Tell us a bit about yourself and what brought you to Kingdom Bank.

I’m from Romania originally and moved to the UK to study Law at the University of Nottingham.

During my second year, it became clear to me that I would rather pursue a career in business than in Law. Before entering the world of commercial work, I decided to do an intern year at my church to establish good foundations and spend time thinking through what it looks like to take up your cross and follow Jesus in a work context.

I knew I wanted to go on and work in the financial sector so, when I saw a job advertised with Kingdom Bank, it seemed like a brilliant opportunity to combine my faith with my career ambitions!

What have your roles been at Kingdom Bank and what does a typical day look like for you?

I started off in the Account Management team and now I work as Lending Officer in the New Business Lending Team. The role is pretty varied which means that no two days are quite the same, which I really enjoy.

I work across both Commercial and Personal lending, mainly assisting with the initial enquiries and assessments, as well as the post-approval process. This means lots of speaking to customers, assessing affordability and whether Kingdom Bank is the right fit for the customer’s needs, as well as explaining how we differ from high street lenders.

How did you become a Christian and how do you find this impacts your work?

I grew up in a Christian family which meant that I was exposed to an embodied faith from a young age and that facilitated the search for meaning in my teens. I became a Christian when I was compelled that the answer to the question “Is there more to life than this?” is Jesus.

I see my faith and work as separate only conceptually. I believe that God calls us to be and do everything from the centrality of Christ in us. I’m always inspired by the verse I referenced above: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). As such, my hope is that my work is shaped by my faith and vice versa.

What are you most excited about for the future of your role?

Growth! My role means that I am privileged to see the growth of the UK Church firsthand, both geographically – more church plants – and numerically – church congregations outgrowing their current premises. As this continues in a (hopefully) post-pandemic world, I am incredibly excited to take part in the dynamic growth of the Church.

Where would we be likely to find you when you’re not at work?

In Hockley (the Soho of Nottingham!), at a gig or playing football.