Director Business Development

Exciting opportunities exist within our Strategic Finance team. Our Strategic Finance team supports commercial, corporate, PLC and private equity backed businesses in our region and across the UK. If you're passionate about playing a key role in helping shape and grow our business, then please read on.

As a Business Development Director, you will play an important role in maintaining a strong market presence, originating and executing non sponsored leverage transactions. The expectation is that as you win business you will build a portfolio that you will Relationship Manage with Associate Director and Senior Associate support. In addition, you can expect to work as part of deal teams with Senior Directors completing new to bank Private Equity Backed Leverage transactions and Corporate transactions. You will be responsible for working with the Relationship Directors to generate additional income and strong returns for the organisation, whilst always delivering a simply brilliant customer experience.

We are looking for proactive people, who are ready to make a real difference and win new customers. In return, we’ll encourage and reward you, helping you deliver a Simply Brilliant Experience whilst building a successful career.  

At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.

For this role, you will be part of our growing Business Banking team, meeting with and supporting customers across your assigned region. You'll be covering the Midlands region, including Birmingham, Leicester and Nottingham, so will need to be based locally as you will be expected to travel regularly across this region. Additionally, there will be a need to regularly connect with colleagues for collaboration events in one of our locations. These are currently expected to take place weekly in Birmingham; however the location may vary. If your application is successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this works. You can also find out more about our approach to hybrid working here.

Virgin Money is now part of Nationwide

Nationwide acquired Virgin Money in October 2024. Virgin Money continues to serve customers on the high street, and there will be a phased and considered integration over the coming years.

You’ll be employed by Nationwide from day one, delivering real impact and benefitting from a highly competitive range of benefits. We’re a workplace where you’re rewarded, recognised and celebrated.

If we receive a high volume of relevant applications, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so please apply as soon as you can.

What you’ll be doing

As a Business Development Director, you’ll be responsible for generating new opportunities targeted and focused on large commercial and mid-sized corporate businesses within the Midlands. You’ll be acting according to our strategy and growth plan to optimise income and build a targeted portfolio through effective origination and the execution of high-quality lending opportunities.

A critical part of the role will be the establishment and continued management of external professional relationships adopting a two-way relationship model that produces quality referrals from your own professional network. 

With knowledge of the current economic climate and the Business Banking market, you’ll need to apply your business acumen and demonstrate commerciality and excellent presentation and negotiation skills to identify and win opportunities to lend on a bilateral or club basis and generate ancillary income for us. 

You’ll be experienced in analysing and interpreting accounts to enable you to make informed decisions related to new deals. This will include calculating key ratios, interpreting cash flow forecasts, credit modelling and assessing management teams according to the best practice in Strategic Finance in line with the Diligencia Training methodology. Additionally, you’ll structure lending proposals for credit decisioning for our customers. 

By taking responsibility for risk and compliance, you’ll identify signs of stress and risk, which will enable you to minimise our exposure to bad and doubtful debt whilst ensuring we remain within our risk appetite. 
 

About you

As a minimum requirement, you’ll have: 

• Experience working within a Business Banking team
• Strong professional network in Midlands Corporate Finance market
• A proven track record in originating and securing commercial lending opportunities of £5m+ including leverage finance/cashflow solutions
• Some experience in managing all aspects of a deal process from inception to completion – including preparation of detailed and well-researched credit papers, leading negotiations with Management Teams, Advisors and Funding Partners, the instruction and review of detailed Due Diligence reports, overseeing of complex legal processes and the management of all aspects of a deal completion process
• A business degree or financial services experience within a Business Lending Environment
• Detailed and up-to-date knowledge of UK financial markets with the focus on the Commercial Banking and Leverage Finance segments
• Expert knowledge of banking products and services

Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:

• Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers’ shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind

• Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think – we’re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand

• Push for better - We don’t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development

• Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes

You can strengthen your application by showing how our customer first behaviours resonate with you, and where you may have already demonstrated these.

The extras you’ll get

There are all sorts of employee benefits available at Nationwide, including:

• 25 days holiday, pro rata

• Private medical insurance

• A highly competitive pension to help you build a strong foundation for retirement

• Access to an annual performance-related bonus

• Training and development to help you progress your career

• A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme

• Life assurance to provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones in the event of your death

• Wellhub – access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness

• Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year

Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society

We forge our own path at Nationwide.

As a mutual, we’re owned by our members - those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.

If you’re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, you’re one of us.

At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community, we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society.

We are purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.

What to do next

If this role is for you, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button. You’ll need to attach your up-to-date CV and answer a few quick questions for us. 

We respond to everyone, so we will be in contact shortly after the closing date to let you know the outcome of your application.

Keeping your data and personal information confidential is important to us. To find out more about how we use and process your data, please read our Privacy policy.

If you want to find out more about using AI in our recruitment process, please read more here. 

Disability Confident 

We’re not just guided by data, we’re driven by the real experiences of our people. We’re a Disability Confident Level 3 Leader, the highest level. 

That’s why we’re constantly evolving our policies and practices to make sure everyone feels genuinely supported, valued, and empowered to champion inclusion. Whatever your needs, we’re here to support you. If you need any additional support throughout your application journey, email our team at Recruitment Support.

Apply safely with Nationwide

Recruitment scams can look convincing, so take a moment to check the role is listed on our official careers site and read our guidance on  Don’t be conned by a job scam.