Description:
Retail Credit Underwriter
About Us
At Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, our passion lies not only in the finance solutions we provide, but in the people who make them possible. We're enthusiastic, forward-thinking and dedicated to shaping the future of mobility with sustainable solutions and outstanding customer experiences.
Together, we create an inclusive workplace where everyone feels they belong, can contribute and be their best self. Our culture is built on respect and equal opportunity. We celebrate the diversity of our teams, recognising that different perspectives and experiences strengthen who we are, what we do and how we do it.
At MBFS, we are proud to be a Menopause Friendly Accredited Employer, reflecting our ongoing commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive workplace. We offer wellbeing support options and resources for colleagues experiencing menopause and to those who are supporting someone through it.
How you’ll play your part
This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by making responsible lending decisions that support customers while effectively managing credit risk. We're looking for someone who demonstrates sound judgement, strong analytical skills and attention to detail, with experience or knowledge of credit underwriting, affordability assessment and financial services regulation.
Working within a fast-paced, customer-focused environment, you'll help to deliver timely and well-informed credit decisions, contributing to positive customer outcomes, effective risk management and a seamless vehicle finance journey.
Main Accountabilities
Credit Decision Making:
- Evaluate and underwrite complex credit applications for private individuals and businesses seeking vehicle finance via the Mercedes-Benz Car and Van network, making informed lending decisions up to a personal mandate limit of £150,000.
- Conduct thorough analysis of financial statements, credit reports, and other relevant documentation to assess creditworthiness and affordability to identify potential risks.
- Ensure all lending decisions align with the company's credit policy, risk appetite, and regulatory requirements, particularly those set by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), including CONC, Consumer Duty, Vulnerable Customer and AML risks.
- Review and verify all financial documents for accuracy and completeness, mitigating potential fraud.
- Identify and escalate complex or high-risk applications to Senior Underwriters or Team Leaders as appropriate.
Training and Development:
- Provide ongoing support to team colleagues in the Retail Credit – Underwriter Assistant or Retail Credit – Administrator roles regarding the fundamentals of credit underwriting, risk assessment, and decision-making processes.
- Actively engage with personal development plan to work towards gaining enhanced skills and experience to progress through the personal CAL levels.
Network Communication & Relationship Management:
- Communicate credit decisions clearly and effectively to the network, providing constructive feedback and rationale for approvals, declines, or modified terms.
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with network staff, ensuring a smooth and efficient application process while upholding service level agreements.
Compliance & Risk Management:
- Keep informed of changes in UK financial regulations, particularly those from the FCA, and ensure all underwriting practices remain compliant.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of underwriting policies and procedures to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and compliance.
- Ensure all mandatory and role related training assessments are completed within the appropriate time to remain compliant.
Operational Excellence:
- Manage a pipeline of applications efficiently, ensuring timely processing and decision-making to meet business objectives whilst ensuring good outcomes for customers.
- Collaborate with other internal departments, such as Sales, Operations, and Collections, to ensure a seamless customer journey.
What you’ll bring
The requirements for this role are highlighted below. If your experience looks a little different and you believe you have transferable skills that would help you succeed in this role, we'd love to hear from you.
Essential:
- Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
- Proactive and self-motivated.
- Strong problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
- Commitment to professional development and continuous learning.
- Flexibility to provide additional hours during peak application periods due to new registration months, system down-time or ad hoc sales events.
Desirable:
- Proven experience in credit underwriting, preferably within the auto finance sector.
- Strong understanding of FCA regulations and compliance requirements.