Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at Dudley Building Society?
I currently cover the North of England and manage circa 50 key accounts. A big part of my role is making sure brokers know what we can offer as a lender – things like no maximum age limit, lending to expats returning to the UK, supporting self-employed clients with only one year’s accounts, and helping those with historical credit issues.
What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?
Communication, whether this is face to face, Microsoft Teams, telephone or email. Being able to communicate effectively and being available, not only with mortgage brokers but with internal teams, such as underwriting and product, is essential. If my phone rings, I try to answer it.
I see my job as being the face of Dudley Building Society and responsible for communicating what the company is and what we stand for to external clients. For us, that means being known as a broker-only lender that makes human underwriting decisions and looks at every case on its own merits.
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What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on?
Delegation. I always like to think I can do everything myself, which isn’t always a bad thing, but sometimes it’s best to take a step back and focus on what’s most important. It gives a better balance and means more gets done.
What is the hardest part of your job?
Frustration when brokers cancel appointments at the last minute. We cover huge geographical areas and make appointments weeks in advance. When brokers do sit down with me, they’re often surprised by what we can do. From later life borrowers to adverse credit cases, it’s not always what people expect.
What do you love most about your job?
I love meeting people, whether this is a mortgage broker or fellow business development manager (BDM) contacts in the industry. Building a relationship is so important. I always say people buy from people, so it’s all about making a good first impression. Every day is different, which is what I love. Being able to sell the Dudley and help brokers place cases is key for me, whether it’s a joint borrower sole proprietor (JBSP) case, an expat client, or someone with one year’s accounts, while managing existing relationships, but also getting to know a broker on a personal level.
What is the best piece of career-related advice you’ve ever been given? Who gave it to you?
My mam always said to me: “Embrace failure”. Failure is just as valuable, if not more valuable, than success. Learn from mistakes and be willing to move on or start over, but not repeat them.
How do you keep up to date with developments in the market?
Social platforms like LinkedIn, but I also keep a keen eye on the trade press. I regularly ask brokers and other BDMs and key account managers in the field what’s going on, as they’re a fountain of knowledge.
What is the most quirky/unique property deal you’ve been involved in?
A detached property with 20 acres, outbuildings and an annexe. Income wasn’t an issue, but the clients wanted the property to convert the outbuildings to personal storage and an area for their children, like a games room. The annexe was going to be used for their family to stay in. The clients had horses – nothing commercial – but wanted a property with large acreage for them.
Tell us about your trickiest case – what happened and how did you resolve the problem(s)?
Foreign income with JBSP. This was a joint application where dad was going on the mortgage to help his son while living abroad in the US. The dad was employed on a day-rate contract and paid in US dollars, but had changed employers within the last year. The son was on a bursary income studying at university.
Our underwriters initially weren’t comfortable proceeding due to the change of employer in the last 12 months, so they declined the case. However, I spoke with the broker to gain an understanding of the employment history. He had been in the same industry for a number of years, just changing employers for more money. I asked the broker to provide current and previous contracts to demonstrate income, and then organised a call with the broker and underwriters to discuss this. The decision was overturned, and we managed to get the case through. It shows the value of human underwriting, looking beyond a score and taking each case on its own merits.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
For me, it was the chance to play a crucial role in the growth of the business. I wanted to be able to implement change, drive sales, and promote what makes Dudley stand out – our human approach, flexibility, and focus on helping clients who might not fit the high street mould.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
I’d say a mortgage adviser. No case is the same, you’re always learning, and it’s about helping people achieve their goals of becoming a homeowner.
