Director of Intermediary Sales and Lending

Role Overview

• Lead and manage direct and intermediated lending teams across commercial real estate products.
• Provide strong leadership, mentoring and credit expertise to support team and business growth.
• Build and maintain key internal and external relationships.
• Own end-to-end portfolio performance, including origination, credit quality, margins and mix.
• Ensure first-line adherence to credit appetite, underwriting standards and delegated authorities.
• Drive the commercial strategy for real estate lending products across direct and intermediated channels, including product reviews, fair value assessments and new product launches.
• Partner with the CCO to align the product suite with strategic objectives.
• Define commercial and credit requirements for products and lead cross-functional delivery to ensure scalable implementation.
• Work with Marketing and intermediaries to ensure propositions and collateral meet target market needs.
• Lead the design and operational delivery of new lending propositions, ensuring robust, compliant and scalable processes.
• Develop and oversee MI to monitor portfolio performance, credit quality, intermediary effectiveness and Consumer Duty outcomes.
• Use data-driven insight to support pricing, benchmarking, horizon scanning and operational improvements.
• Identify structural, policy or process enhancements to improve performance and manage risk.
• Design, manage and evolve intermediary panel frameworks, including onboarding, performance monitoring and policy adherence.
• Produce regular MI for compliance and committee reporting.
• Work closely with Finance, Risk and Operations to align commercial objectives and delivery.
• Act as the senior Lending representative in cross-functional forums.
• Bring deep knowledge of specialist lending markets, products and competitors.
• Demonstrate strong credit and structuring expertise across commercial and retail transactions.
• Own and continuously enhance underwriting standards and credit policy in line with risk appetite and governance.
• Identify opportunities to improve product performance, profitability and scalability.
• Lead initiatives to enhance efficiency, automation and consistency across lending processes.
• Contribute to strategic planning and commercial initiatives.

Requirements

• Senior leadership experience in specialist or commercial real estate lending, with strong credit and deal structuring expertise and multi-team oversight.
• Proven delivery of credit policy, underwriting standards and delegated authorities in a regulated environment.
• Strong knowledge of lending products, intermediated markets and B2B SME lending.
• Experience authoring policy and committee papers and defining product scope and requirements.
• Credible, confident communicator able to influence senior stakeholders and operate effectively at executive and board level.
• Background in a regulated bank or challenger bank, with a sound understanding of Consumer Duty.
• Highly organised, delivery-focused and comfortable working autonomously in a fast-paced, growing environment.
• Knowledge of savings products desirable.

Benefits

• Competitive Time Off – Generous annual leave plus bank holidays to rest, recharge, and enjoy life outside of work.
• Work From Anywhere – Up to 4 weeks per year to work remotely from anywhere in the world.
• Learning & Development – Tailored training and support to grow your skills and achieve your professional goals.
• Hybrid Working – To support your work-life balance, we offer a hybrid working model with 3 days in the office and 2 days remote.
• Private Medical Care with Vitality – Comprehensive healthcare including optical and dental coverage to keep you healthy.
• Enhanced Pension Scheme – Helping you plan and save for a secure future.
• Maternity, Paternity & Adoption Pay – Supporting you and your family during important life moments.
• Discretionary Company Bonus – Rewarding your contribution to our shared success.