We are seeking a highly experienced and dynamic professional to lead our Core Lending UK team, as Managing Director and Head of Corporate Clients & Lending UK.
The Head of Corporate Clients & Lending UK will be a key member of the UK Management Team for the London Branch, responsible for driving strategic alignment locally and operational excellence across the different business areas operating within London. This role focuses on enhancing our employee talent, engagement, and internal mobility to increase retention and foster a diverse and inclusive workforce.
The ultimate objective of the role is to increase income and profitability with our wholesale clients and prospects and to expand the client base ensuring alignment with our return targets.
This senior role will oversee a well established and seasoned team, dedicated to client coverage and relationship management of our UK Wholesale corporate and leveraged client base (typical client segment turnover > GBP250mln). Collaborating closely with our product teams is key, to serve our clients and enhance cross-selling success throughout the client portfolio for top-tier relationships and up-tiering client relationships to high value status.
The Head of Corporate Clients & Lending UK will operate in a fast-paced environment in which pro-activity, flexibility, and discipline is required across the entire lending division, from prospecting to client management, to origination, pitching, structuring and execution to follow-up and monitoring. Furthermore, the Head Corporate Clients & Lending UK will engage with a diverse range of internal stakeholders including senior management, sector/product heads and respective teams; CLR (compliance, legal and risk) and others.
The ideal candidate will optimise, coordinate and implement the wholesale client strategy and product agenda for servicing clients in the UK, alongside the relevant product teams and energise and inspire the coverage lending teams to deliver the best possible service to our clients.
In addition, this role will provide support and actively seek opportunities in relation to helping out clients achieve their strategic objectives - supporting clients with a particular focus on Food and Agri and Banking for Energy, aligning with the strategic objectives of our Wholesale & Rural ("W&R") domains.
The Function & Role:
The W&R Europe, Africa & Asia Region ("EA&A") is set up to serve wholesale clients in Europe, Africa & Asia and to strengthen our commercial and operational effectiveness in the corporate market. The ambition is to maintain and strengthen our market-leading position for Wholesale clients in the region. The priority will be on putting the clients' interests first, with the ambition of building strong and long-lasting relationships. We expect our people to be a thought leader in their sector and to use their creativity to provide solutions to our clients to support their strategic objectives.
Key objective of B4F and Core Lending EAA
B4F (Banking for Food) is responsible for managing the client coverage organisation across EA&A, focused on serving our Food & Agribusiness clients. B4E (Banking for Energy) is responsible for managing client coverage origination across Europe, Africa & Asia focused on serving our Banking for Energy clients. The Energy Transition is a key sector for the bank, we remain dedicated to fostering growth through collaboration in both sectors leveraging our extensive global network and expertise inhouse.
Skills & Experience Required:
Strategy Development, including:
- Leading the Coverage and Core Lending product teams to align relevant parties within the bank to proposed clients' strategies and meet or exceed income and return targets through realising core lending income and stimulate cross-sell
- Develop and communicate the Coverage and Core Lending strategy and objectives in line with the Wholesale business strategy
- Overseeing new lending product development in the wholesale (corporate and sponsor backed) banking sector, and further define target client groups
- An ability to grow the client base, strong credit skills, hunger for origination and capturing lead mandates in close collaboration with product partners.
Leadership:
- Give priority to the long-term interests of our customers and Rabobank
- Displaying adequate exemplary behaviour and fulfilling an exemplary position concerning the propagation of core values and basic principles of focus on customers' interests first
- Act responsibly regarding identified risks and actively discuss these both within and outside the own domain
- Act within the defined risk appetite of the Bank and be accountable to the extent to which we demonstrably manage risks through risk assessments, controls and mitigating actions
- Stimulate and assure a strong risk culture, awareness of risks and everyone's contribution to risk management and protecting Rabobank's reputation
- Leading and coaching the Core Lending team.
Personal Attributes:
- Absolute integrity (highest professional and ethical standards and strong commitment)
- Credibility and maturity in dealing with people working in a matrix structure across a complex organisation demonstrating strong collaboration and communication skills across diverse teams and regions with different cultures and geographies
- Able to represent the Bank at the most senior level
- Able to respond swiftly to the changing demands of the business whilst remaining equitable and fair
- Leads by example, embodying the culture and values of the Bank
- Strong interpersonal and client relationship/influencing skills
- Assertiveness with the ability to challenge others in a constructive way
- Excellent presentation, influencing and communication skills.
Why work with us?
A career at Rabobank can offer insights into many areas. As well as having the opportunity to really see and understand the role of Financial Institutions in the Food & Agribusiness sector we are committed to providing our employees with the opportunities to develop their skills and progress their careers within the company. We work flexibly at Rabobank, combining the benefits of working at the London office and working from home, allowing the best of both worlds to come together.
As well as helping our clients to grow their businesses sustainably, we are fully committed to growing our people to make them the best that they can be. We embrace differences and strive to create a truly inclusive work culture, based on trust and respect for all. A place where everyone can be themselves and bring their whole selves to work along with their unique experiences, background, and expertise. We strive to empower our people to focus on their wellbeing, by providing a range of resources that will enable them to flourish both in and outside of the workplace.
About Us:
For over 40 years Rabobank UK has been serving and supporting the UK's Food and Agribusiness (F&A) sector with tailored solutions, in-depth market knowledge, and its broad global network.
Located in the heart of the city of London, we are a leader in Food & Agribusiness (F&A) banking with a growing position in the Energy and Energy Transition sector. We estimate that through our existing client relationships, we touch 85% of all food sold in the UK.
With a unique, knowledge-driven, and customer-focused strategy supported by unrivalled financial strength, Rabobank UK is in a singular position to deliver value in the form of sophisticated and often individually tailored financial products and services for its customers.