Portfolio Relationship Manager

Allica Bank

About Allica Bank Allica is the UK’s fastest growing company - and the fastest-growing financial technology (Fintech) firm ever. Our purpose is to help established SMEs, one of the last major underserved opportunities in Fintech. Established SMEs are the backbone of local communities - representing over a third of our economy - yet have been largely neglected both by traditional high street banks and modern fintech providers. Department Description The Operations function is responsible for delivering excellent customer outcomes across Allica's lending and banking products. Lending Servicing plays a critical role in supporting customers throughout the life of their loans, ensuring requests are handled efficiently, accurately and in line with regulatory requirements. The team is committed to delivering operational excellence through outstanding customer service, continuous improvement, effective risk management and the intelligent use of technology and AI. Role Description The Lending Servicing Officer plays a key role in delivering an outstanding in-life servicing experience for Allica's Commercial Lending customers. Responsible for managing a wide range of servicing activities across the customer lifecycle, the role ensures requests are completed accurately, efficiently and in line with regulatory requirements and internal service standards. Working closely with Relationship Managers, Credit Operations and other internal stakeholders, the Lending Servicing Officer takes ownership of customer requests, resolves queries, supports portfolio servicing activity and continually looks for opportunities to improve processes and customer outcomes. This role is suited to someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced operational environment, is passionate about delivering exceptional customer service and committed to continuous improvement. Principal Accountabilities * Deliver an exceptional servicing experience for Commercial Lending customers through timely, accurate and professional handling of all in-life servicing requests. * Take ownership of customer enquiries from receipt through to resolution, ensuring excellent communication throughout. * Complete a broad range of lending servicing activities including (but not limited to): * Early settlements * Redemptions * Product switch requests * Loan restructures * Bank account amendments * Customer maintenance * General loan administration * Review customer requests and supporting documentation, identifying any missing or inconsistent information and obtaining additional evidence where required. * Manage personal workload effectively to achieve agreed service levels, productivity and quality standards. * Work collaboratively with Relationship Managers, Credit Operations and Customer Support teams to deliver positive customer outcomes. * Maintain accurate customer records and ensure all servicing activity is completed in accordance with regulatory requirements, internal policies and procedures. * Identify operational risks, process exceptions and customer issues, escalating where appropriate and recommending improvements. * Support customer reviews and wider portfolio servicing activities by obtaining and validating required information within agreed timescales. * Build trusted relationships with customers and colleagues, taking ownership of issues through to completion. * Contribute to continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to simplify processes, eliminate waste and improve customer experience. * Participate in change initiatives, testing new processes and embedding operational improvements across the team. * Embrace the use of AI-enabled tools and automation to improve productivity, enhance customer responsiveness, streamline operational processes and support high-quality decision making, while ensuring appropriate governance and data security standards are maintained. * Share knowledge, support colleagues and contribute positively to the ongoing development of the Lending Servicing team. Personal Attributes & Experience * Previous experience within Lending Operations, Loan Servicing or Financial Services. * Strong customer service focus with a proven track record of delivering excellent customer outcomes. * Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. * Good commercial awareness and understanding of lending products and servicing activities. * Good understanding of Conduct Risk, Consumer Duty and Treating Customers Fairly principles. * Excellent written and verbal communication skills. * Strong relationship management skills with the ability to work collaboratively across multiple business areas. * Strong IT and systems skills, with confidence using digital platforms and operational systems. * Curious, adaptable and willing to embrace new technologies, automation and AI solutions to continually improve customer and colleague experiences. Working at Allica Bank At Allica Bank we want to ensure our employees have the right tools and environment in which to succeed in their role and in support of our customers. Our employees are at the heart of everything we do, so our benefits are designed with you in mind: * Full onboarding support and continued development opportunities * Options for flexible working * Regular social activities * Pension contributions * Discretionary bonus scheme * Private health cover * Life assurance * Family friendly policies including enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave Don’t tick every box? Don’t worry if you don’t have all the skills or requirements listed on the job description. If you think you’ll be a good fit, we’d still love to hear from you! Flexible working We know the ‘9-to-5’ isn’t right for everyone. That’s why Allica Bank is fully committed to flexible and hybrid working. Please let us know what is best for you and, if we can, we will do our best to accommodate. Diversity We’re a diverse bunch here at Allica, with all kinds of experiences, backgrounds and lifestyles. Our openness and differences make us stronger, and we want everybody to feel comfortable bringing as much of themselves to work with them as they like.

