Relationship Manager, Real Estate Finance

Relationship Manager – Specialist Property Finance

Salary: £70,000–£80,000 per annum

Working arrangement: Hybrid

Contract: Permanent

The Opportunity

Our client, a specialist property finance business, is seeking an experienced and client-focused Relationship Manager to join its team on a permanent basis.

This is a relationship-led role focused on managing and developing an established portfolio of clients, maximising retention and repeat business, and identifying opportunities to generate further lending activity.

The successful candidate will take ownership of lending cases referred by the Business Development team, preparing robust credit applications and managing transactions from initial assessment and credit sanction through to legal completion and drawdown.

This opportunity would suit a commercially aware professional who combines strong credit expertise with excellent relationship management skills and a proactive approach to portfolio development.

Key Responsibilities:

• Portfolio management: Manage and develop a dedicated portfolio of existing clients, maintaining high levels of satisfaction, retention and repeat business.
• Credit assessment: Take ownership of lending cases received from Business Development Managers, preparing comprehensive and accurate credit applications for presentation to the credit committee.
• Financial analysis and due diligence: Assess financial information, borrower experience, project viability and the key risks associated with each lending proposition.
• Transaction management: Oversee the lending process following credit approval, coordinating brokers, valuers, solicitors and other third parties to ensure transactions progress efficiently through to legal completion and drawdown.
• Relationship development: Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, brokers and introducers to identify opportunities for repeat lending and further business.
• Pipeline management: Maintain oversight of active cases, ensuring transactions progress in line with agreed timelines and internal requirements.
• Market awareness: Monitor relevant property market and sector developments to support informed client discussions and identify emerging opportunities.
• Commercial growth: Work collaboratively with Business Development colleagues to strengthen the existing portfolio and contribute to sustainable business growth.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Proven experience in relationship management, portfolio management or underwriting within real estate lending, specialist property finance or a closely related lending environment.
• Strong credit analysis skills, including the preparation of detailed credit applications for complex lending propositions and property development transactions.
• Demonstrable experience managing lending transactions from initial assessment and credit approval through to legal completion and drawdown.
• A sound understanding of property finance, borrower assessment, project viability and associated lending risks.
• The ability to build and maintain effective relationships with clients, brokers, introducers and professional advisers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present clear, well-structured credit recommendations.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple cases and competing priorities.
• A proactive, commercially minded approach, with a focus on client retention, repeat business and long-term relationship development.
• A bachelor's degree in Banking, Finance, Real Estate, Economics or a related discipline is desirable.