Relationship Manager – Commercial / SME Banking
Location: Southall, London
Department: Branch Banking
Reporting to: Relationship & Branch Manager
We are seeking an experienced and commercially driven Relationship Manager to join a busy Southall branch. This is a key role focused on managing and growing a portfolio of Commercial and SME clients, driving profitable volume growth while maintaining robust credit oversight and regulatory standards.
The role offers strong exposure across lending, deposits, trade and FX referrals, and Islamic finance solutions within a structured, performance-led banking environment.
The Role
You will manage an assigned portfolio of Commercial / SME customers, delivering value-added sales and high-quality service while identifying new business opportunities.
A key aspect of the role is maintaining portfolio health — identifying early warning signs, managing renewals proactively, and ensuring all lending is in line with policy and risk appetite.
Key Responsibilities
Portfolio & Customer Management
* Manage and grow a portfolio of Commercial / SME clients
* Build strong client relationships through proactive networking and meetings
* Identify cross-sell opportunities including Trade, FX and Islamic finance solutions
* Drive targeted account opening volumes
* Ensure adherence to Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) principles
Commercial Growth
* Deliver targeted asset and deposit growth
* Structure and negotiate client proposals for lending and deposits
* Submit high-quality credit applications to internal credit teams
* Disburse lending in line with agreed branch targets
Credit & Control
* Manage credit renewals within policy and timescales
* Monitor excesses and key risk indicators across the portfolio
* Ensure Enhanced Due Diligence requirements are completed
* Maintain strong compliance oversight in line with FCA/PRA standards
* Manage SLAs for account openings and documentation
Branch & Team Contribution
* Support junior RMs / RSOs with complex credit queries
* Prepare and present cases to Credit Committees where required
* Contribute to MI, governance reporting and branch initiatives
* Champion strong diary management and pipeline discipline
Requirements
* Minimum 5 years’ experience in a Relationship Manager or equivalent banking role
* Strong Commercial / SME lending experience
* Proven ability to grow assets and deposits
* Solid credit analysis and proposal writing skills
* Experience presenting cases to Credit Committees
* Strong understanding of regulatory and conduct requirements
Line management or mentoring experience would be advantageous.
Skills & Competencies
* Financially astute and numerate
* Strong relationship management and negotiation skills
* Confident communicator with excellent presentation ability
* Strong knowledge of core banking products and processes
* Highly organised with disciplined pipeline management
What We’re Looking For
* Commercially focused and target-driven
* Strong risk awareness and portfolio discipline
* High integrity and regulatory accountability
* Ability to balance business growth with credit quality
* Confident operating in a structured, performance-led branch environment