A well-established UK professional services group, recognised for its advisory and consulting work across financial services, is appointing a Director of Corporate Development to its lending advisory practice. The practice works between lenders and their investors, providing independent assurance that underwriting standards are met and that funding is deployed as intended. Following a period of investment and growth, the business is hiring a senior commercial leader to take charge of sales and business development.

The role leads a team of five senior business developers covering around 100 regularly engaged clients, ranging from major retail and investment banks to private capital investors and challenger lenders. The work is predominantly secured lending, with a smaller unsecured element, and there is a growing opportunity to cross-sell credit risk services. The role reports to the practice's Senior Director, works alongside the Head of Operations, and has scope to grow the team further.

This suits a commercially minded leader who enjoys coaching others and building relationships at senior level. Personal targets are in place but sit below those of the senior business developers, with the main focus on developing the team and the wider client base. Reward is linked to annual revenue as well as team performance and client satisfaction. The business is open to candidates from advisory, professional services, lending or transaction banking backgrounds.

The successful candidate will be involved in:

• Leading, mentoring and developing the sales team, with a focus on stronger sales skills
• Setting priorities and holding the team accountable for delivery against revenue targets
• Building senior relationships across existing clients and extending the network further
• Opening doors with new clients and converting interest into mandates
• Developing the CRM so that pipeline, activity and client contact are tracked consistently
• Producing management information on performance for the Senior Director and wider leadership team
• Shaping the commercial terms and pricing of new deals
• Positioning credit risk services alongside the core lending advisory offering
• Working with operations colleagues to keep delivery in step with what is sold
• Supporting the Senior Director on commercial planning, budgeting and business priorities
• Collaborating with peers across the wider group to keep the business joined up
• Building knowledge of market trends and client needs to identify opportunities

The ideal candidate should have:

• Proven experience in a Commercial Director, sales leadership or similar senior role
• A track record of managing and developing a sales or business development team
• Experience in financial services, banking or asset management
• Familiarity with lending, transaction banking or the regulatory environment around them
• Understanding of secured lending products, with unsecured experience a bonus
• Credibility with senior client contacts, including CFOs, COOs and CROs
• Strong negotiation and presentation skills
• Sound grasp of performance reporting, budgeting and pricing
• Awareness of assurance work such as agreed-upon procedures and cash reconciliation reviews, which would be useful
• Experience gained in an advisory or professional services environment, which would be well regarded
• An entrepreneurial, collaborative approach and the organisational skills to manage a remote team
• The right to work in the UK and willingness to travel across the UK and Europe

For more information on this position, please apply here or email Chris at Christopher.rolfe@bruinfinancial.com .