Senior Lending Manager

About the role

You will own the full lifecycle of commercial and residential real estate lending relationships with Intermediaries and direct customers, driving sustainable growth in your assigned geographical territory. You will establish and nurture mutually beneficial partnerships with panel brokers and Strategic Partners, ensuring their success and ours through proactive problem solving. You will deliver first-class service to business customers, securing funding solutions based on commercial property security while consistently operating within credit risk appetite. You will act as a trusted advisor, translating complex lending criteria into clear options that help customers unlock potential and achieve their goals. You will challenge the status quo by identifying gaps in existing lending products and proposing practical improvements to better serve the market. You will represent Recognise Bank with integrity and energy, embodying our values in every interaction to build long-term trust. You will collaborate closely with internal stakeholders to align opportunities with our evolving appetite, ensuring consistent and responsible growth. You will contribute to the ongoing review and development of lending strategies, helping to shape the future of our commercial and residential propositions.

Key facts

What you'll do

Develop and execute a strategic plan to build a robust pipeline of high-quality commercial and residential real estate lending opportunities within your region.

Establish and maintain strong, consultative relationships with a targeted portfolio of Intermediaries, including panel brokers and Strategic Partners, to drive sustainable business growth.

Assess, structure, and negotiate lending proposals, ensuring all transactions are compliant with credit risk appetite, lending policy, and regulatory requirements.

Perform in-depth financial and risk analysis on potential borrowers, utilising commercial property security to design tailored funding solutions that meet specific needs.

Proactively identify and resolve customer issues, escalating complex matters appropriately while maintaining a consistently high level of service.

Collaborate with internal teams to gather market intelligence, refine product offerings, and align lending strategies with evolving business objectives.

Source new business through targeted outreach, networking, and referrals, expanding the customer base and increasing market penetration in your area.

Monitor the performance of existing lending portfolios, flagging early signals of risk and recommending appropriate mitigation actions to protect the business.

Represent Recognise Bank at industry events and partner meetings, enhancing our reputation as a flexible and customer-focused lender.

Contribute to the continuous improvement of lending processes, providing feedback that shapes product development and broker enablement tools.

Build and maintain detailed knowledge of regional market dynamics, competitor activity, and customer preferences to inform decision making.

Leverage internal systems and documentation to ensure accurate, timely processing of lending applications and related information.

Support the implementation of new lending criteria and policy updates, ensuring consistent application across all customer engagements.

Act as a primary point of contact for partners and customers, serving as a reliable source of truth for lending initiatives and outcomes.

Requirements

You hold a relevant degree or possess an equivalent combination of experience and professional qualifications that demonstrate your capability.

You have a proven track record in lending, broking, or a related financial services role, with a strong understanding of commercial and residential real estate dynamics.

You are experienced in building and managing relationships with intermediaries, including brokers and strategic partners, in a regulated environment.

You possess strong analytical skills, enabling you to interpret financial information, assess risk, and make sound lending recommendations.

You have a solid grasp of credit risk principles and the ability to apply lending policies and criteria consistently and accurately.

You demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to engage confidently with senior stakeholders at all levels.

You show resilience and adaptability, thriving in a fast-paced environment where priorities can change quickly.

You are committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, compliance, and professional conduct in every interaction.

Nice to have

Experience with a diverse range of broking partners and the ability to adapt your style to different audiences.

A background in business banking or supporting small and medium-sized enterprises is beneficial.

An understanding of the UK lending landscape and regulatory expectations within the financial services sector.

Practical notes

This is a remote position; location flexibility is a core feature of our working model.

There are no specific hour constraints beyond standard full-time expectations, allowing for a sustainable work life balance.

No travel is required for this role, though occasional virtual meetings with colleagues and partners may be necessary.

There are no visa sponsorship requirements for this position at this time.

There are no published deadlines for this application; we encourage early submission to ensure full consideration.