Connelly was formerly, director of mortgage lending, but her new role will see her oversee both short and long-term lending at the lender.

She will also work with chief lending officer David Kennedy to oversee the challenger bank’s credit operations, credit decisions and lending transformation teams.

The bank says has “a deep understanding of the needs of brokers and brings a wealth of operational and industry experience to her new role”.

It adds, she will focus on streamlining the lender’s operational processes and turnaround times for the bank’s partners.

Masthaven chief lending officer David Kennedy says: “Even though we’ve not been able to meet face-to-face for some time now, we remain totally committed to investing in our people. The bank is built on strong teams that need great leaders.

“Shelley is an example of this strong leadership, and she will bring a wealth of experience and specialist knowledge to her new role overseeing short-term lending.

“It’s also a powerful reminder of the success of our Women in Leadership programme which the bank launched in 2020.

“Diversity and inclusion are at the top of our agenda at Masthaven, and we believe that creating a more inclusive and representative workplace is not only the right thing to do, but also critical for our success as a business.”

Last week, the bank cut selected rate cuts on its residential first charge range and made changes to its lending criteria, as well as extended its automated valuation model.