Anthony

Quality Monitoring Officer
Administration, collections and customer services

I work in Quality Monitoring in the New Business area of Mortgage Lending, making sure our Support Services and Mortgage Underwriting teams provide a high standard of support to customers.

As a responsible lender and a regulated business, Paragon is committed to delivering good outcomes for its customers and the Quality Monitoring team is a vital link in the chain, encouraging best practice, ensuring consistency and supporting continuous improvement.

Customer service skills, a keen eye for detail and good analytical and decision-making skills are very transferable and, provided you’re willing to learn, you can take those skills and develop yourself in a new direction at Paragon.

Megan

Business Intelligence Analyst
Accounting, analytics, finance, savings and treasury

As a Business Intelligence Analyst, I produce, analyse and interpret management information for use by all divisions across Paragon. I am able to spend a lot of time writing SQL, a type of programming language, which I love.

I am currently involved in an important project regarding the Group’s savings data. This means we can store data more efficiently, and will strengthen data quality and consistency even further, ultimately leading to the delivery of enhanced business intelligence.

I look forward to coming to work every day at Paragon; I have some great working relationships and working here really does feel like being part of a family.

Sabrina

Liquidity Analysis Manager
Accounting, analytics, finance, savings and treasury

As Liquidity Analysis Manager, I assist with the oversight of the Liquidity Risk remit across numerous areas of Paragon, including internal liquidity risk modelling and assessment, stress testing, liquidity risk limits and management reporting.

My role allows me to work with all areas of the business to ensure the appropriateness of the representation of liquidity requirements and risks. More recently, I’ve been supporting in the assessment of the impact of significant economic events on forecasting the Group’s liquidity requirements, including Brexit and the pandemic.

The opportunities for development are extensive at Paragon, from our excellent range of training and courses available from the Learning and Development team, through to a strong culture of investing in our people from all levels of the business, including management, senior management and directors.

Isobella

Financial Operations Specialist
Accounting, analytics, finance, savings and treasury

I started out in an operational role with the Group Finance team at Paragon over ten years ago and I haven’t looked back since.

From my first role as a Cashiers Officer to my current role as Finance Operations Specialist, I’ve had lots of opportunity to grow and advance.

Today, I get involved in a wide range of different projects, working with colleagues from across the Group to develop different customer payment systems. It’s challenging work and things move quickly. Over the last 12 months, I’ve worked on six different projects alone!

Paragon is a great place for people who want to keep moving forward.

Karan

Finance Business Partner
Accounting, analytics, finance, savings and treasury

I’m a qualified accountant and I joined Paragon to head up the Costs team after spending my early career at a building society.

I’ve got a Group-wide remit and I’m really enjoying it. I’m learning lots about the forecasting software we use here at Paragon, and I’m looking at ways we can further streamline the month-end process and add more analysis and insight for cost managers. I’m also working alongside colleagues in change management and learning all about business cases and project delivery.

There’s lots of opportunities to use your skills and develop your career here at Paragon.

Katrina

Account Manager
Asset, development and motor finance

As an Account Manager in Paragon’s Invoice Finance team, I manage a portfolio of invoice finance clients together with a small team.

A key part of my role involves planning the day-to-day workflow and holding meetings to discuss and prioritise our workload as a team.  I am very lucky that the team is incredibly experienced and supportive with a very good sense of humour.

As a manager, I’m a great believer in strong communication between myself and my team, giving everyone recognition for their hard work and demonstrating a huge bundle of enthusiasm!

Chris

Senior Financial Crime Investigator
Audit, compliance and risk

As a Senior Financial Crime Investigator, I’m responsible for investigating all matters of potential fraud right across the Group. The most rewarding part of my job is helping the victims of fraud.

Key skills required for my role include a keen eye for detail, a naturally inquisitive nature and strong communication.

I have been able to get involved in numerous projects but I’m currently assisting with company-wide fraud awareness training. I’ve also been given the opportunity to carry out a professional qualification in anti-money laundering and counter finance of terrorism, which I am now half-way through.

Paragon puts a huge focus on investing in its employees, diversifying and exploring new markets and also on flexible working. There’s a genuine sense of family at Paragon and I’m excited to work for a constantly expanding and evolving company.

Jade

Data Protection Office Manager
Audit, compliance and risk

As the manager of the Data Protection Office at Paragon, I report to the Group’s Data Protection Officer and alongside my team of Data Protection Specialists we are responsible for Group-wide oversight of data protection issues.

I need to understand, interpret and apply data protection rules and guidelines to different business scenarios, in addition to engaging with various stakeholders across the business. My days are very varied!

I’ve been very fortunate to have great colleagues and supportive managers throughout my career so far. Paragon has allowed me to complete industry-led qualifications in both data protection and management which have enabled me to develop both personally and professionally.

Sue

Senior Compliance Manager
Audit, compliance and risk

I manage the Compliance Regulatory Support team, having worked previously in a range of operational business areas and roles. The team undertake a wide range of activity, fielding enquiries from all business areas across the Group. I oversee the team’s activity and engage with our different stakeholders.

Forming and maintaining strong working relationships, attention to detail, good organisation and the ability to communicate well at all levels are the essential skills required to make sure we can provide timely and accurate support to both internal and external stakeholders. No day is the same and the variety means I am continually positively challenged. I really enjoy working with others to provide support and guidance and it is satisfying to see other people’s knowledge grow as a result.

