At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and manage the loan portfolio, ensuring performance and risk oversight.
- Company: Established PE-owned debt fund focused on real estate financing.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, dynamic work environment, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a collaborative culture with ambitious growth objectives.
- Why this job: Make a significant impact in real estate finance while leading a dedicated team.
- Qualifications: Strong credit judgement, leadership skills, and commercial acumen required.
The predicted salary is between 81000 - 99000 £ per year.
My client is an established PE-owned debt fund that provides both investment and development financing to their Real Estate clients.
The Head of Portfolio Management will have overall responsibility for the proactive management, performance and oversight of the Fund's existing loan portfolio, comprising property development finance and property investment loans across the UK. The role will focus on maintaining portfolio quality, protecting investor capital, maximising financial performance and ensuring loans are effectively managed from initial drawdown through to repayment.
A key responsibility will be to identify and flag early warning signs of potential credit deterioration, development delays, borrower financial difficulties or other emerging portfolio risks, ensuring these are promptly communicated, appropriately escalated and addressed before they become material issues.
The Head of Portfolio Management will lead and manage a small team responsible for the day-to-day monitoring and management of the loan portfolio. The role will require a hands-on approach, combining effective team leadership with direct involvement in key loan exposures, borrower relationships and portfolio risk assessment.
Working closely with Origination, Credit, Finance and Operations, the role will ensure a disciplined, commercially focused and proactive approach to portfolio oversight. As a member of the senior leadership team, the Head of Portfolio Management will contribute to the strategic development of the business and provide high-quality portfolio reporting and insight to the Executive Committee, Board and private equity shareholders.
Responsibilities:
- Capital Preservation: Protecting the Fund's invested capital through disciplined and proactive portfolio management.
- Portfolio Performance: Maintaining portfolio quality and supporting delivery of targeted financial returns.
- Early Warning Identification: Ensuring emerging credit, borrower and development risks are identified and flagged at the earliest opportunity.
- Risk Escalation: Ensuring material issues are promptly communicated to the appropriate stakeholders, with clear follow-up actions.
- Loan Repayments: Maximising timely loan redemptions and maintaining accurate repayment forecasts.
- Operational Effectiveness: Ensuring robust controls, accurate data and efficient loan lifecycle management.
- Team Leadership: Effectively managing, developing and supporting a small team, ensuring clear accountability and consistently high standards of portfolio management.
- Stakeholder Reporting: Providing transparent, accurate and forward-looking reporting to senior management, the Board and investors.
Skills & Experience:
- Commercially Astute: Able to balance credit risk, investor returns, borrower relationships and practical commercial outcomes.
- Proactive and Forward-Looking: Anticipates potential issues, recognises early warning signs and takes timely action to ensure risks are appropriately flagged and escalated.
- Strong Credit Judgement: Demonstrates a disciplined and analytical approach to assessing loan performance and identifying emerging risks.
- Hands-On Leadership: Comfortable leading a small team whilst remaining actively involved in the detail of portfolio management and individual loan exposures.
- Strategic and Practical: Able to contribute at senior management and Board level whilst maintaining a strong operational focus.
- Results-Oriented: Focused on capital protection, portfolio performance, timely repayments and operational effectiveness.
- Confident Communicator: Able to present complex credit matters clearly and constructively to senior stakeholders.
- Collaborative Leader: Builds strong working relationships, supports team development and encourages effective cross-functional decision-making.
- Highly Organised and Detail-Focused: Ensures accurate loan monitoring, robust follow-up and timely reporting.
- Entrepreneurial Mindset: Comfortable operating in a dynamic, private equity-backed business with ambitious growth and performance objectives.
Head of Portfolio Management - Real Estate Debt Fund employer: Buckden Partners
Buckden Partners is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in the heart of the City of London. With a strong focus on employee growth and development, team members are encouraged to take ownership of their projects while collaborating with talented professionals in the field. The company promotes a culture of innovation and excellence, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding careers in real estate credit investment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Portfolio Management - Real Estate Debt Fund
✨Tip Number 1: Tap Into Professional Networks
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Consider writing articles or sharing insights related to financial controlling or industry trends. Publish these on platforms like LinkedIn to establish yourself as a knowledgeable player in the field. This not only increases your visibility but also catches the attention of recruiters from Buckden Partners.
✨Tip Number 4: Apply Directly on Company Websites
Since you're going for a full-time gig, don't forget to keep an eye on the careers page of companies you're interested in, like Buckden Partners. Many companies prefer candidates who apply through their website as it shows genuine interest and makes your application stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Portfolio Management - Real Estate Debt Fund
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers Game:In financial controlling, detail is everything! Make sure your CV showcases your proficiency with numbers—highlight any relevant experience in budgeting, forecasting, or working with financial software. Quantifying your past achievements will make you stand out, so don’t be shy about flaunting those impressive percentages or cost savings you've implemented.
Tailored Cover Letter is Key:Your cover letter is a chance to shine, especially for a full-time role. Use it to express your genuine interest in Buckden Partners and the specific impact you hope to make in financial controlling. Mention any relevant qualifications or experiences that align with the company’s goals, and don’t forget to show that you're ready for a long-term commitment!
Certifications Matter:List relevant certifications such as ACCA or CIMA on your CV. These qualifications not only showcase your dedication to the field but also your technical competence in financial principles. If you have any ongoing training or courses, make sure to mention those as well to demonstrate your commitment to continual learning in financial controlling.
Don’t Overlook Soft Skills:While numbers are crucial, so are those soft skills! Financial controllers need strong communication and analytical reasoning abilities. We recommend embedding examples of these skills in your CV and cover letter, like how you’ve successfully delivered financial reports to stakeholders or collaborated with teams to improve processes. Let’s show Buckden Partners how you can be a team player!
How to prepare for a job interview at Buckden Partners
✨Brush Up on Technical Skills
Make sure you're comfortable with key financial concepts, especially around forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis. Sometimes, interviewers may throw in technical questions or case studies, so practicing these types of scenarios will help you shine!
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If you've had experience with specific financial software like SAP or Oracle, make it known! Be ready to discuss how you used these tools to improve processes or reporting, as this hands-on knowledge can really set you apart in a full-time role with Buckden Partners.
✨Know Your Numbers
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✨Connect with Company Goals
Familiarise yourself with Buckden Partners's financial objectives and any recent developments. During the interview, try to weave your understanding of their business model and challenges into your answers—this shows your genuine interest and alignment with their goals!
