this role you’ll need to have:

• Excellent communication skills, with confidence presenting to senior stakeholders and committees.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships across all levels.
• Strong knowledge of the Business & Commercial banking landscape and market developments
• Good understanding of legal and regulatory requirements within corporate credit risk
• Highly organised, with strong time management and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience in Business & Commercial lending, with a strong grasp of sound lending principles
• Experience leading and underwriting complex lending transactions for Credit Committees, above £20m with experience of having a personal mandate.
• Experienced in one or more of the following sectors: mid-market trading businesses, healthcare, renewables, or Housing Associations
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Experience working with credit risk systems, models, and policies.

Experience in these areas would be helpful:

• Chartered Banker Institute qualification (or equivalent)
• Experience engaging with Credit Approval Committees
• Previous mentoring or coaching experience
• Awareness of emerging trends in credit risk and commercial lending
• Experience in managing problem debt situations.

In 2025, Coventry Building Society purchased The Co-operative Bank. Bringing together our purpose-led building society with the UK’s original ethical bank was the start of an exciting journey.

Trusted by over four million people, we’re a mutually owned business free from shareholders, and with our combined experience of almost 300 years, our ethics and dedication will continue to guide us. Together, we have shared values and an ethical approach towards our members, customers and colleagues.

We’re officially recognised as a ‘Great Place to Work’ and our benefits go beyond basic pay, with a discretionary bonus scheme, a culture of reward and recognition and comprehensive support for wellbeing. 

We’re serious about equality, of race, age, faith, disability, and sexual orientation and we celebrate diversity. By working together, we know you’ll build more than just a career with us.

Flexibility and why it matters

We understand the need for flexibility, so wherever possible, we’ll consider alternative working patterns. Have a chat with us before you apply to see what the possibilities are for this role.                                                                                     

Proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer

We’re proud to offer an interview or assessment to every disabled applicant who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies. As part of the application process, disabled applicants can opt in for the Disability Confident Interview Scheme. If there are ever occasions where it is not practicable to interview all candidates that meet the essential criteria, such as when we receive a high number of applications, we commit to interviewing disabled candidates who best meet the minimum essential and desirable criteria.

Feedback

We are currently receiving a high number of applications for our roles and, while we review each one carefully against the advertised criteria, unfortunately we're unable to provide individual feedback. We will contact shortlisted candidates directly.