
Commercial Lending and Fraud Prevention Analyst
- Manchester
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Operational Support & Underwriting Expertise:
- Serve as the primary escalation point for high value loans for our SME portfolio lending as well as supporting underwriting for more complex commercial applications.
- Provide expert guidance on deal structuring, financial analysis, business models, sector risk analysis and industry risk.
- Conduct in-depth reviews and underwrite high-ris cases, applying advanced analytical and fraud detection techniques.
- Fraud Prevention, Investigation & Enhancement:
- Act as the front-line specialist in commercial lending fraud typologies
- Work with second line teams to develop and refine enhanced due diligence, detection rules, and verification protocols.
- Lead investigations into suspicious applications, collaborating with internal and external teams.
- Analyse fraud attempts to identify systemic weaknesses and recommend preventative measures.
- Monitor emerging fraud threats, regulations, and technological advancements
- Strategic Initiatives & Knowledge Sharing:
- Work with our Learning and Development team to design and deliver training to underwriting teams on financial analysis and fraud identification.
- Lead/contribute to strategic projects improving underwriting efficiency and fraud detection.
- Develop best practices, guidelines, and fraud checklists tailored to our portfolio.
- Conduct regular quality checks on underwriters and provide feedback on findings.
- Expert commercial credit acumen across diverse entity types and complex deals.
- Advanced practical experience in commercial lending fraud prevention and investigation.
- Strong analytical, critical thinking, and decision-making skills.
- Proven subject matter expertise, leadership, and mentoring abilities.
- Proactive approach to process/policy enhancement and excellent communication skills.
- Meticulous attention to detail.
- Strong progressive commercial credit underwriting experience in financial services.
- Demonstrable expertise underwriting diverse commercial entities
- Proven hands-on experience identifying, investigating, and preventing specific commercial lending fraud typologies
- Experience as a lead underwriter, specialist, or SME, providing guidance/sign-off on complex cases.
- Track record of developing/delivering training, policies, or best practices within an underwriting/risk function.
- Strong understanding of commercial lending legal structures and documentation.
- Proficiency with commercial credit bureaus, financial analysis tools, and underwriting systems.
- Bachelor's degree in finance, Business, Economics, or equivalent professional experience.
- Experience with specific fraud detection software/verification tools
- Experience in automotive or asset finance.
- Relevant professional certifications (e.g., CFE, Advanced Commercial Lending).
- Experience managing small projects or process improvement initiatives.