Director, Head of Insurance (inc. Captives) and Funds & Asset Managers, Trade and Working Capital

Job Description

Purpose of the role

To generate revenue and promote the bank's diverse Trade & Working Capital product and service offerings to various customer segments. 

Accountabilities

• Identification of potential customers, analysing their needs and preferences, and staying abreast of emerging market trends and competitor strategies.
• Creation of detailed profiles for target customer segments, outlining their requirements, needs, and pain points to tailor sales approaches and product recommendations.
• Relationship management of potential and existing customer relations through the execution of high-quality customer support, by responding to queries and resolving issues, gaining their customer trust, and understanding their financial goals and challenges.
• Understanding of the features, benefits, risks, and compliance requirements of various Trade & Working Capital products and services offered. Understanding of the key features, benefits, risks, enhancements, and regulatory requirements of new and existing banking products, and communicate insights clearly to potential customers to address their financial needs.
• Development of compelling sales pitches and proposals that showcase the value proposition of the bank's offerings to convert leads into customers, and negotiation of terms that are beneficial for both the client and the bank.
• Collection and analysis of customer feedback on various products, services, and overall experience, to support the development of reports that communicate key findings to relevant stakeholders, to inform product development and sales strategies.
• Monitoring of lead conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, and other relevant metrics to assess sales performance and identify areas for improvement.

Director Expectations

• To manage a business function, providing significant input to function wide strategic initiatives. Contribute to and influence policy and procedures for the function and plan, manage and consult on multiple complex and critical strategic projects, which may be business wide..
• They manage the direction of a large team or sub-function, leading other people managers and embedding a performance culture aligned to the values of the business. Or for an individual contributor, they lead organisation wide projects and act as deep technical expert and thought leader, identifying new ways of working and collaborating cross functionally. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions..
• Provide expert advice to senior functional management and committees to influence decisions made outside of own function, offering significant input to function wide strategic initiatives.
• Manage, coordinate and enable resourcing, budgeting and policy creation for a significant sub-function.
• Escalates breaches of policies / procedure appropriately.
• Foster and guide compliance, ensure regulations are observed that relevant processes in place to facilitate adherence.
• Focus on the external environment, regulators, or advocacy groups to both monitor and influence on behalf of Barclays, when appropriate.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of how the function integrates with the business division / Group to achieve the overall business objectives.
• Maintain broad and comprehensive knowledge of industry theories and practices within own discipline alongside up-to-date relevant sector / functional knowledge, and insight into external market developments / initiatives.
• Use interpretative thinking and advanced analytical skills to solve problems and design solutions in often complex/ sensitive situations.
• Exercise management authority to make significant decisions and certain strategic decisions or recommendations within own area.
• Negotiate with and influence stakeholders at a senior level both internally and externally.
• Act as principal contact point for key clients and counterparts in other functions/ businesses divisions.
• Mandated as a spokesperson for the function and business division.

All Senior Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.

We are seeking a player-manager with deep expertise in Trade lending across the Insurance sector, with additional experience in the Funds & Asset Management sectors, to lead our Trade & Working Capital (TWC) origination team serving these market segments. Knowledge and experience of debt as well as trade finance lending techniques to these sectors a strong advantage.

The successful candidate will lead a team of 2-3 originators and work closely with UK-based Insurance Coverage teams to originate trade and working capital financing solutions, including Funds at Lloyd’s L/C facilities, Ancillary Owned Funds, Catastrophe Loans, and Reinsurance L/C facilities (RLOC). The team is also expanding its RLOC activity with Captive clients based in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. In addition, the role will increasingly involve partnering with UK-based Coverage Relationship Directors to deliver trade and working capital solutions to Private Equity Funds.

The role requires deep sector knowledge and background, strong credit skills, and proven product lending experience.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assume senior TWC accountability for a defined portfolio of Insurance, Funds & Asset Management clients, driving product income growth, acting as an escalation point for complex client issues and negotiations, and maintaining robust risk management practices.
• Lead as player manager, a team of originators to originate and execute transactions and facilities working in partnership with Coverage, Product, Structuring, Legal, and Operations. Ensure the seamless and timely delivery of transactions from initiation to facility execution through to the issuance of resulting instruments, in line with client expectations
• Act as a leader and mentor to other members of the team, ensuring high performance in line with the Barclays Mindset.
• Work across International Corporate Banking (ICB), leveraging external networks, market intelligence, and existing Barclays client relationships.
• Work closely with counterparts at other Barclays locations to execute multi-jurisdictional transactions
• Help shape and execute the strategic agenda for TWC business. Demonstrate leadership and represent senior leadership forums and contribute to business reviews.
• Represent the bank at industry events, conferences, and networking forums to enhance brand visibility and deal flow.

Person Specification

• Minimum 10 years of relevant Trade and Debt Finance origination/lending experience to the above sectors
• Experience in originating, structuring, negotiating, and executing Funds at Lloyds, RLOC’s, capital replacement L/C’s with a solid understanding of collateral requirements, risk considerations, and client needs
• Ideal candidate may be from a Sales/Origination background but could also be from a Structuring team or Syndications bank function.
• Ideally an insurance sector expert with existing treasury contacts with prime Insurance clients an advantage
• Strong knowledge of Lloyds of London and how FAL operates
• Strong knowledge of Insurance regulatory requirements in key jurisdictions and clients’ needs for instruments such as RLOC’s
• Knowledge of how Captives and Surety markets operate
• Knowledge of Funds and Asset management sectors with particular emphasis on Funds financing techniques also an advantage
• Proven ability to lead. Team player able to motivate and develop teams.
• Demonstrated track record of business development, client acquisition, portfolio growth, and revenue generation
• Experienced in deal team management; utilises resource to the best effect.
• Expertise in arranging syndicated transactions including managing bank groups (externally) and large numbers of stakeholders (internally).

 Essential Skills:

• Proven track record of structuring and executing trade/debt facilities to insurance clients
• Strong Credit skills, in particular understanding key facility covenants: ability to bridge client requirements and work with Credit/Risk to ensure the bank is protected and get deals done.
• Strong Trade product knowledge in particular how both bilateral and syndicated LC facilities operate in these segments. Strong understanding of L/C’s, guarantees and Trade risk mitigation techniques.
• Excellent influencing, negotiation, communication, stakeholder management, and leadership capabilities.
• Strong decision-making skills, with the ability to navigate complexity and drive innovative solutions.
• Be able to build relationships, trust and understanding with a variety of client contacts and business introducers e.g. accountancy firms and captive managers.  Understand the clients and where our T&WC solutions can benefit them
• Client-first mindset.

 Desirable Skills:

• Wider trade and working capital knowledge including receivables, supply chain finance, ABL, promissory note issuing and discounting.
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office software as well as Copilot or similar AI assistants.

What We Offer:

• Competitive compensation and performance-based incentives.
• Opportunity to shape the growth of a high growth area of our business.
• Collaborative and dynamic working environment.
• Career development and leadership opportunities.

You may be assessed on the key critical skills relevant for success in role, such as risk and controls, change and transformation, business acumen strategic thinking and digital and technology, as well as job-specific technical skills.

This role is based in the UK in London, currently with hybrid working (four days in the office, and one day working from home).