Relationship Manager (Real Estate Finance)

  • Cobalt Recruitment
  • Jun 17, 2025
Full time Real Estate

Job Description

Overview:


An international bank with a strong UK presence is seeking a highly experienced Real Estate Relationship Manager to join its Real Estate Finance team. This role will have a strategic focus on the UK market, managing and expanding a portfolio of high-value real estate clients, including high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and corporate real estate investors.


The successful candidate will play a critical role in both deal origination and portfolio management, overseeing complex transactions UP TO £50 million in ticket size. This is an excellent opportunity for a senior professional with deep market knowledge and a proven track record in UK commercial and residential real estate finance.


Key Responsibilities:


1. UK Client Relationship Management

  • Act as the primary relationship manager for a portfolio of UK-based real estate clients, including developers, property companies, REITs, family offices, and HNWIs.
  • Build and sustain trusted, long-term relationships, offering bespoke financing and advisory services aligned with client objectives.
  • Maintain in-depth knowledge of the UK property market, regulatory landscape, and client investment trends.


2. Origination & Deal Execution

  • Originate new real estate finance opportunities across a variety of asset classes (commercial, residential, mixed-use) within the UK.
  • Lead deal structuring, credit proposal development, and coordination with internal stakeholders for successful execution of complex financing solutions.
  • Ensure all transactions are compliant with bank policies and relevant UK regulations.


3. Portfolio Management

  • Manage a dynamic portfolio of loans with typical deal sizes of up to £50 million ensuring ongoing performance monitoring, risk assessment, and compliance.
  • Conduct portfolio reviews and implement risk mitigation strategies, ensuring high credit quality and adherence to covenants.
  • Liaise with credit, risk, and operations teams to maintain robust and responsive client support throughout the loan lifecycle.


4. Internal & External Collaboration

  • Collaborate with internal teams including Credit Risk, Legal, Product, and Treasury to ensure optimal deal structuring and execution.
  • Represent the bank at UK-based real estate forums, industry events, and client meetings to enhance visibility and generate referrals.
  • Support leadership with strategic insights into the UK market and contribute to the broader growth agenda of the Real Estate Finance division.


Qualifications & Experience:

  • Minimum 7 years of experience in real estate finance within a major financial institution, with a strong focus on the UK property market.
  • Proven ability to originate and manage complex real estate transactions.
  • Demonstrated success working with complex deal structures, credit analysis, and high-value client relationship management.
  • Strong network across UK real estate professionals, developers, and investors.


Key Skills & Competencies:

  • Deep knowledge of the UK real estate market, including regulatory and macroeconomic factors.
  • Exceptional relationship-building, negotiation, and communication skills.
  • Strategic, analytical, and commercially driven mindset.
  • High integrity, discretion, and familiarity with compliance frameworks.


What We Offer:

  • Competitive salary with performance-linked incentives.
  • Opportunity to lead and grow a strategic UK real estate client portfolio.
  • Collaborative international team culture with UK market autonomy.
  • Continued professional growth, training, and leadership development.