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