Abound

About Abound We’re redefining consumer lending in the UK, and beyond. Using advanced AI and Open Banking data, we make fair, affordable personal finance available to more people. While traditional lenders rely almost entirely on credit scores, we look at the full financial picture - how much you spend, and what you can afford to repay to build a deeper, more accurate understanding of each customer's unique financial situation. And we've shown it works at scale. We’ve issued over £1.3bn in loans directly to customers while delivering market-leading credit performance - for every 10 defaults the industry expects, we see only 3. We also reached profitability just 2.5 years after launch. Backed by £2bn+ of funding from top-tier investors including Citi, GSR Ventures, and Deutsche Bank, we’re recognised as one of Europe’s fastest-growing fintechs (Sifted, CNBC). Now, we’re expanding into new markets and product lines - and we’re looking for ambitious people who want to learn fast, take ownership, and grow with us. We're looking for an experienced individual to fill the role of Senior Collections Advisor. This position requires an important balance of both credit and conduct risk as we focus on delivering the right outcomes for our customers based on their individual circumstances, always. You will be working alongside as part of small but rapidly expanding team in our Milton Keynes office, this is a hybrid role requiring 3 days per week in our Milton Keynes office with flexibility on the other 2. There will also be a requirement to attend our central London office once a month (fully expensed). The ideal candidate will have excellent attention to detail and be comfortable following documented procedures consistently ensuring that all customers are treated fairly and receive the appropriate outcomes. Tasks also include updating account details, maintaining accurate records, and escalating cases to senior staff if necessary. There will also be a requirement to identify and support customers who may shows signs of vulnerability. Who you are * An experienced Customer facing advisor confident at dealing with customers in arrears with credit products * Have a good understanding of FCA regulation including CONC7 and DPA requirements * Have an awareness of the broad range of debt solutions i.e. Payment Arrangements, DMPs, IVAs, Trust Deeds, DROs, Breathing Space etc. * Understands Customer Vulnerability and how to identity and manage * Comfortable working with statements and ledgers to interpret transactions to help resolve customer queries * Familiar with Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, Teams) * Have a very strong attention to detail and a high regard for consistency * A strong team player who will help as required to deliver tasks within the team SLAs * Familiar with KPIs and targets and quality assurance requirements What you'll be doing * Handling multiple live customer chats * Receiving and making telephony calls from Customer requiring assistance with their loans * Supporting our omni channels i.e. live web chat, email, SMS and phone (inbound and outbound) including dialler software. * Assessing customer affordability using our industry leading Open Banking software * Agreeing and setting affordable payment plans with customers * Processing on our systems when customers advise they are pursing alternative debt solutions * Setting promises to pay received through digital channels * Dealing with third party partners i.e. Field suppliers, debt collection agencies, insolvency portfolio managers * Thinking analytically and giving suggestions and ideas as part of continuous improvement What we offer * Everyone owns a piece of the company - equity * Hybrid with 3 days a week in the office * 25 days’ holiday a year, plus 8 bank holidays * 2 paid volunteering days per year * One month paid sabbatical after 4 years * Employee loan * Free gym membership * Team wellness budget to be active together - set up a yoga class, a tennis lesson or go bouldering

