First Charge Mortgage Operations Manager

First Charge Mortgage Operations Manager

This is a hands-on leadership role within our growing First Charge Mortgage Brokerage. Working closely with the HomeLending leadership team, you'll play a key role in building and shaping our operations function as we scale. You'll help define the future of the team, establishing the people, processes, controls, systems and reporting that enable sustainable growth.

You'll be responsible for leading the end-to-end operational journey from application submission through underwriting, mortgage offer and completion. You'll ensure we deliver a seamless, high-quality experience for both customers and advisers, balancing speed, operational excellence and regulatory compliance as we continue to grow.

We're looking for someone who thrives in fast-paced, scaling environments and enjoys building teams, processes and operations from the ground up. You'll combine strong operational leadership with a customer-first mindset, using data and insight to continuously improve how we work and the outcomes we deliver.

What you will be doing:

Build and scale our operations

• Help shape the operating model, team structure and roadmap for our growing mortgage brokerage, building the foundations for long-term success.
• Design scalable processes, controls, governance and service standards that enable us to grow while delivering a consistently great customer experience.
• Define operational requirements for our technology, including CRM, case management, lender integrations, document management and reporting.
• Build and grow a high-performing operations team by leading workforce planning, hiring, onboarding and development as the business scales.
• Roll up your sleeves during the early stages; solving operational challenges and supporting live cases while building for the future.

Lead operational excellence

• Lead the end-to-end operational journey from application through underwriting, mortgage offer and completion.
• Own operational performance, ensuring healthy pipelines, efficient workflows, strong service levels and effective capacity management.
• Build strong partnerships with advisers, lenders, conveyancers, valuers and other partners to keep cases moving and customers informed.
• Continuously improve operational efficiency, reducing rework, shortening completion times and creating a smoother experience for customers and advisers.

Deliver great customer outcomes

• Champion fair, simple and responsive customer experiences, ensuring the needs of all customers—including those in vulnerable circumstances—are supported.
• Embed quality assurance, risk and compliance controls that meet regulatory requirements while enabling the business to move at pace.
• Use customer feedback, complaints, audits and operational insights to identify root causes and continuously improve our processes.
• Ensure our operational records, controls and governance are robust, accurate and audit-ready.

Build a high-performing team

• • Set clear expectations and create an environment where people are supported, coached and empowered to do their best work.
  • Use data and insight to measure operational performance, identify opportunities and drive continuous improvement across productivity, quality and customer outcomes.
  • Develop demand and capacity plans, providing clear recommendations to senior leaders on future investment, risks and priorities.
  • Champion the use of technology, automation and AI to simplify processes, improve efficiency and help advisers and operations teams spend more time where they add the greatest value.

Skills we'd love you to have

Essential

• Significant experience leading mortgage operations within a UK First Charge Mortgage Brokerage.
• A proven track record of building or scaling mortgage operations, creating the processes, controls and team structures needed to support growth.
• Deep knowledge of the end-to-end mortgage journey, from application submission through underwriting, offer and completion.
• A hands-on approach, with the confidence to solve problems, make decisions and adapt quickly as priorities evolve.
• Experience leading, coaching and growing high-performing operational teams through periods of change and growth.
• A strong understanding of mortgage regulation, operational risk, quality assurance, complaints handling and delivering good customer outcomes.
• Experience using operational data and management information to improve service levels, productivity and customer experience.
• Experience implementing or optimising operational technology, including CRM, workflow, case management or automation tools.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across advisers, compliance, senior leaders, lenders and external partners.
• A track record of improving operational performance while maintaining a strong focus on quality, governance and customer outcomes.

Desirable

• Experience supporting advisers within a fast-growing brokerage, network or appointed representative environment.
• Exposure to specialist lending, complex cases or manual underwriting.
• A CeMAP qualification or another relevant mortgage, financial services or leadership qualification.

You'll be someone who enjoys building rather than maintaining. You create clarity without adding unnecessary complexity and know how to balance pace with quality.

• Customer obsessed – always looking for ways to improve customer outcomes while maintaining high standards of risk and compliance.
• Pragmatic and entrepreneurial – comfortable working with ambiguity, making decisions and building scalable solutions.
• Calm under pressure – bringing focus, prioritisation and sound judgement when challenges arise.
• Collaborative and influential – building trusted relationships across the business and helping shape the future of our Home Lending proposition.
• Continuously improving – using technology, automation and AI to simplify processes, improve productivity and help the team deliver their best work.

Why ClearScore?

ClearScore is the UK's #1 credit score and report app. We are also present in South Africa, Australia and Canada, with more than 20 million users globally and growing fast. Someone joins ClearScore every 20 seconds. We have established relationships with over 50 of the main lenders in the U.K., and have been a trusted tool for customers to manage their credit and make better financial decisions.

Since October 2016 we have helped 1.8 million users take out a new credit card or loan. We are user-centric at our core and we believe in leveraging technology to enable positive financial choices. We are design-led and data-driven and we embed these behaviours in everything we do.

Our company culture is a fundamental part of all we have achieved. We believe in hiring smart, driven, passionate and diverse people who are keen on having a real impact in our organisation. We trust you to manage your own time so we offer flexible work and no fixed desk hours. We don't micromanage and we believe in measuring outcomes rather than effort. We have an inclusive culture where all, regardless of seniority, are encouraged to contribute with their ideas, look after their wellbeing and actively seek opportunities for career growth.

If you feel like this could be the place for you, apply and our Talent team will be happy to share more.

Benefits:

• 25 paid holidays and a “duvet day” on your birthday
• Hybrid Work Environment
• Private health and dental cover - including mental health support through Bupa 
• GP office visits
• Life assurance scheme
• Up to 4% matched pension
• Regular Lunch and Learns with guest speakers
• Dog-friendly office
• Daily breakfast and free snacks
• Access to discounts via Cobens Extras 
• Free sports and social clubs
• Continued investment into learning and development 
• Leadership-led training
• In-house psychotherapist
• Financial coach to help you plan and achieve your goals
• No clock-watching culture
• Generous maternity and paternity plans
• Culture and inclusion representatives
• Transparent pay structure and a career growth plan

Equal Opportunities

ClearScore is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals. As an equal opportunity employer, we are able to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate individuals with disabilities during the recruitment and selection process. If you require accommodation, please inform us in advance, and we will work with you to meet your needs.

• Flexibility to manage your work and life
• Dedicated in-office days for team building and collaborative projects
•  Office facilities (with plants!) designed for productive interactions
• Clear expectations and support for maintaining our hybrid schedule

Inclusion Policy

We are always looking for talented individuals to join ClearScore. We are an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for our people. Please see our People Policy Notice at https://www.clearscore.com/people-notice.