Senior Second Charge Mortgage Underwriter

About Abound

We’re redefining consumer lending in the UK, and beyond. Using advanced AI and Open Banking data, we make fair, affordable personal finance available to more people. While traditional lenders rely almost entirely on credit scores, we look at the full financial picture - how much you spend, and what you can afford to repay to build a deeper, more accurate understanding of each customer's unique financial situation.

And we've shown it works at scale. We’ve issued over £1.3bn in loans directly to customers while delivering market-leading credit performance - for every 10 defaults the industry expects, we see only 3. We also reached profitability just 2.5 years after launch.

Backed by £2bn+ of funding from top-tier investors including Citi, GSR Ventures, and Deutsche Bank, we’re recognised as one of Europe’s fastest-growing fintechs (Sifted, CNBC). Now, we’re expanding into new markets and product lines - and we’re looking for ambitious people who want to learn fast, take ownership, and grow with us.

About the Role

We're looking for an experienced Second Charge Mortgage Underwriter to join our underwriting team and help build and shape the future of our secured lending business.

This is an exciting opportunity to help build a new mortgage business within an established fintech lender. Having built a successful unsecured lending business, we're now expanding into second charge mortgages. We're looking for an experienced underwriter to help bring together customer and property underwriting into a single, modern underwriting function. In this senior role, you'll be the go-to person for all things second charge. You'll underwrite customers using our in-house system, Render, powered by Open Banking, and help shape the development of the property side of the platform.

You'll work closely with our Underwriting, Product, Technology, and Data Science teams, bringing your expertise in second charge mortgage underwriting to decisions that shape our products, processes and technology.

We're not looking for someone who simply follows a tick-box process. We want someone who can work to and reach targets, enjoys the fast-paced start-up environment and can think commercially, while still delivering good customer outcomes.

About the Team

Unlike traditional lenders, we’re focused on doing things differently. Our underwriting approach combines a state-of-the-art in-house built technology that blends traditional lending methods with Open Banking analysis to create a smoother and more flexible experience for our customers.

We’re always open to new ideas and better ways of working, and senior team members are encouraged to challenge existing processes and help improve how we do things.

Working Hours

Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 6:00pm

What You'll Be Doing

• Take full ownership of complex and high-value second charge mortgage applications. Working to targets and Annual year end goals.

• Assess Open Banking data, credit reference agency information, and supporting documentation to make sound, commercially balanced lending decisions.

• Act as the senior point of escalation for underwriting queries, setting the standard for how judgement is applied across the team.

• Shape and evolve underwriting policy for second charge lending, ensuring it remains commercially sound, competitive, and aligned with regulatory requirements as the product scales.

• Partner closely with product and technology teams to design and refine the property assessment capabilities within our in-house system, Render, bringing underwriting expertise to how property risk is evaluated and processed.

• Identify opportunities to improve underwriting efficiency and quality, using data and case trends to refine policy and process over time.

• Support the recruitment, training, and development of underwriters as the team expands, helping to instil a culture of sound judgement over box-ticking.

• Work cross-functionally with Risk, Compliance, and Operations to ensure underwriting practices support both growth and good customer outcomes.

• Contribute to management information and reporting, providing insight into underwriting performance, trends, and risk exposure to senior stakeholders.

Who you are

• Minimum of 5 years' experience in second charge mortgages, this must be England-based; prior experience in a senior, lead, or team management capacity is highly desirable.

• You'll be comfortable working to targets, driving month-on-month growth as the book expands.

• Expert-level understanding of property as security — including valuation approaches, equity position, LTV and combined LTV calculations, existing charge structures, and title issues.

• Strong working knowledge of FCA regulation, UK responsible lending rules, affordability assessment, MCOB requirements, fraud prevention, and AML regulations, with the credibility to interpret and apply these commercially.

• Proven track record in manual underwriting of complex, high-value, and non-standard cases, with the judgement to make balanced decisions beyond a tick-box approach.

• Demonstrated experience shaping or influencing underwriting policy, and a strong understanding of how policy translates into practical, day-to-day decision-making.

• Experience contributing to the build-out or scaling of an underwriting function, process, or team — comfortable operating with a degree of ambiguity in a growing business.

• Ability to manage competing priorities effectively and perform well under pressure in a fast-evolving environment.

• Relevant industry qualifications (e.g., CeMAP, CeRER, DipFA or equivalent) are highly desirable.

How We Work

• We prioritise sound credit decisions and continuous learning from outcomes.

• We take ownership of our work and support one another to achieve shared goals.

• We work collaboratively across the business and contribute beyond individual responsibilities.

• We encourage open discussion, constructive challenge, and accountability.

• Strong performance and positive contribution are recognised and rewarded.

What We Offer

• Everyone owns a piece of the company - equity

• Hybrid with 3 days a week in the office

• 25 days’ holiday a year, plus 8 bank holidays

• 2 paid volunteering days per year

• One month paid sabbatical after 4 years

• Employee loan

• Free gym membership through WellHub

• Team wellness budget to be active together - set up a yoga class, a tennis lesson or go bouldering