The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Senior Loans Officer / Senior Relationship Manager
5-8 years of experience as a Senior Loans Officer, demonstrating increasing responsibility for complex credits and informal team leadership.Skills to master
- Mastering complex credit analysis, structuring multi-million pound deals, building strong client relationships, and consistently hitting individual sales and credit quality targets. You'd also need to show you can mentor junior colleagues effectively.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently exceeding individual lending targets and maintaining an impeccable credit quality record.
- Being the 'go-to' person for junior colleagues on complex deal structures or challenging client situations.
- Proactively identifying and bringing in new commercial clients, not just managing existing ones.
- Successfully managing a portfolio of our largest and most complex clients.
- 2
AVP, Commercial Lending (Assistant Vice President)
8-12 years in a commercial lending role, often with some delegated authority for smaller loans and a focus on larger client relationships.Skills to master
- Developing a deep understanding of portfolio-level risk, leading small project teams, and demonstrating strong negotiation skills for high-value clients. You'd also be expected to contribute to strategic discussions.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully managing a significant book of business (e.g., £50M+).
- Taking the lead on internal initiatives or process improvements.
- Consistently presenting well-reasoned loan requests to the Credit Committee.
- Receiving positive feedback on your leadership potential from senior management.