SME Relationship Director - South Wales

Lloyds Banking Group; Swansea; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension up to 15%

Annual bonus

Share schemes

Discounted shopping

30 days holiday + bank holidays

Job summary

Lloyds Banking Group in South Wales is seeking an SME Relationship Director to lead a defined SME portfolio, drive growth and deliver end-to-end banking solutions. The role blends client advisory, credit evaluation and cross‑functional collaboration to expand market share in the region.

You will manage risk, nurture senior client relationships, and partner with product teams to offer lending, deposits and payments services while expanding the bank's regional footprint.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of winning new business in a competitive corporate/commercial banking environment.
• Strong communication skills with experience building and maintaining relationships with clients and external partners.
• Detailed understanding of legal documentation and ability to negotiate terms.
• Understanding and appreciation of lending risk and how to minimise it.

Responsibilities

• Manage a defined SME client portfolio with turnover of £10m-£50m, delivering tailored banking solutions.
• Build trusted relationships with existing and prospective clients as the face of Lloyds Banking Group.
• Drive income growth, balance sheet expansion and market share in South Wales.
• Identify and win new-to-bank opportunities through market engagement and networking.
• Collaborate with internal product specialists to deliver end-to-end service.
• Manage risk via lending assessments and adherence to credit policies.

Skills

Relationship building

Credit experience

Negotiation

Communication

Risk awareness

Job description

JOB TITLE:

SME Relationship Director - South Wales

HOURS:

Full Time

WORKING PATTERN:

Our work style is hybrid, which involves spending at least one day per week, or 20% of our time, at one of our South Wales offices and at least a further 20% of the time meeting clients.

What you'll be doing:

We're looking for a passionate and driven Relationship Director to join our high-performing SME Commercial Banking team. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who thrives on building strong client relationships, identifying growth opportunities and delivering meaningful impact. In this role, you'll manage a defined portfolio of SME clients, typically businesses with a turnover of £10m-£50m, ensuring an outstanding client experience while driving sustainable income growth, balance sheet expansion and market share.

Acting as the face of Lloyds Banking Group, you'll build trusted, long-term relationships with both existing and prospective clients, positioning yourself as a key advisor who understands their ambitions and supports their growth. You'll take ownership of your portfolio, developing clear client strategies and delivering tailored solutions across a broad range of commercial banking products, including lending, deposits, payments and day-to-day banking services.

A core focus of the role will be generating new business and expanding your client base. You'll proactively identify and win new-to-bank opportunities through effective market engagement, networking and relationship building, strengthening the Group's presence within your region. You'll also work closely with internal product specialists and coverage teams to deliver the full capability of the bank, ensuring clients benefit from a joined-up, end-to-end service.

Success in this role will rely on your ability to build and maintain strong internal and external networks. You'll collaborate with colleagues across the bank, as well as Group partners and professional introducers, to open doors and create opportunities for your clients. By connecting clients with the right expertise and solutions, you'll help them unlock their potential and achieve their business objectives.

Alongside driving growth, you'll be fully accountable for managing risk within your portfolio. This includes undertaking lending assessments, structuring appropriate financial solutions and ensuring that all exposures align with the bank's risk appetite and credit policies.

Why Lloyds Banking Group?

We're on an exciting journey to transform our Group and the way we're shaping finance for good. We're focusing on the future, investing in our technologies, workplaces, and colleagues to make our Group a great place for everyone. Including you.

What we're looking for:

• To be seen as the "go to" banker in their geographic area of responsibility. Maintaining a high profile with external influencers and the local business community to achieve the Bank's stated aim of being the best bank for clients.
• A track record of winning new business in a competitive environment within corporate or commercial banking, alongside a broad established network within the South Wales Commercial market.
• Skilled team player as well as a proven self-starter with a drive and passion to succeed individually and as part of the wider team.
• Proven credit experience - skilled at evaluating propositions and using that experience to make confident and effective commercial recommendations to the Credit team.
• Strong communication skills with experience in building, creating and maintaining relationships with clients and influential external partners.
• Detailed understanding of legal documentation, together with the ability to effectively negotiate legal and commercial terms.
• Understanding and appreciation of the different types of risk in a lending environment and how to minimise such Risk.

This is a place for you

Our ambition is to be the leading UK business for diversity, equity and inclusion supporting our customers, colleagues and communities and we're committed to creating an environment in which everyone can thrive, learn and develop.

We were one of the first major organisations to set goals on diversity in senior roles, create a menopause health package, and a dedicated Working with Cancer Initiative.

We offer reasonable workplace adjustments for colleagues with disabilities, including flexibility in office attendance, location and working patterns. As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee interviews for a fair and proportionate number of applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role with a disability, long-term health or neurodivergent condition through the Disability Confident Scheme.

We provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to reduce or remove barriers. Just let us know what you need.

We also offer a wide-ranging benefits package, which includes:

• A generous pension contribution of up to 15%
• An annual performance-related bonus
• Share schemes including free shares
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• 30 days' holiday, with bank holidays on top
• A range of wellbeing initiatives and generous parental leave policies