Regional Lead - Direct Relationship Management

The Regional Lead will be accountable for the strategy, leadership, performance, and risk outcomes of a defined Direct Relationship Management region. This is a dedicated senior leadership role within the Direct-to-Customer (D2C) channel, combining commercial accountability with performance management, coaching, local go-to-market strategy, risk oversight, and cross-team collaboration.

Core Responsibilities:

• Lead, develop, and performance manage a high-performing regional team of Relationship Managers, including portfolio Relationship Managers and Business Development-focused Hunters.
• Own delivery of the region’s commercial plan to meet all agreed commercial targets.
• Prepare and present clear performance updates, regional plans, and recommendations to senior stakeholders, demonstrating strong data-led decision-making and ownership of outcomes.
• Use regional performance data, pipeline insights, CRM activity, and local market knowledge to drive timely actions for maximizing regional performance.
• Provide hands-on leadership, coaching, and support to colleagues, including regular one-to-ones, pipeline reviews, performance interventions, and development planning.
• Lead the development and execution of the region’s local business development strategy, ensuring strong local networks with established SMEs, accountants, solicitors, and business groups.
• Drive Allica’s ambition to become the Most Recommended Bank for SMEs in the region, supporting customer, prospect, and adviser relationships.
• Ensure accountability for risk performance within the region, adhering to Allica’s risk appetite and policies.
• Support the continued development of the D2C operating model, identifying scalable ways of working as the channel grows.
• Role-model Allica’s culture and values, ensuring they are consistently reflected in team operations.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams and stakeholders to maximize customer and colleague experiences.

Key Requirements:

• A proven senior commercial leader with experience leading, developing, and performance managing high-performing relationship management or sales teams in a regional leadership environment.
• Strong understanding of SME banking and commercial lending, including relationship-led origination, 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 history of improving teams, processes, customer outcomes, or business performance.
• A practical, hands-on, and resilient leader comfortable operating at pace, solving problems, making decisions, and taking ownership of outcomes.
• Ability to design and execute local business development strategies aligned with commercial goals, customer needs, and Allica’s risk appetite.
• Excellent forecasting, CRM, and reporting skills, translating MI into focused action, coaching priorities, and practical improvements.
• Strong people leadership capability, including hiring, coaching, developing, challenging, and retaining talented colleagues.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills, with credibility to represent Allica with customers, prospects, advisers, colleagues, and stakeholders.
• Strong external market perspective, including understanding of local SME communities, professional adviser networks, competitor activity, and macro issues impacting SMEs.
• Alignment with Allica’s values, demonstrating judgment, integrity, and energy to lead by example.