Business Development Manager

LJ Recruitment; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Exposure to CRE origination

Job summary

LJ Recruitment is seeking a Business Development Manager - Commercial Real Estate for a West London based financial services firm. The role focuses on originating and progressing CRE and development finance opportunities, building introducer relationships and guiding transactions through to completion.

The ideal candidate brings 3-5 years in commercial lending with a strong network of introducers, solid credit judgement and the ability to balance opportunity with risk in a hybrid working

Qualifications

• 3–5 years' experience in commercial lending, credit assessment or underwriting.
• Strong knowledge of the UK commercial real estate lending market.
• Established network of business introducers, including brokers, accountants and solicitors.

Responsibilities

• Originate CRE lending proposals and development finance opportunities.
• Build and maintain introducer relationships with brokers and professionals.
• Develop a strong pipeline of new business opportunities and maintain records.
• Conduct initial credit assessment and provide recommendations.
• Work with Credit and Risk to progress proposals through underwriting and approval.
• Support presentations to credit and management committees.

Skills

Commercial lending

Credit assessment

Underwriting

Relationship management

Business development

Financial analysis

MS Office

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Business Development Manager - Commercial Real Estate

Location: West London

Salary: 70,000 per annum

Working Pattern: Hybrid - 4 days office / 1 day working from home

We are delighted to be recruiting for a Business Development Manager - Commercial Real Estate to join a growing financial services business based in West London.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced commercial real estate professional with a strong network of introducers and a background in credit assessment, underwriting or commercial lending. The successful candidate will be responsible for originating new lending opportunities, developing introducer relationships and managing transactions through to completion.

The Role

As Business Development Manager, you will focus on originating and progressing Commercial Real Estate and Development Finance opportunities, working closely with brokers, accountants, solicitors, valuers and other professional introducers.

You will manage opportunities from initial assessment through to approval and completion, balancing commercial objectives with robust credit and risk considerations.

Key Responsibilities

• Originate Commercial Real Estate lending proposals up to 20m and Development Finance proposals up to 10m.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with commercial property brokers, accountants, solicitors, valuers and other introducers.
• Develop a strong pipeline of new business opportunities and maintain accurate records of introducer relationships.
• Undertake initial assessment and analysis of lending proposals, providing clear recommendations and rationale.
• Work closely with Credit and Risk teams to progress shortlisted proposals through underwriting and approval.
• Support the presentation of proposals to relevant credit and management committees.
• Conduct initial credit reviews and investigations to identify and mitigate potential risks.
• Undertake property/site visits where required and prepare appropriate reports.
• Manage the lending pipeline, ensuring opportunities progress efficiently and disbursement targets are achieved.
• Monitor market conditions and identify emerging opportunities, trends and potential areas of concern.
• Liaise with solicitors, valuation firms and other professional advisers to ensure transactions progress smoothly.
• Work closely with Credit Administration and internal stakeholders to provide a seamless client experience from approval through to post-disbursement.
• Support the development and delivery of credit-related training where required.
• Contribute to wider business and operational initiatives within the lending function.

About You

We are looking for an experienced commercial lending professional who combines strong business development skills with sound credit judgement.

You will ideally have:

• 3-5 years' experience in commercial lending, credit assessment, underwriting or a closely related environment.
• Strong knowledge of the UK commercial real estate lending market.
• An established network of business introducers, ideally including brokers, accountants, solicitors and property professionals.
• Experience assessing and structuring commercial property lending proposals.
• Good understanding of the UK regulatory and lending environment.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to balance business opportunities with appropriate risk management.
• Excellent analytical and decision-making skills.
• The ability to clearly articulate recommendations and summarise complex information.
• Strong attention to detail and a diligent approach to credit assessment.
• Excellent communication and relationship-management skills.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• The ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively with internal teams.

What's on Offer

• 70,000 per annum
• West London location
• Hybrid working - 1 day per week from home
• Opportunity to join a growing and commercially focused lending business
• A role offering significant exposure to commercial real estate origination and relationship management
• The opportunity to develop and leverage an existing introducer network