Trade & Working Capital ABL Director

Barclays Bank Plc; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution is seeking an experienced Director for their Asset Based Lending (ABL) team in Birmingham. This role focuses on leading origination efforts above £15m, requires a strategic thinker with a proven track record in deal origination, and demands strong market knowledge. The successful candidate will develop client relationships, innovate solutions, and collaborate with internal teams to enhance service delivery.

Benefits

Competitive compensation

Performance-based incentives

Career development opportunities

Dynamic working environment

Qualifications

• Proven track record of originating complex ABL transactions.
• Strong understanding of receivables, inventory, and asset-based structures.
• Experience in credit analysis and product-specific due diligence.

Responsibilities

• Lead origination efforts for ABL transactions across UK Corporate Bank.
• Develop and maintain relationships with corporate clients and debt advisors.
• Monitor market trends to identify strategic opportunities.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Commercial drive

Client-first mindset

Excellent communication

Stakeholder management

Leadership capabilities

Decision-making skills

Education

Minimum 10 years’ experience in ABL or structured lending

Tools

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Overview

We are looking for a strategic thinker, commercially driven Director to lead origination efforts within our Asset Based Lending (ABL) team. The successful candidate will be responsible for originating, structuring, and executing ABL transactions across our UK Corporate Bank, with a focus on supporting working capital and growth strategies. This is a client-facing role requiring deep market knowledge, strong credit skills, and a proven track record in deal origination.

Responsibilities

• Originate new ABL opportunities across the UK larger than £15m in size, leveraging existing external networks, market intelligence and existing Barclays client relationships
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with corporate clients, private equity sponsors and debt advisors
• Collaborate with internal teams to deliver client‑focused solutions, identifying cross‑sell opportunities across GTB and Barclays Corporate Banking, and ensuring seamless execution of service with a client‑first mindset
• Lead deal structuring, pricing, and negotiation of term sheets and credit applications
• Represent the bank at industry events, conferences, and networking forums to enhance brand visibility and deal flow
• Monitor market trends and competitor activity to provide detailed analysis and identify strategic opportunities on an ongoing basis
• Actively seek to innovate and challenge the status quo to support a marketing‑leading ABL proposition
• Engage with legal panel firms and lead negotiations alongside the deal team, generating revenue and promoting the bank’s diverse Trade & Working Capital product and service offerings to various customer segments; identify potential customers, analyse their needs and preferences, and stay abreast of emerging market trends and competitor strategies
• Create detailed profiles for target customer segments, outlining their requirements, needs, and pain points to tailor sales approaches and product recommendations
• Manage relationship with potential and existing customers through high‑quality support, responding to queries, resolving issues, gaining trust, and understanding their financial goals and challenges
• Understand the features, benefits, risks, and compliance requirements of various Trade & Working Capital products and services; communicate insights clearly to customers to address their financial needs
• Develop compelling sales pitches and proposals that showcase the bank’s value proposition, converting leads into customers; negotiate terms beneficial for both client and bank
• Collect and analyse customer feedback on products, services, and overall experience to support report development that communicates key findings to stakeholders and informs product development and sales strategies
• Monitor lead conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, and other relevant metrics to assess sales performance and identify areas for improvement

Director Expectations

• Manage a business function, providing significant input to function‑wide strategic initiatives and influencing policy and procedures; plan, manage, and consult on multiple complex and critical strategic projects, which may be business‑wide
• Own the direction of a large team or sub‑function, leading other people managers and embedding a performance culture aligned to the values of the business; for individual contributors, lead organisation‑wide projects, act as a deep technical expert and thought leader, identify new ways of working, collaborate cross‑functionally, and coach less experienced specialists
• Provide expert advice to senior functional management and committees to influence decisions made outside the own function
• Manage, coordinate, and enable resourcing, budgeting, and policy creation for a significant sub‑function
• Escalate breaches of policies or procedures appropriately
• Foster and guide compliance, ensuring regulations are observed and relevant processes are in place to facilitate adherence
• Focus on the external environment, regulators, and advocacy groups to monitor and influence on behalf of Barclays when appropriate
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of how the function integrates with the business division or group to achieve overall business objectives
• Maintain broad knowledge of industry theories and practices within own discipline, alongside up‑to‑date sector or functional knowledge and insight into external market developments and initiatives
• Use interpretative thinking and advanced analytical skills to solve problems and design solutions in often complex or sensitive situations
• Exercise management authority to make significant decisions and recommend strategic actions within own area
• Negotiate with and influence stakeholders at a senior level, both internally and externally
• Act as a principal contact point for key clients and counterparts in other functions or business divisions
• Serve as mandated spokesperson for the function and business division

Leadership Behaviour

• All Senior Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic; E – Energise and inspire; A – Align across the enterprise; D – Develop others.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in ABL, leveraged finance, or structured lending
• Proven track record of originating and executing complex ABL transactions
• Strong understanding of receivables, inventory, and asset‑based structures
• Excellent financial and analytical skills with experience of credit analysis and product‑specific due diligence and analysis
• Established network of corporate clients, sponsors, and intermediaries
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership capabilities
• Strong decision‑making skills, with the ability to navigate complexity and drive innovative solutions
• Client‑first mindset
• Proficient in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint

Desirable Skills

• Lending and corporate banking background
• Broader knowledge of other Structured Trade solutions (e.g., Non‑Recourse Receivables Finance)
• CoPilot Optimisation

Barclays Values and Mindset

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass. They will also be expected to embody the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and performance‑based incentives
• Opportunity to shape the growth of a leading ABL platform
• Collaborative and dynamic working environment
• Career development and leadership opportunities

Assessment Criteria

You may be assessed on the key critical skills relevant for success in the role, such as risk and controls, change and transformation, business acumen, strategic thinking and digital technology, as well as job‑specific technical skills.