Director of Intermediary Sales and Lending

We are Recognise Bank
; a modern business bank built to support the UK’s SMEs with tailored lending and savings solutions. Founded in 2017 by experienced business owners, we set out to challenge traditional banking by offering more flexibility, understanding, and practical support to help businesses thrive. Since receiving our banking licence in 2021, we’ve built a loyal customer base and a strong, diverse team that puts people first.

Our vision is building stronger futures with bespoke financial solutions
. We understand that no two financial needs are the same, which is why we work closely with UK SMEs and individuals to unlock potential others often overlook. Through smart, flexible lending and savings products, we’re here to build and grow stronger futures for lasting success
.

Our values shape how we work and grow together:

💪
Can do, will do: We take ownership, solve problems, and adapt as our customers’ needs evolve.

✨
Be brilliant: We show up with curiosity and energy, always striving for better.

🤝
Do the right thing: We act with integrity, responsibility, and care in everything we do.

💡
Make a difference: We focus on impact, helping our customers, colleagues, and communities succeed.

The Director of Lending will lead a high-performing lending team to deliver Recognise Bank’s lending strategy, ensuring strong execution across underwriting standards, intermediary strategy, operations and credit quality to achieve sustainable growth across regulated and non-regulated lending.

The role requires broad real estate lending experience and a strong track record in launching new products, working closely with stakeholders to ensure market-aligned offerings and high-quality service delivery. The Director will oversee product performance and intermediary panel effectiveness.

As the senior lending subject matter expert, the Director may deputise for the Chief Commercial Officer and provide leadership on portfolio performance, policy development and strategic initiatives, while working cross-functionally to support business growth and intermediary engagement.

• Lead and manage direct and intermediated lending teams across commercial real estate products.
• Provide strong leadership, mentoring and credit expertise to support team and business growth.
• Build and maintain key internal and external relationships.
• Own end-to-end portfolio performance, including origination, credit quality, margins and mix.
• Ensure first-line adherence to credit appetite, underwriting standards and delegated authorities.

• Drive the commercial strategy for real estate lending products across direct and intermediated channels, including product reviews, fair value assessments and new product launches.
• Partner with the CCO to align the product suite with strategic objectives.
• Define commercial and credit requirements for products and lead cross-functional delivery to ensure scalable implementation.
• Work with Marketing and intermediaries to ensure propositions and collateral meet target market needs.
• Lead the design and operational delivery of new lending propositions, ensuring robust, compliant and scalable processes.

• Develop and oversee MI to monitor portfolio performance, credit quality, intermediary effectiveness and Consumer Duty outcomes.
• Use data-driven insight to support pricing, benchmarking, horizon scanning and operational improvements.
• Identify structural, policy or process enhancements to improve performance and manage risk.

• Design, manage and evolve intermediary panel frameworks, including onboarding, performance monitoring and policy adherence.
• Produce regular MI for compliance and committee reporting.
• Work closely with Finance, Risk and Operations to align commercial objectives and delivery.
• Act as the senior Lending representative in cross-functional forums.

• Bring deep knowledge of specialist lending markets, products and competitors.
• Demonstrate strong credit and structuring expertise across commercial and retail transactions.
• Own and continuously enhance underwriting standards and credit policy in line…