Commercial Banking Relationship Manager

About the role

This role manages a portfolio of around 50 commercial customers with typical borrowing requirements ranging from £2m to £25m. Acting as the main point of contact for business management & owners, the Relationship Manager is responsible for delivering a high‑quality end‑to‑end service across lending, deposits and transactional banking. The role is split evenly between managing existing relationships and originating new business, ensuring customers receive the right support while maintaining strong, long‑term partnerships aligned to the Group’s values and ethical approach.

Covering a largely South Coast portfolio including Hampshire, West & East Sussex and surrounding areas. The role holder will be highly visible in the local market, actively networking, attending events and building strong relationships with brokers and professional introducers to identify new opportunities. The role includes regular client engagement to develop a detailed understanding of each business, its financials, cash flows and security, allowing informed decisions and tailored support as client needs evolve.

The role holder is responsible for managing credit risk across their portfolio, completing annual reviews and ongoing credit and AML assessments in line with the Bank’s risk and ethical frameworks. They will work closely with internal teams, be comfortable wearing multiple hats, and be supported through internal training to develop a strong understanding of processes and ways of working

We operate on a team-led hybrid approach at least once a quarter in the Coventry & / or Manchester office .

Our benefits include:

• 28 days holiday a year plus bank holidays and a holiday buy/sell scheme
• Annual discretionary bonus scheme
• Personal pension with matched contributions
• Life assurance (6 times annual salary)
• Car allowance

South Coast Portfolio:

Dorset

• Lyme Regis
• Bridport / West Bay
• Weymouth
• Poole
• Bournemouth

Hampshire

• Christchurch
• Lymington
• Southampton
• Portsmouth
• Hayling Island

West Sussex

• Chichester
• Bognor Regis
• Littlehampton
• Worthing

East Sussex

• Brighton & Hove
• Newhaven
• Eastbourne
• Seaford
• Hastings

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications

About you

For this role you’ll need to have :

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders
• Strong credit skills, with experience assessing commercial lending proposals of £5m+
• Ability to manage risk in line with a formal Risk Management Framework
• Sound decision‑making skills and confidence to take the lead on customer relationships and transactions
• Proactive, highly self‑motivated approach with the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Strong team player, able to work closely with internal stakeholders including Credit, Legal and Product teams
• Good understanding of commercial banking products and the ability to clearly articulate features and benefits to customers
• Experience of managing ongoing client relationships, including credit reviews and documentation updates

Experience in these areas would be helpful:

• Sector experience (healthcare) and / or ESG experience

About us

In 2025, Coventry Building Society purchased The Co-operative Bank. Bringing together our purpose-led building society with the UK’s original ethical bank was the start of an exciting journey.

Trusted by over four million people, we’re a mutually owned business free from shareholders, and with our combined experience of almost 300 years, our ethics and dedication will continue to guide us. Together, we have shared values and an ethical approach towards our members, customers and colleagues.

We’re officially recognised as a ‘Great Place to Work’ and our benefits go beyond basic pay, with a discretionary bonus scheme, a culture of reward and recognition and comprehensive support for wellbeing.

We’re serious about equality, of race, age, faith, disability, and sexual orientation and we celebrate diversity. By working together, we know you’ll build more than just a career with us.

Flexibility and why it matters

We understand the need for flexibility, so wherever possible, we’ll consider alternative working patterns. Have a chat with us before you apply to see what the possibilities are for this role.

Proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer

We’re proud to offer an interview or assessment to every disabled applicant who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies. As part of the application process, disabled applicants can opt in for the Disability Confident Interview Scheme. If there are ever occasions where it is not practicable to interview all candidates that meet the essential criteria, such as when we receive a high number of applications, we commit to interviewing disabled candidates who best meet the minimum essential and desirable criteria.

Location

South Coast and Reading Region