Corporate Banking Associate - Real Estate

The Corporate Banking Real Estate Associate will join the EMEA Real Estate Corporate Banking team, supporting the origination, execution, and ongoing management of corporate banking relationships across the real estate sector. The role is suited to a high-performing associate with strong credit, corporate finance and relationship-management skills, who is able to combine analytical rigour with commercial judgment. The successful candidate will work closely with senior bankers, product partners and risk teams to deliver financing and strategic solutions to listed and private real estate clients across the UK and Europe. The individual will be expected to contribute to client coverage, capital structure analysis, transaction execution, portfolio management, and cross-sell initiatives across the broader banking platform.

Key Responsibilities

• Client Coverage and Origination
  • Support senior bankers in managing and developing relationships with real estate corporates, REITs, private real estate platforms and financial sponsors.
  • Help identify and originate new opportunities across lending, debt capital markets, services, derivatives and wider corporate finance solutions.
  • Prepare high-quality client materials, including financing proposals, capital structure analysis, market updates, pitch books and internal briefing notes.
  • Develop a strong understanding of client strategy, financial performance, capital requirements, funding plans.
• Transaction Execution
  • Support the execution of bilateral and syndicated loan transactions, acquisition financing, bridge facilities, revolving credit facilities.
  • Coordinate with internal partners including Investment Banking, Debt Capital Markets, Risk, Legal, Treasury, Markets and Portfolio Management.
  • Assist with structuring, credit analysis, documentation, due diligence, approvals and closing processes.
  • Track transaction timelines, deliverables and internal approvals to ensure efficient execution.
• Credit and Risk Analysis
  • Prepare detailed credit analysis, including financial modelling, covenant analysis, liquidity assessment, debt capacity, rating-agency considerations.
  • Assess sector, asset-level and borrower-specific risks, including leverage, refinancing risk, valuation trends, interest-rate exposure and capital-market access.
  • Support annual reviews, credit memos, portfolio monitoring and internal risk processes.
  • Ensure all client and transaction work is completed in accordance with internal credit policies, regulatory requirements and risk appetite.
• Portfolio and Relationship Management
  • Assist in the day-to-day management of the real estate client portfolio, including monitoring financial performance, covenant compliance, market developments and upcoming refinancing events.
  • Maintain accurate records of client interactions, opportunities, pipeline activity, exposure, returns and risk metrics.
  • Support senior bankers in meeting revenue, return and capital allocation objectives.
  • Develop an understanding of the broader real estate market, including listed real estate, private capital, development, healthcare, residential, logistics, office, retail, hospitality and alternative real estate sectors such as data centres.
• Market and Sector Insight
  • Stay current on real estate sector themes, including interest rates, valuations, credit spreads, equity performance, refinancing trends, asset rotation, capital recycling and M&A activity.
  • Build knowledge of real estate financing products, including unsecured lending, secured lending, bridge financing, acquisition finance, bonds, private placements, hybrids and equity-linked instruments.

Required Experience

• Ideally 3–5 years of relevant experience in corporate banking, investment banking, real estate finance, credit, leveraged finance, debt capital markets, ratings advisory or a related financial services role.
• Strong understanding of corporate credit, capital structure, financial statements and debt financing.
• Experience working with real estate clients, REITs, infrastructure, hotels, healthcare, residential, logistics or other asset-backed sectors would be advantageous but not essential.
• Demonstrable experience preparing credit papers, financial models, client presentations and transaction materials.

Technical Skills

• Strong financial modelling and analytical skills.
• Ability to analyse balance sheets, cash flows, debt structures, covenants, liquidity and refinancing plans.
• Good understanding of lending products, debt capital markets.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and commercially focused materials.
• High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple workstreams under time pressure.

Personal Attributes

• Commercially curious, proactive and intellectually rigorous.
• Strong interpersonal skills and confidence interacting with senior internal stakeholders, clients and product partners.
• Good judgment, ownership mindset and ability to operate with appropriate independence.
• Collaborative team player with a strong work ethic.
• Interest in real estate, capital markets and corporate finance.
• Ability to balance client objectives with risk discipline and return thresholds.

Certification and Fit & Proper Assessment

Candidates applying for this role must be aware that it is a Certified Role, subject to the Certification Regime. The Certification Regime is one element of the Individual Accountability Regime which has come into effect on 7 March 2016. Under the Certification Regime, certain Citi entities must ensure that employees working in certain roles categorized as specified significant harm functions (Certified Roles) are assessed as fit and proper to carry out their role. Under the guidance provided by the FCA and PRA, firms should have regard to the following when assessing fitness and propriety: Honesty, integrity and reputation; Financial soundness; Competence and capability.

In order to comply with the requirements of the Certification Regime, certain Citi entities must take reasonable care to ensure that an employee does not perform a Certified Role without first being certified as Fit and Proper. For this reason, you will be assessed for this role against the Fit and Proper requirements, as described above. This assessment will be carried out through extensive interviews, self-disclosures, permitted criminal record checks, reference checks, credit checks and other background checks. If hired for this role, you will also be required to complete an annual declaration regarding your Fitness and Propriety. By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you have read the information above and that you are applying for a Certified Role. You also agree to Citi carrying out any additional screening required, including permitted criminal record checks, reference checks, credit checks and any other background checks.

Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our search tools and/or apply for a career opportunity review, Accessibility at Citi. View Citi’s EEO Policy Statement and the Know Your Rights poster.