Job Specification: Relationship Director – Real Estate Finance
Role Overview
Position: Relationship Director – Real Estate Finance
Location: Midlands (Flexible / Hybrid with regular travel across East & West Midlands)
Purpose: To drive business growth by originating and structuring senior debt solutions for property developers, investors, and SME businesses across the Midlands. You will manage the origination for high-value customers, structuring facilities for residential development, commercial investment, and mixed-use projects.
Key Responsibilities
1. Origination & Business Development
Proactively originate new real estate lending opportunities (typically debt sizes ranging from £1m to £15m+).
Build and maintain a robust network of professional introducers, including property brokers, corporate finance advisors, accountants, and solicitors across the Midlands.
Act as the face of the bank/lender within the local property community, attending networking events and industry forums.
2. Deal Structuring & Credit Execution
Assess the viability of new lending propositions, analyzing borrower profiles, asset quality, development appraisals, and cash flow forecasts.
Structure bespoke debt facilities (including development finance, bridge loans, and investment mortgages) that balance commercial agility with risk appetite.
Write detailed, high-quality credit proposals and present complex deals confidently to the Credit Committee.
Candidate Profile & Experience
Essential Experience
Midlands Market Knowledge: A proven track record of operating within the Midlands property market, with an active, existing network of local brokers, developers, and investors.
Real Estate Debt Expertise: Extensive experience in corporate banking, specialist lending, or alternative finance, with deep technical knowledge of Development Finance (monitoring gross development value, build costs, and contingency) and Investment Finance (analyzing interest cover ratios and loan-to-value).
Credit Analysis: Strong financial acumen with the ability to interrogate financial statements, complex corporate structures, and independent valuation reports.
Key Skills & Attributes
Commercial Drive: Highly self-motivated with a track record of hitting and exceeding annual origination targets.
Negotiation & Influence: Strong communication skills, capable of managing complex relationships and aligning client expectations with risk parameters.
Collaboration: Ability to work seamlessly with internal teams, including Risk, Legal, Valuers, and Monitoring Surveyors, to ensure smooth deal execution.
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