Senior Relationship Manager

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Applications must be submitted by; 14-07-2026 Senior Relationship Manager The role encompasses two key elements: Management/Review and Delivery. *Please note this advert will close on the 13th of July 2026 at 23.59pm. Watch our video "Why Join Innovate UK?" here . Title: Senior Relationship Manager Band: UKRI Band F (UKRI Ts & Cs) Salary: £58,589 gross per annum Reports to: Head of Portfolio Location: Field based Contract: Permanent Innovate UK recognises the importance of work-life balance and we will be happy to discuss any requests for flexible working arrangements. Context: The Innovate UK Loans (IUK) Portfolio Management team is responsible for the ongoing credit and operational oversight of the IUK loan book. The portfolio is made up of highly innovative, growth-oriented businesses at the cutting edge of new technologies in the UK. We particularly welcome female applicants as women are under-represented within Innovate UK in this type of role. Job Purpose: The role encompasses two key elements: Management and Review: You will be responsible for the development of a number of Relationship Managers including direct line management, reviewing of credit committee papers, working with other members of the team on particularly challenging or unusual requests and taking the lead on key client relationships. You will work with the Head of Portfolio and any Senior Relationship Manager/s within the team to improve, develop and maintain key Portfolio processes such as analysis, requests, monitoring, arrears and tracking. You have a delegated authority to exercise at your discretion. You should be comfortable making decisions within a defined risk framework for complex or urgent transactions as well as knowing when to escalate. Delivery: You will be responsible for an allocated portfolio of 5-10 customers which will comprise of the most complex and challenging cases particularly cases on the Watchlist and Default list. You will assist on urgent transactions and insolvency cases providing guidance and support to Relationship Manager on these cases. You will present cases to the correct delegated authority, or credit committee, and will be required to write clearly articulated, appropriately detailed credit review papers, to make a strong recommendation to the approver. This will include an analysis of performance against loan obligations, key industry/market trends, historical and future financial performance, management, shareholders/investors and other facilities the company may have. Spotting early signs of distress and finding ways both to support the customer and protect public money will be central to the role. Identifying opportunities to promote and praise success will be equally important. The role will require a highly proactive and partnership approach with both internal and external stakeholders to protect the existing exposures. A key aspect of the role is to grow and develop relationships with existing customers while successfully onboarding new customers into the portfolio. Given the early-stage nature of companies in the portfolio there is a significantly higher risk profile than that of a commercial lender. As a result, there is an expectation that a number of customers will default on their loan obligations and the appropriate recoveries process will need to be managed by the Senior Relationship Managers. You will benefit from the support of the Lending Operations team and more junior colleagues, and you will be expected to help develop the Analysts and Relationship Managers within the team to foster a culture in which opportunities for continual improvement and innovation are welcomed. Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities (S&I): Line management responsibility for Relationship Managers within the team. Reviewing credit papers, assisting on complex transactions and providing support to team members on urgent transactions. Manage and develop sustainable relationships with an allocated Innovate UK Loans portfolio. Complete periodic assessments of portfolio risk profile, reviewing quarterly management information and reporting any changes required to customer credit grading. Work in conjunction with external Monitoring Support Providers to ensure loan funds are being appropriately utilised on designated projects, facilitating any Project or Drawdown Change Requests required. Manage default and recovery scenarios, working with third party professional services firms as appropriate, including lawyers, accountants, and administrators. Responsible for ongoing reporting to the Head of Portfolio on performance, progress, and issues. Work collaboratively across the wider IUK Loans function including Credit, Portfolio and Lending Operations teams. Contributing to the continuous improvement cycle for all portfolio management activities, exemplifying a culture of self-reflection, critical analysis and action. Undertake training and development to support your personal growth within IUK

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