Imagine yourself as a Senior Loan Manager

In celebration of International Women’s Day 2025, we’re speaking with Joanne Barlow, who works as a Senior Loan Manager with the Growth Company. A loan manager is an individual who is responsible for managing loan accounts, including assessing loan applications, approving loans, monitoring payments, and ensuring that loan customers remain in good standing. Joanne has over 40 years of experience within finance, and she’s happy to tell us all about her lived experiences.

Tell us about what a “day in the life” of your job entails, Joanne!

My role centres around getting loans approved, which means there isn’t a typical day, as it all depends on where I am in the process for a particular client.

When an application is received, I take time to look at all the information received so far. I make notes of any questions that spring to mind whilst I am reviewing everything, and I list any missing documents. If information is missing, I prepare an email to explain what is needed.

Once all the key documents are held, a full review might take up most of my day because I check all the search results and do an analysis of all the financial information. 

To help me remember the detail, I make notes as I go along and then I arrange to meet with the client so that I can get a stronger information base.

After that meeting, I will start to write my report. As I write my report, I usually think of more questions to ask and will cover the final detail by phone, email or another meeting. When my report is ready, I submit it for a first approval.

When the first approval is held, I organise for a loan panel to do a second review of the application. When the application is approved, the loan and security documentation is prepared for me to check.

Quite often, my day involves keeping the client up to date with the process and organising the meetings and the paperwork required as part of the process.

Not every loan follows a successful path and some days are spent chasing up missing information, checking what stage the loans are up to and keeping the applications moving. Sometimes loan applications are cancelled because they are not moving forward, and sometimes the application is declined.

When I am not dealing directly with loan applications, I will focus on social media posts, booking and attending networking meetings and keeping in touch with contacts who might be able to introduce business clients to me.

I also have a portfolio of existing loans to review. We ask for quarterly management information from all our clients and sometimes this information needs to be chased.

What made you want to work in the job you’re in now?

After leaving school, I got a job with NatWest Bank. After working in a number of clerical roles in different branches, I got a job supporting a Bank Relationship Manager. Their role was to look after a portfolio of business customers and to help them to apply for loan facilities, or other financial products. I really enjoyed going out on meetings with the Manager to see the many different businesses in our location. Businesses that I previously had no idea existed. It was clear there was a good relationship between the manager and the business owners and they appreciated the financial support from the Bank. 

I then decided that is the role I wanted to do within the Bank. After doing this role for a few years I was made redundant, and I moved to the Growth Company and the Access to Finance team. That role was to support clients to become investment ready. Investment ready means having the information package ready for a successful loan application or for equity investment. I thoroughly enjoyed helping clients to get loan funding and when the role with GC Finance became available, I became the person to provide that loan funding.

What’s your favourite thing about your job?

I love meeting with new people and finding out about the businesses and how they operate. However, the best part is when a loan is approved and the funding then helps to grow that business for a stronger future.

Thank you for your time, Joanne! If you’re looking to start a career in finance, try our finance and professional sector guide today by clicking here.

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