Lending Operations Consultant

Hello,

We are Recognise Bank; a modern business bank built to support the UK's SMEs with tailored lending and savings solutions.

Founded in 2017 by experienced business owners, we set out to challenge traditional banking by offering more flexibility, understanding, and practical support to help businesses thrive. Since receiving our banking licence in 2021, we've built a loyal customer base and a strong, diverse team that puts people first.

Our vision is building stronger futures with bespoke financial solutions. We understand that no two financial needs are the same, which is why we work closely with UK SMEs and individuals to unlock potential others often overlook. Through smart, flexible lending and savings products, we're here to build and grow stronger futures for lasting success.

Our values shape how we work and grow together:

Can do, will do: We take ownership, solve problems, and adapt as our customers' needs evolve.

Be brilliant: We show up with curiosity and energy, always striving for better.

Do the right thing: We act with integrity, responsibility, and care in everything we do.

Make a difference: We focus on impact, helping our customers, colleagues, and communities succeed

About the role

As a contract-based Lending Operations Consultant, you will spearhead a deep dive review of the end to end lending lifecycle-particularly in bridging finance-identifying inefficiencies and enhancements. You'll map existing workflows, assess system usage, and deliver data driven recommendations to streamline processes and accelerate time to drawdown. Partnering closely with lending managers, credit, operations, and transformation teams, you'll provide recommendations for the operational team structure, improved processes, system inputs and outputs, roles and responsibilities, and an implementation roadmap to ensure the lending operations function is efficient, scalable, and fully aligned with business objectives and regulatory requirements

• Conduct an end-to-end review of the lending lifecycle-from deal origination and credit approval to drawdown, portfolio management, and closure (e.g., redemptions, maturities, extensions, arrears).
• Map existing processes against market standards and regulatory expectations to identify inefficiencies, duplication, and unnecessary steps.
• Evaluate how systems are used (inputs/outputs) to improve process efficiency and data quality.
• Create a comprehensive overview of the current lending journey, including key handoffs and system touch-points, using existing journey maps and process documentation where possible.
• Deliver a report assessing current process fitness, with data-driven recommendations for improvement.
• Propose actionable changes to streamline operations-removing, combining, or enhancing process steps as needed.
• Work with internal teams (e.g., Change Delivery, Lending Transformation, Commercial) to define roles, responsibilities, and a high-level implementation roadmap aligned with budget, resources, and timelines.
• Support efforts to reduce time to drawdown and enhance scalability of the Lending Operations function to meet growth and product expansion goals.

• Extensive experience in lending operations within the specialist lending sector, with a focus on bridging finance.
• Extensive Experience working with nCino
• Deep understanding of the full lending lifecycle, including origination, servicing, and portfolio management.
• Strong analytical skills; able to interpret operational data and generate actionable insights.
• Experienced in working cross-functionally with lending managers, credit teams, and operations.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• Objective, independent, and delivery-focused approach.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements in the lending space
• Optional: Experience contributing to transformation programmes' and working with product/tech teams.
• Optional: Experience in leading process reviews and delivering operational improvement plans

Why Join?

At Recognise Bank, we're building more than a bank - we're creating a culture where people feel empowered to make a difference , supported to be brilliant with a can do will do attitude, and trusted to do the right thing .

We believe that when our people thrive, so do our customers. That's why we invest in an environment that reflects our values and supports your growth, flexibility, and wellbeing.

If you're curious, driven, and ready to be part of something meaningful - where your ideas matter, your growth is supported, and your work makes a real impact - then we'd love to hear from you.

Recognise Bank is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees