Head of Group Lending Legal Team

More2Life, part of the Key Group of companies, has been a pioneering force in the Equity Release market since its launch in 2008. Our mission is to help over 55's live their later life with freedom and peace of mind. We're committed to achieving this mission by providing innovative, customer-focused lending solutions that meet the unique needs of those aged 55 or over and their families.

We are looking for a qualified Solicitor to lead and develop our Group Lending Legal Team. The legal team supports the lending function of our Group providing expert property legal advice, strategic guidance, and operational support across the full end-to-end lifecycle of lifetime mortgage products.

The Head of Group Lending Legal Team is a senior leadership role with primary responsibility for overseeing the property and conveyancing related legal aspects of lifetime mortgage lending within more2life, together with the provision of legal oversight on key contracts and commercial arrangements. The role plays a key strategic role in shaping lending policies, managing legal risk and providing oversight and direction on conveyancing related legal issues arising from secured lending activity.

The successful candidate will act as the senior legal authority for our lending division, ensuring regulatory compliance, legal risk management, operational excellence, and high-quality technical legal support to the wider business.

Main role & responsibilities:

As well as leading, mentoring and developing the legal team you will play a key role in providing legal leadership across the full lifetime mortgage cycle. Working closely with Underwriting, Risk, Compliance and Operations teams, you will provide expert legal oversight and strategic support across the business.

Origination & Conveyancing

• Provide senior legal oversight of all legal property conveyancing related aspects of lifetime mortgage lending,
• Provide expert advice on complex conveyancing matters, including leasehold, title defects, estate rent charges and non-standard property issues, ensure processes align with regulatory requirements, lender policies, and industry standards.

Post Completion

• Support the Servicing team on post completion activity including transfers of equity, part sale of land and service charge arrears
• Instructing and managing external legal advisors on repossession litigation, providing clear advice to senior stakeholders on risk, progress and outcomes

Contract Support

• Drafting, reviewing and advising on a range of commercial contracts supporting the lending business, with a particular focus on supplier agreements.
• Providing legal advice on contractual risk, negotiating terms and ensuring agreements align with internal policies and commercial objectives
• Working with Operations and the Head of Supplier Relationships to support effective supplier onboarding and ongoing contract management

Legal Risk & Governance

• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal risks across the lending lifecycle.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, regulation, and best practice
• Contribute to governance frameworks, internal policies, and audit responses.
• Provide clear and pragmatic legal advice to senior stakeholders.
• Advise the business on legal risk, policy changes, and legislative developments affecting conveyancing and lifetime mortgage products

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a trusted legal adviser to senior leadership and key business stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with Compliance, Risk, Operations, and Customer teams.
• Represent the legal function in internal forums, projects, and change initiatives.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive process improvements and efficiencies within the legal function.
• Embed consistent standards, strong controls, and high-quality legal outcomes.
• Support transformation initiatives and growth of the lending business.

Ideally, we will be looking for:

• Qualified Solicitor (England & Wales) with a minimum of 7 years PQE in Residential Property gained either in house or in private practice
• Experience of drafting and negotiating commercial contracts
• Ability to identify and communicate legal issues to a non legal audience
• Strong technical knowledge of conveyancing and mortgage-related legal work.
• Experience managing or leading legal teams.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to provide pragmatic business-focused advice.
• Experience within lifetime mortgages, equity release or specialist lending is desirable

Most of all we look for people who display and work around the core values of our business:

Ambitious - to break ground to help our customers enjoy a better retirement.
Supportive - relationships are key to everything we do.
Personal - going above and beyond to offer exceptional service.
Integrity - honest, true and transparent in all of our relationships.
Responsive - whatever the challenge we'll deliver the right result.
Expert - experts in our field, our thirst for knowledge never stops

Benefits:

• 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays. Rising to 28 days based on length of service
• Additional holiday purchase scheme
• 1 charity day, 1 wellbeing day
• Pension 5% Employee and 8% Employer
• Simply Health cashback plan or AXA Exec Healthcare
• Life Assurance
• Plus so much more!