Business Relationship Director - Agriculture

Aberdeen, United Kingdom; Aberdeen City; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution is seeking a Business Relationship Director to manage relationships with agricultural clients in the North-East. This role involves establishing partnerships, providing tailored financial solutions, and supporting sustainable growth. Candidates should possess significant industry knowledge, outstanding networking skills, and a consultative approach. Regular travel to rural client locations is essential. Join a team dedicated to driving growth through meaningful conversations and strategic insights.

Qualifications

• Significant travel required to rural locations for client meetings.
• Strong relationship-building capabilities essential.
• A thorough knowledge of agriculture sector challenges is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Manage relationships with corporate and individual clients.
• Research industry trends and develop strategic recommendations.
• Design customized financial solutions for clients.

Skills

Ability to travel independently

Proven ability to build and maintain client relationships

Understanding of the agriculture sector

Networking skills

Knowledge of government policies affecting agriculture

Experience in finance or banking

Lending experience in agriculture

Job description

Business Relationship Director – Agriculture

Purpose of the role

To establish and nurture profitable partnerships with both corporate and individual clients. It is the bridge between the bank's offerings and clients' needs, ensuring mutual benefit and long‑term success.

Accountabilities

• Manage client relationships to identify financial goals, challenges and risk tolerance, and support data analysis from investment portfolios and cash flow to identify trends and opportunities.
• Research and understand industry trends, regulatory landscape and competitive environment to inform strategic recommendations.
• Design customised solutions that address specific client needs, incorporating a range of products and services from the bank’s portfolio.
• Communicate the value proposition of proposed solutions, justify recommendations and negotiate terms that benefit both client and bank.
• Provide guidance to clients to support financial decisions, offering expert investment advice, risk management and wealth‑management strategies, and updates on market trends.
• Assess financial, legal and operational risks and implement measures to minimise potential losses.
• Document all client interactions, transactions and agreements to ensure transparency and auditability, and communicate findings to support product development and overall strategy.
• Monitor client satisfaction, revenue generated and other metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of relationship management.

Vice President Expectations

• Contribute strategy, drive requirements, and recommend changes. Plan resources, budgets and policies; manage policy processes; deliver continuous improvements and address breaches.
• Define roles and responsibilities, plan for departmental needs, counsel employees, support pay decisions and lead specialists to influence operations while balancing short‑ and long‑term goals.
• Demonstrate clear leadership behaviours (Listen, Energise, Align, Develop) to create an environment where colleagues thrive and deliver excellence.
• Act as a subject‑matter expert, guide technical direction, lead multi‑year assignments, train and coach less experienced specialists, and inform strategic decisions.
• Advise stakeholders, including functional leadership and senior management, on cross‑functional impacts and alignments.
• Manage and mitigate risks through assessment, supporting the control and governance agenda.
• Demonstrate accountability for risk management and strengthening controls related to the team’s work.
• Collaborate with other work areas to keep pace with business activity and strategies.
• Create solutions based on sophisticated analysis, selecting and evaluating alternatives.
• Incorporate research outcomes into problem‑solving processes.
• Build trusting relationships with internal and external stakeholders, using influencing and negotiating skills to achieve outcomes.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship, and to embody the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive.

Join us

As a Business Relationship Director, you will be part of the North‑East Agriculture team, managing relationships with large and small agricultural businesses and landed estates. You will facilitate borrowing and purchasing needs, helping clients achieve sustainable growth and long‑term success. Through meaningful, diverse, and sustainability‑focused conversations, you will build trusted relationships, identify future opportunities, and drive growth and market coverage across Scotland.

Requirements

• Ability to travel independently, as the role involves significant time with clients in rural locations.
• Proven ability to build and maintain trusted, long‑term client relationships.
• Considerable understanding and knowledge of the agriculture sector and its unique challenges.
• Confident, self‑motivated, and driven mindset, able to work independently while contributing effectively to a regional team.

Highly Valued Skills

• Experience preparing, hosting and facilitating events for clients.
• Excellent networking skills, building relationships with rural agents, accountants and solicitors.
• Up‑to‑date knowledge of current government policies affecting agriculture and their market impact.
• Background in finance or banking, with experience managing client accounts.
• Demonstrable lending experience, ideally within an agricultural industry.

Location: Aberdeen (Marischal Square) or Edinburgh (Princes Street). Both locations involve regular travel to client sites in rural areas.