As Paragon continues to grow, the diversity and opportunities this brings means that change is a constant and the scope for personal development is huge. As a result, I have been able to create a long-term career at Paragon.

Mick

Relationship Director
Business development, sales and sales support

As a Relationship Director in Paragon’s Development Finance team, I’m responsible for bringing new business into Paragon and also for the day-to-day running and operation of a portfolio of development clients. I focus primarily on Yorkshire and the North East.

The role is challenging and rewarding and I get to meet a large range of clients and feel like we play a fundamental part in their success. Every case is different and requires bespoke solutions.

Key skills required are a good knowledge of local property markets and trends and the ability to identify both strong development projects and clients with the right level of skills and experience.

Paragon’s Development Finance team has grown a great deal over the last few years but we still work very much as a close-knit team and have fantastic employees. Despite the growth, we are still able to be quick and flexible which helps us to stand out from our competition.

Samina

Junior Cyber Security Analyst Apprentice
Change management and IT

There are some great IT opportunities at Paragon, both for people starting out and for more experienced hires.

After gaining my Computer Science degree, I started on the IT Service Desk and, when an apprenticeship in the Cyber Security team came up, I jumped at the chance.

The eighteen-month apprenticeship programme will really boost my career. Not only will I gain a recognised cyber security qualification but, by the time I’m finished, I’ll also have a complete overview of all the different career paths available in my field.

The mix of academic study and hands-on practical experience helps build a really solid foundation for the future.

Brian

Junior Digital Designer
Communication, design and marketing

After gaining a degree in multi-media technology, I gained some experience with an agency before joining Paragon’s digital design team in 2020. Since then, I’ve been involved in wide range of projects, from new product releases for our savings customers to web improvements and email marketing.

The projects vary widely in scope and size, but they all involve working closely with colleagues from across the business to advance Paragon’s digital capability and help us reach a wider audience, both more efficiently and more effectively.

Ciara

Deputy Company Secretary
Company secretariat

I joined Paragon’s Company Secretariat team in 2020.

Company Secretariat is a broad and vital function in a listed company and it’s an ideal match for someone like me with a background in law and corporate governance.

I get involved in a wide range of different areas, from Board support (advice, training, meetings) and ensuring compliance with various codes, laws and regulations, to drafting the corporate governance section of the Annual Report and organising the AGM.

I like working at Paragon because it gives me the opportunity to develop my career at a growing company.

Matthew

Manager, Mortgages New Business Process
Mortgages, and property management and surveying

My team is responsible for quality assurance, risk and complaints for all of Paragon’s new, buy-to-let mortgage business.

We check that customer interactions meet high standards from the initial mortgage application, all the way through to completion. I interact with a wide range of different stakeholders across the business, and the work we do helps to identify where Paragon can make process improvements and use training to develop staff competence.

Since I joined the company in 2015, I’ve progressed from underwriter to team leader and now manager. You need to have good attention to detail and be able to generate solutions to sometimes complex problems to succeed, but the Mortgages New Business Process team is a great place to be if you like to be busy and you’re looking for a fast-paced and challenging role.

Sarah

Duty Surveyor
Mortgages, and property management and surveying

After gaining my professional qualification in surveying, I worked in a range of different commercial and residential roles before joining Paragon.

What I enjoy about working here is the variety of different property types and portfolios that we get involved with on the buy-to-let side, the wide range of issues that we need to keep on top of and the engagement with colleagues. It’s refreshing how much value is placed on surveying expertise, with the security assessment and valuation forming a critical part of each lending decision.

Each member of the team covers a wide geographic area, so there’s plenty of opportunity to get out and about. I’ve recently moved into an Audit role, which combines quality assurance with regulatory aspects, so there are also opportunities to develop your career.

Kas

Collections Manager
Administration, Collections and Customer Services

Fast-paced and busy! That’s how I’d describe my role managing Paragon’s motor finance customer support team.

Whether we’re dealing with a request for a settlement figure, helping a customer make a payment or talking about more sensitive affordability issues, it’s all about product knowledge and people skills – being able to listen, answer enquiries efficiently and arrive at a fair outcome for each, individual customer.

The best part of my role is when I know I’ve made a real difference for a customer, helping them to get back on track with their finances when they’ve had some difficulties.

Working at Paragon, I’m continually developing my customer service knowledge and my people management skills and I can honestly say it’s a very welcoming place to work.

Chris

Senior Marketing Manager
Communications, design and marketing

Since joining Paragon, I’ve gained a wealth of marketing experience, as well as progressing through Paragon’s Team Leader and Management Academy programmes.

From building up the marketing for Paragon’s emerging Commercial Lending division to taking on new responsibilities to strengthen our department’s capability around risk and compliance, there’s always something new to learn.

Being part of a growing company has given me lots of opportunities to develop my career whilst working alongside a supportive and effective network of colleagues.

Matt

Operations Manager
Credit and underwriting

I joined Paragon in 2011 as a Mortgage Underwriter. Working for a specialist lender like Paragon, you get experience assessing the wideset possible range of buy-to-let mortgage applications, working closely with customers and business introducers.

I’ve benefited from the working environment and culture at Paragon and I am now an Operations Manager in the New Lending team. I’m actively encouraged to bring forward new ideas and feel I have genuine input into the success of the company.

This year, we’re working on an exciting project which will streamline and digitalise the way we work. It’s great to work for a growing business where we’re continually challenging ourselves.