Allica Bank

About Allica Bank Allica is the UK’s fastest growing company - and the fastest-growing financial technology (Fintech) firm ever. Our purpose is to help established SMEs, one of the last major underserved opportunities in Fintech. Established SMEs are the backbone of local communities - representing over a third of our economy - yet have been largely neglected both by traditional high street banks and modern fintech providers.   Department Description Our vision is to reimagine Relationship Banking for established SMEs, through the very best people, products and digital tools. Allica’s Relationship Management team was formed in 2022 and continues to grow at pace, providing established SME customers with expert human relationships alongside modern banking technology. The team supports customers with lending, current accounts, savings, asset finance and working capital facilities, while building deep local relationships with SME customers, trusted professional advisers and business communities. The Regional Lead opportunity is one of four new dedicated leadership roles, and will be instrumental in driving the next phase of growth in our Direct to Customer channel.   Role Description The Regional Lead will be accountable for the strategy, leadership, performance and risk outcomes of a defined Direct Relationship Management region, leading a team of Relationship Managers (portfolio Relationship Managers and Business Development focused Hunters) to deliver against the business plan and regional OKRs, contributing to outstanding customer outcomes and the overall success of the D2C channel. This is a dedicated senior leadership role within the D2C channel and will combine clear commercial accountability with performance management and coaching, local go-to-market strategy, risk oversight and cross-team collaboration. The successful candidate will use data, market insight and local knowledge to identify opportunities and performance issues, agree strategic and tactical actions to ensure the region consistently delivers strong customer, commercial, colleague and risk outcomes. The Regional Lead will play an active role in shaping the wider D2C channel, working closely with the Head of Relationship Management and other senior stakeholders to further develop the channel, recommend improvements, share best practice and support execution of channel and bank-wide initiatives.   Principal Accountabilities * Lead, develop and performance manage a high-performing regional team of Relationship Managers, creating a strong and meaningful operating rhythm, clear objectives and a culture of accountability, pace and continuous improvement. * Own delivery of the region’s commercial plan to deliver against all agreed commercial targets. * Prepare and present clear performance updates, regional plans and recommendations to the Head of Relationship Management and other senior stakeholders, demonstrating strong judgement, data-led decision making and ownership of outcomes. * Use regional performance data, pipeline insight, CRM activity and local market knowledge to drive timely actions to maximise regional performance. * Provide hands-on leadership, coaching and support to colleagues across the region, including regular one-to-ones, pipeline reviews, performance interventions, development planning and sharing of best practice. * Lead the development and execution of the region’s local business development strategy, ensuring Relationship Managers and Hunters build strong local networks with established SMEs, accountants, solicitors, business groups and other trusted professional advisers in the non-paid channel. * Drive Allica’s ambition to be Most Recommended Bank for ESMEs’s in the region, supporting customer, prospect and adviser relationships where appropriate and ensuring the Bank is known locally for speed, expertise, professionalism and outstanding service. * Be accountable for risk performance within the region, ensuring all required risk and control activities are completed to the required standard and in line with Allica’s risk appetite and policies. * Support the continued development of the D2C operating model, actively seeking opportunities to grow and recommend scalable ways of working as the channel grows. * It is expected that you will lead, nurture and coach your team, role modelling Allica’s culture and values at all times, and ensuring these are consistently reflected in the way your team operates. * Work closely with internal teams and stakeholders to ensure a seamless customer and colleague experience and to maximise opportunities across the Bank.   Personal Attributes & Experience * A proven senior commercial leader with experience leading, developing and performance managing high-performing relationship management, business development or sales teams, in a regional leadership environment or similar. * Strong understanding of SME banking and commercial lending, including relationship-led origination in non-paid channels, credit assessment, facility structuring, portfolio management and ongoing risk management. * Demonstrable track record of exceeding commercial objectives while maintaining high standards of customer service, risk management, conduct and colleague engagement. * Evidence of strong career progression and outperformance, with a clear track record of going beyond the core role to improve teams, processes, customer outcomes or business performance. * A practical, hands-on and resilient leader who is comfortable operating at pace, getting into the detail, solving problems, making decisions and taking ownership of outcomes. * Ability to design and execute local business development strategies that are strongly aligned to commercial goals, customer need and Allica’s risk appetite. * Excellent forecasting, CRM and reporting skills, with the ability to translate MI into focused action, coaching priorities and practical improvements. * Strong people leadership capability, including the ability to hire, coach, develop, challenge and retain talented colleagues, and to create a high-performance environment where people know what is expected and are supported to succeed. * Excellent interpersonal, communication and influencing skills, with the credibility to represent Allica with customers, prospects, advisers, colleagues and stakeholders. * A strong external market perspective, including an understanding of local SME communities, professional adviser networks, competitor activity and wider macro issues impacting SMEs * Strong alignment to Allica’s values, with the judgement, integrity and energy to lead by example and help build the next phase of the Direct Relationship Management channel. #LI-Remote #LI-AD1 Working at Allica Bank At Allica Bank we want to ensure our employees have the right tools and environment in which to succeed in their role and in support of our customers. Our employees are at the heart of everything we do, so our benefits are designed with you in mind: * Full onboarding support and continued development opportunities * Options for flexible working * Regular social activities * Pension contributions * Discretionary bonus scheme * Private health cover * Life assurance * Family friendly policies including enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave Don’t tick every box? Don’t worry if you don’t have all the skills or requirements listed on the job description. If you think you’ll be a good fit, we’d still love to hear from you! Flexible working We know the ‘9-to-5’ isn’t right for everyone. That’s why Allica Bank is fully committed to flexible and hybrid working. Please let us know what is best for you and, if we can, we will do our best to accommodate. Diversity We’re a diverse bunch here at Allica, with all kinds of experiences, backgrounds and lifestyles. Our openness and differences make us stronger, and we want everybody to feel comfortable bringing as much of themselves to work with them as they like.