Senior Director - Head of Debt Advisory

JR United Kingdom; Crawley; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading investment banking boutique is looking for a Senior Director to launch its UK Debt Advisory franchise. The role involves strategic responsibilities, client relationships, and team leadership, with a unique opportunity to drive growth in the UK market and establish a key advisory function.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in debt advisory, leveraged finance, or private credit.
• Track record in sponsor-backed transactions.
• Strong understanding of UK mid- and upper mid-market.

Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the UK Debt Advisory franchise.
• Originate and execute sophisticated financing solutions.
• Build and scale a high-performing team.

Skills

Debt Advisory

Leveraged Finance

Private Credit

Origination

Execution

Team Leadership

Job description

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Senior Director - Head of Debt Advisory, Crawley, West Sussex

Client: Albert Cliff Limited

Location: Crawley, West Sussex, United Kingdom

Job Category: Other

EU work permit required: Yes

Job Views:

3

Posted:

10.06.2025

Expiry Date:

25.07.2025

Job Description:

Location: London

Overview

We are mandated by a globally integrated investment banking boutique to appoint a Senior Director / Partner to spearhead the launch and leadership of its UK Debt Advisory franchise. The firm operates across the full investment banking spectrum—including M&A advisory, debt advisory, equity capital markets, IPO advisory, and equity research—and is now advancing the next phase of its UK expansion, underpinned by entrepreneurial leadership and cross-border execution capability.

This is a Partner-track mandate with significant strategic visibility, offering a fast route to Partner-level title upon successful establishment and early traction of the UK franchise. The successful candidate will play a foundational role in shaping and scaling a core vertical of the UK business—owning origination, execution, and team build-out from day one. The focus is on advising private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies across mid- and upper mid-market transactions, with a strong emphasis on complex, high-impact financings. This is a rare opportunity to embed and grow a senior advisory function within a high-performance, multi-product global platform—combining the agility of a boutique with institutional reach.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the UK Debt Advisory franchise, assuming full strategic and operational responsibility for its positioning, growth, and integration into the firm’s broader platform
• Originate and execute sophisticated financing solutions across the capital structure—including LBOs, refinancings, recapitalisations, and complex sponsor-led transactions
• Act as a lead advisor to private equity sponsors, portfolio CFOs, and corporate leadership, guiding clients through capital structure design, debt raising, and transaction execution
• Build and scale a high-performing team, setting recruitment priorities, developing talent, and fostering a results-oriented culture defined by technical excellence and commercial delivery
• Collaborate closely with international sector and product teams, leveraging the firm’s global network to drive cross-border opportunities and enhance client coverage
• Serve as the firm’s senior voice in the UK debt market, contributing to thought leadership, brand development, and strategic client relationships

Candidate Profile

• 8+ years of experience in debt advisory, leveraged finance, or private credit, gained at a leading investment bank or independent advisory platform
• Track record of origination and execution in sponsor-backed transactions, with deep understanding of the UK mid- and upper mid-market landscape
• Strong technical foundation across a range of capital structures—senior, unitranche, mezzanine, hybrid instruments—and an ability to tailor financing solutions to client-specific needs
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the drive and judgment to build a business line from inception, balancing commercial ambition with delivery discipline
• Proven ability to lead teams and mentor junior talent, with a strong personal track record of developing execution capability within advisory settings
• Established and credible network of sponsor and corporate relationships, with the ability to originate mandates and serve as a trusted advisor to C-suite and partner-level stakeholders