Decisioning Systems Engineer - Personal Loans

Welcome to Hastings Direct   You’ll probably know Hastings Direct as a digital insurance provider, but did you know we also have a growing unsecured lending business? We have a competitive product on market-leading systems offering customers guaranteed eligibility and real rates through price comparison websites (PCWs).     We have over four million customers, but know there’s even bigger opportunity out there and have ambitious plans to become The Best and Biggest in the UK market. We’ve made huge investments in our data and tech capabilities over the past few years, along with nurturing our 4Cs culture. We’re proud of the journey we’re on as a company and know that our continued success will rely on the contribution of our talented colleagues.     The fact you’re now reading this job advert means we’ve tempted you to find out more about #lifeatHD – we really hope you like what you see, and you’ll join us to share in the success of the exciting chapter that lies ahead. We understand some people may not apply for jobs unless they feel they tick every box. If you are excited about joining us and think you have some of what we are looking for, even if you’re not 100% sure we would love to hear from you.        Role overview: You'll be the engineer who makes decisioning work in practice. Working in the IT team within the lending business, you'll use technology and data to deliver end-to-end decisioning capabilities that support the lending business in achieving its strategic objectives. You'll work closely with Credit Risk, Product and Operations to design, build, deploy and optimise decisioning functionality, strategies and processes - delivered safely within a regulated lending environment.      Job details – you’ll need to have demonstrable experience in: You'll design and develop solutions that support changes to decisioning strategy, functionality, automation and customer journeys, translating business and risk requirements into reliable technical delivery. You'll maintain and enhance decision engine configurations, integrations and supporting processes across the decisioning estate to keep decisioning capability reliable and scalable. You'll support the integration of internal and external data sources, including credit bureau and open banking data, into decisioning solutions. You'll investigate defects, incidents and production issues, performing root cause analysis and implementing sustainable fixes to reduce recurrence and operational risk. You'll maintain regulatory compliance and operational integrity through effective change control and governance, keeping configuration and decision logic documentation accurate and audit-ready. You'll act as the subject matter expert for decisioning systems, giving stakeholders across the business the technical expertise and support they need.    Essential skills/experience: You can adapt priorities and respond to changing business needs while keeping focus on delivery quality. You take ownership and work independently, while collaborating effectively within cross-functional teams. You're a logical thinker with strong analytical, problem-solving and root cause analysis skills. You have demonstrable experience using decision engine platforms or workflow-based decisioning systems. Understanding of software development lifecycles, testing approaches and deployment practices is desirable. You have strong SQL skills. Experience in other programming or scripting languages desirable (JavaScript, Python, R, XSLT). You communicate clearly and engage effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Experience with XML or JSON data formats, working with APIs, system integrations or data-driven applications is desirable. This role will suit someone who wants to own decisioning delivery end-to-end and work closely with the business. It won't suit someone looking for a purely build-to-spec role, removed from the business context their work supports.      As a Disability Confident employer, we’re committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are fully inclusive – what this means to you is if you’re applying for a job with us, you’ll have fair access to support and adjustments throughout your recruitment journey. We also welcome applications through the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS).For more information on the DCS, please visit our inclusive business page on our careers website.    Regrettably, we are unable to offer sponsorship now or in the future for this role.    Benefits: In addition to a competitive salary you will also receive…  Flexible working – we champion a flexible hybrid working approach – please speak to your recruiter to discuss in more detail  Competitive bonus scheme - all colleagues are eligible for our annual 4Cs performance bonus  Financial wellbeing – as well as providing you with 4x your salary with our life assurance cover, income protection at no extra cost, and matched pension contributions up to 10%, we are proud to provide you with an award winning package which includes – discounts, cashback, free independent mortgage advice and free access to financial wellbeing support  Mental wellbeing programme – we have the thrive mental health app, our colleague assistance programme available 24/7, our own in-house mental health first aiders, support groups and a dedicated team to make sure we are covering your needs  There's more! – 25 days annual leave + bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell one of your  weeks, access to our health care cash back plans, dental plans, discounted health assessments, Cycle to work and tech schemes, discounted and free onsite facilities, social events throughout the year and much more ….    Join us and you’ll find a different way of doing things. We call it the 4Cs. We focus on getting it right for our colleagues, customers, company and community. As one of our colleagues, you’ll be helping to drive our growth, so in return, we’ll give you all the support, training and development you need. Our 4Cs principles are simple: we believe by creating the right culture for our colleagues and giving them the right tools to do their job, we’ll deliver good outcomes for every customer, helping us to grow the company profitably and sustainably and allowing us to invest in the communities we serve.        Hastings Group is an equal opportunities employer which means we treat people fairly. We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of their gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status. Please also note that we have a thorough referencing process, which includes credit and criminal record checks. At Hastings Direct, we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, we encourage you to be open with us. Our recruitment team is here to provide the support you need to ensure a fair and accessible experience for all. Job posting end date: 27/11/2026