A Day in the Life of – Faye Harper

My role is relationship-building with, and monitoring of, mortgage firms who submit business to HSBC. I also write and present fraud presentations to brokers and firm staff.

Applications submitted to HSBC are always monitored, checked and any red flags get investigated with our fraud team. My job is to work with adviser firms to look for key fraud markers to ensure advisers have a strong knowledge of how to spot fraud. With the ever changing technology available this job gets harder every year.

Every day is different!

What does your morning routine look like?

I start the day off walking my 2 little yorkies, Ronnie & Reggie. I then like to have a quiet hour catching up on any emails and write out the days ‘to do’ list with a coffee. I’m a little OCD!

I’m not an early bird, it takes me a bit of time to wake up!

What does a typical afternoon look like?

It very much varies, but I’m currently writing new mortgage fraud presentations ready for our brokers and intermediary firms next year. Our fraud team will give us information as to why recent cases have declined so we can see trends within the market. Using this, and working with brokers, it helps us build these training presentations – but one presentation can take up to 6 months to make, get approved and published.

What do you find to be your most productive time of the day?

Actually in the evenings. I work fine during the day, but I feel that once my day is done, and dinner’s been on, I can work a couple of hours and get so much done in that time with no call/email distractions.  

How do you manage your time to ensure you have a good work / life / home balance?

I’m very lucky that I do work mainly from home, and see my mortgage firms once/twice a year. I’m good at turning the laptop off and putting it away on weekends and days off. I also try to aim to gym during the day (when its more quiet); I struggle to gym in the evenings as I also run a hair extension business 2 evenings a week.

What is your favourite part of your working day in your role?

Meeting with my mortgage firms, and finding out more about their business. Presenting face to face mortgage fraud presentations for the interaction.

What does a typical dinner time look like in your household?

This one very much varies depending if I’m working the evening or not: in the summer, likely a bbq and a nice long walk with the dogs; winter, open a bottle of red with a nice home cooked meal.

What do you do to unwind?

Walking the dogs, glass of wine (or 2) with my friends or partner, or escaping in my campervan.

If you could give one piece of career advice what would it be?

Don’t be scared to go into a role you don’t think you’ll like or do well in. I was always more relationship over risk but this role has given me a great understanding of both, and I’ve developed my skills whilst in it.

How important has your support network been in helping you through your role?

Very important. I started the role knowing nothing about intermediary firms and the broker world. Working with my team, the BDM’s, and being involved with my firms has been such an amazing help. There are so many people willing to help, internally and externally, within this network.

Does your job require a degree?

No. I left high school with a few GCSE’s and went on to complete my hairdressing apprenticeship (as that’s what I originally thought I wanted to do). When I’d had enough of hairdressing, I applied for the cashier role at Barclays, and haven’t left banking since.

I passed my CeMap’s as I was passionate to give mortgage advice and stay customer facing, and my  Advanced mortgage qualification whilst working in the bank.

I’ve worked as a Mortgage adviser, Area Manager for Mortgages through Essex, and now an intermediary risk manager for 8 years.

I’ve now been in banking for 16 years.