Business Development Director - Commercial Expert | Structured Property Finance

This is a hybrid role working 3 days in the office (City of London location) and 2 days working from home.

Role Purpose:

UTB's Structured Property Finance division is a fast growth business, empowered to quickly provide bespoke multi-million pound commercial and residential property finance solutions for a wide range of uses including bridging, investment, portfolio restructuring, refinancing, and capital release. Our proposition as a specialist lender is based around the quality of our people, and their ability to deliver flexible structured funding solutions leveraging the banks credit and execution teams to deliver quickly and efficiently. We have a reputation for backing our customers, being quick to adapt to change and striving to be flexible, reliable and supporting our customers through the ups and downs of the economic cycle.

Structured Property Finance is non-regulated. We don't limit the nature of the properties we're willing to lend on and assess each proposal on its merits. We can provide funding secured against single and multi-unit residential properties, HMOs, commercial and mixed-use properties, offices, land, hotels and mixed portfolios. Whilst average deal sizes are around £4m, we are looking to target lending opportunities from £1m to £30m.

We are looking to hire a dynamic and proven Business Development Director with demonstrable experience in lending into the UK commercial property markets (specifically in the retail, industrial and office sectors) who will generate and protect profits by developing and transacting new property finance business from customers and introducers based in London & South East, ensuring that risks are mitigated by the efficient credit structuring and assessment, and ongoing relationship oversight management in conjunction with the support of the SPF Relationship Management team.

The successful candidate will need to be relationship driven with a broad introducer network and customer relationships. They must have strong credit skills and proven track record in bridging and investment lending as well broader real estate experience. You will need to demonstrate a good understanding of technical skills such as sales, communication and negotiation skills, credit stewardship, and debt structuring.

Responsibilities:

• Understand the banks credit policy, lending appetite, pricing frameworks, and proactively identify and action sales opportunities in order to meet business growth objectives.
• Manage and develop a portfolio of business introducers and customers.
• Analyse opportunities, critically evaluate, prepare and submit applications for new proposals to Credit Committee, ensuring appropriate commentary and analysis to aid decision.
• Proactively manage all transactions from Credit Approval through to completion supported by the Relationship Management team.
• Achievement of origination, growth, and margin targets and adherence to the Bank's standards in respect of operational and regulatory risk.
• Post-drawdown/in-life - work with the Relationship Management team to effectively manage and develop the relationship from both a credit stewardship and customer support perspective.
• Maintain delivery of a high-quality service to customers as required.
• Ensure that KYC procedures including the requirements for in-life reviews in accordance with the AML framework on all customer connections are adhered to.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with key external and internal business partners to maximise potential growth opportunities, and promotion of UTB to the market.
• Build knowledge and understanding of relevant markets and customers in order to anticipate and meet their needs.
• Monitor market developments and competitor activity.
• Provide input into SPF sales and business strategy.
• Provide input to Bank policy including lending guidelines, product development and overall risk management.

Key Measures and Indicators of Success:

• £50m new business annually.
• Build and maintain a portfolio of introducers and customers.
• Mix of new originations across residential/commercial and bridging/investment lending.
• Portfolio blended margin v risk weighting.
• Ensure all credit papers are produced with high level of accuracy and compliant with UTB/SPF policies and procedures.
• Portfolio credit performance.

Skills and Experience sought:

• Proven 5-10+ year track record in business development with a bank or non-bank lender operating in the commercial property investment markets.
• The candidate is to have a strong level of experience of structuring lending facilities secured against retail, office and industrial properties.
• Whilst not essential it would be helpful if the candidate also has experience in complex short-term lending/bridging secured on UK commercial property.
• Established customer/introducer network.
• Demonstrated ability to originate deals in the £1m-£30m lending market.
• Proven credit stewardship track record.
• A positive disposition and determination to succeed and prosper.
• Interest in and deep knowledge of property finance - resi/commercial.
• Strong credit analysis and innovative structuring skills.
• Financial analysis skills in support of pricing and accounts analysis.
• Strong relationship management skills.
• Sound knowledge of compliance and regulatory/AML requirements.
• Proven banking knowledge and lending skills.
• Strong stakeholder management.
• Resilience.
• Team player.

Remuneration and Benefits:

• Competitive salary and discretionary bonus scheme.
• Matched pension contributions up to 7%.
• 26 days annual leave plus two wellbeing days and opportunity to purchase additional holiday.
• Flexible and hybrid working.
• Private medical insurance via Vitalitylife, income protection and critical illness insurance.
• Enhanced family leave pay.
• Extensive learning and personal development opportunities.
• Electric car scheme and cycle to work scheme.
• Season ticket loan.
• Wellbeing support - discounted gym membership, employee assistance programme, 24/7 private GP access for staff and their immediate family (online), 1:1 key life stage coaching.