I joined the bank after finishing my A-levels. Rather than going to university I wanted to pursue a career. I was considering a bank career and talked to an employee of Northern at a Careers Convention, I liked the sound of what I heard and applied to Northern a few months later.
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Lisa McKenna |
Education: Financial Services Diploma, Bank Exams
Title: Mortgage Manager
Department: Northern Bank Regional Office – Region North
Years of service: 9 years |
Up the ladder
I started in Autowaste and during my first two years took on different roles in the Branch to build my skills and knowledge. Once I started working as a Mortgage Adviser, I discovered that I really enjoyed working with people and finding out the best solutions for their needs and goals. After a few years in this role I moved on to a Team Leader role and after running my own branch for some time, my current job was advertised and I knew that it was something for me.
Manager
I started working as a Mortgage Manager in April 2006. I am one of two Mortgage Managers in North Region and my role is to help develop and strengthen my teams’ expertise to promote and sell Northern Bank products and services. I do this through one to one sessions and team sessions which give us an excellent opportunity to share knowledge.
Never a dull moment
The best part of my job is training and coaching. I spend a lot of time working closely with new Mortgage Consultants to develop their skills and knowledge to perform well in the role. It is very rewarding to see these grow. There is never a dull moment. New situations and challenges occur all the time, which gives me an opportunity to develop my own skills, particularly in people management.
Focus on personal development
Danske Bank’s acquisition of Northern Bank has brought us new development opportunities. Personal development is taken seriously in the Danske Bank Group. I am currently taking part in the Danske Emerging Leaders Programme, which is a one-year international programme within the Group with participants from different countries. We have all been given a mentor and a coach who are extremely supportive. It has been an excellent opportunity for me to develop my personal and professional skills.
Constantly learning new
Since the integration into the Danske Bank Group, we have been constantly learning something new. Familiarising yourself with new products, programs and systems takes time. I feel that even now – after 18 months – I am still discovering new things. That is not a bad thing; it makes my job only more interesting.