Real Estate Debt (Underwriting & Origination)

Caravel; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Caravel is seeking a VP/Director-level real estate debt professional to lead loan origination in the UK real estate market. The role involves originating, structuring, underwriting and executing loans from inception through to completion, with equity participation potential as the platform grows.

You will work closely with founders on a broad lending mandate (£5m–£50m) across property sectors, delivering autonomous ownership of transactions and building a sustainable origination pipeline.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in UK commercial real estate lending, ideally gained within a bank, debt fund or alternative lender.
• Ability to independently structure, analyse and underwrite transactions with minimal supervision.
• Thorough understanding of credit risk, loan structuring and transaction execution.
• Commercial appetite and interpersonal skills to develop relationships and generate new business.
• Hands-on, entrepreneurial mindset and willingness to work within a small, growing team.

Responsibilities

• The role combines deal origination, structuring, underwriting and execution, with a clear emphasis on developing into a successful loan originator.

Skills

Real estate debt

Job description

Are you an experienced real estate debt professional looking to make the move into loan origination?

We’re working with a relatively new, institutionally backed real estate lender that is looking to appoint an ambitious VP / Director to join its growing team.

The business is led by a highly experienced leadership team with an established track record in UK real estate finance. It provides flexible, value-add financing solutions across all commercial property asset classes, with loan sizes ranging from £5m to £50m, spanning both term lending and bridging finance.

This is an opportunity to join a well-capitalised, entrepreneurial platform at an exciting stage of its development, working directly alongside the founders and playing a meaningful role in its growth.

The Opportunity

The role combines deal origination, structuring, underwriting and execution, with a clear emphasis on developing into a successful loan originator.

This isn’t a pure underwriting role. You’ll need to genuinely enjoy and be motivated by the prospect of building your own origination pipeline. You don’t necessarily need to have an established origination track record, but you must ability, ambition and personality to become a successful originator.

Why Consider It?

• Institutional backing: A well-capitalised lending platform with ambitious growth plans.
• Experienced leadership: Work directly with founders who have a long track record in real estate finance.
• Broad lending mandate: £5m–£50m transactions across multiple property sectors, including term and bridge lending.
• Genuine autonomy: The opportunity to take ownership of transactions from initial structuring through to completion.
• Significant earnings potential: An eat-what-you-kill bonus structure that directly rewards successful origination.
• Long-term upside: Potential equity participation as the business develops.

You’ll need

• Strong experience in UK commercial real estate lending, ideally gained within a bank, debt fund or alternative lender.
• The ability to independently structure, analyse and underwrite transactions with minimal supervision.
• A thorough understanding of credit risk, loan structuring and transaction execution.
• The commercial appetite and interpersonal skills to develop relationships and generate new business.
• A hands-on, entrepreneurial mindset and the willingness to work within a relatively small, growing team.

A full job spec is available for people with the relevant experience.