Senior Due Diligence Specialist

Hodge are a financial services business focused on the retail savings, commercial lending and specialist residential mortgage markets.  Working at Hodge is about making a difference. That starts with our purpose: we make life better for customers and society in the moments that matter.

For over 50 years, we’ve shared the same simple mission: to really make a positive difference for our customers and communities. This ethos is in our DNA, as we are 79% owned by a charity, the Hodge Foundation.

The thing that sets us up to succeed with that mission is our people. We are so proud to have exceptional colleagues at Hodge, and we look to develop and invest in our people through their careers. Hodge is at its best when we enable our people to be their best!

We have achieved significant growth over the last few years and have ambitious plans to expand further.

The Senior Due Diligence Specialist will assist in providing a centralised due diligence process undertaking the technical aspects of the Commercial Lending new business process from Customer acceptance of terms to first drawdown. The role is to ensure compliance with the Bank’s regulatory and statutory obligations together with internal policies and procedures, ensuring that all technical aspects of an agreed lending facility are in line with the terms of sanction.

Key responsibilities will include:

You will be required to live and breathe our Hodge values in your day to day interactions with our customers (Bold Flexibility, Genuine Empathy, Trusted Expertise).

• Prepare commercial lending facility letters, liaising with Bank panel and client Solicitors where appropriate.
• Agree and accept the Terms of Engagement with the Professionals engaged to assist with the completion of the Banks Security.
• Instruct Solicitors to provide relevant undertakings and undertake reports on title, complete and arrange the execution of the Banks required security documentation.
• Review all the solicitors and third-party reports and correspondence to ensure they are acceptable from a risk perspective and appropriately fulfil the sanctioned conditions. Liaise where necessary with the Commercial Lending relationship team and Head of Credit.
• Instruct Valuers and where appropriate monitoring Quantity Surveyors to undertake required valuations and development reports.
• Review all the technical reports documentation to confirm to the relationship team that the due diligence is completed to a satisfactory standard.
• Prepare and submit relevant documentation for to Relationship team to assist with completion.
• Develop and maintain an up-to-date knowledge of Compliance & Risk regulatory and legislative information related to Group products and services (e.g. PRA/FCA rules, Data Protection, Money Laundering, etc.), as advised by line management.
• Support the risk culture of the organisation by taking personal responsibility for identifying and managing risks in everything you do.

What we need from you:

• Strong experience in the perfection of security for a bank or financial Institution.
• Experience in a customer services environment
• Highly desirable would be a Degree or professional qualifications in respect of commercial lending or property law.
• Expert knowledge of commercial lending security requirements.
• Understanding of conveyancing law.
• A good understanding of the construction and Residential Investment process & the issues that can impact a project delivery.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks or caseloads
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• The ability to carefully analyse information and data.

In return we offer:

• Competitive Salary
• Based in Cardiff City Centre operating in a highly flexible Hybrid workspace.
• 28 days Holiday with the option to buy more.
• Subsidised Gym Membership.
• Private Medical & Health Insurance
• Extensive learning and development programme
• Generous, personalised benefits package
• Enhanced parental leave – Up to 20 weeks paid Maternity AND Paternity leave
• Company pension contribution up to 15%
• 4 days on top of annual leave for community and charity work
• Flexible working options

Please be aware that should we pursue your application, all our Financial Services employees will be expected to complete background checks to assess suitability for employment, these include; a criminal record, identity, sanctions, adverse finance, fraud prevention and reference checks to comply with our regulatory requirements.

Hodge is an advocate of being an equal opportunities employer, We believe in promoting equality and diversity which is central to our lives today. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and recognises the value a diverse workforce brings to an organisation.

ESG and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do and serves as a reminder of the responsibility we have to our stakeholders, customers, colleagues and the communities we operate in to use our position wisely. We’re currently exploring different certifications available and have done an initial review of how we think we’d fare, as we see this as a real opportunity for Hodge given our social purpose.