Director of Business Relationships

Following the acquisition of Virgin Money, Nationwide is on a bold journey to build a credible, relationship‑led Business Bank, combining strong customer advocacy, deep sector and local knowledge, sustainable growth and disciplined risk management aligned to the benefits of being a modern mutual.

We are seeking an exceptional Director of Business Relationships to lead and evolve our relationship‑led banking model for SME and Mid‑Corporate customers. This is a high‑profile senior leadership role with end‑to‑end accountability for building and leading a national team of local Business Relationship Managers and includes specialist propositions spanning financial risk management and cash management solutions.

As a key member of the Business Banking Leadership Team, you will be part of a career-defining opportunity to bring the modern mutual model to UK business banking. You will define and execute the relationship banking strategy, shape the operating model, deepen long‑term customer partnerships and deliver strong risk‑adjusted returns across lending, deposits and fee income. Building and leading a large, geographically dispersed Relationship Management team, you will set the standard for customer outcomes, commercial performance, conduct and credit discipline. 

Sitting at the heart of Nationwide’s ambition to be a trusted, long‑term partner for growing UK businesses, you will work closely with Credit, Product, Operations and Digital colleagues, to shape how relationship banking is delivered.  You will ensure propositions are differentiated, scalable and responsive to evolving customer needs, while maintaining robust governance and regulatory compliance.

We are looking for a senior commercial banking leader with deep experience of relationship‑led SME and Mid‑Corporate banking, strong credit and balance‑sheet acumen, and a proven track record of leading large teams through transformation and growth. 

Just as important is a leadership style that reflects Nationwide’s values: customer‑first, inclusive, collaborative and principled.

What you'll be doing

Relationship Banking Strategy & Performance

• Define and execute the relationship banking strategy for SME and Mid‑Corporate customers, aligned to the Business Banking and Group strategy.
• Drive sustainable growth across lending, deposits and fee‑based income, ensuring strong risk‑adjusted returns.
• Own performance outcomes across customer growth, retention, portfolio quality, income and balance sheet contribution.
• Ensure propositions and relationship models are clearly differentiated by customer complexity, sector and growth stage.

Leadership of Business Relationship Management

• Lead and develop Relationship Management teams serving small to medium corporate customers, setting clear expectations for customer outcomes, conduct, and performance.
• Embed a customer‑first, relationship‑led inclusive culture that balances commercial ambition with prudent risk management.
• Ensure consistent, high‑quality relationship coverage models across geographies, sectors and specialisms.
• Build leadership capability, succession and specialist expertise within Relationship Management teams.

Specialist Finance & Proposition Oversight

• Provide executive leadership for specialist relationship propositions, including: 
  • FRS (Financial Risk Solutions) & Trade Finance
  • Regional relationship managers
  • Business Savings and deposit‑led relationships
• Partner with Product, Credit and Operations to ensure propositions are scalable, compliant, and well‑integrated into the customer journey.
• Champion innovation in specialist finance solutions that meet evolving customer needs while maintaining strong controls.

Credit, Risk & Conduct Stewardship

• Act as a senior risk leader for relationship‑led Business Banking, ensuring strong credit discipline, portfolio oversight and early risk identification.
• Ensure Relationship Managers operate within delegated authorities and uphold Nationwide’s conduct, regulatory and risk standards.
• Partner closely with Credit, Risk and Controls functions to maintain robust governance, assurance and regulatory compliance.
• Promote a culture of accountability, transparency and ethical decision‑making.

Customer Experience & Advocacy

• Represent the voice of the customer at senior forums, ensuring relationship banking insights inform strategy, proposition design and operating model decisions.
• Ensure customer experience across relationship‑led journeys is consistent, professional and differentiated from the competition.
• Oversee resolution of complex or high‑impact customer issues, complaints and escalations.

Enterprise Leadership & Collaboration

• Act as a senior leader within the Business Banking SLT, contributing to overall strategy, transformation and organisational development.
• Work in close partnership with Directors for Product, Transformation, Operations, Controls and Digital to deliver an integrated Business Banking model.
• Build strong external relationships with intermediaries, professional networks and industry bodies where appropriate.

About you

You will bring a proven track record in Business, Commercial or Corporate Banking, with deep experience of relationship‑led banking models for SME and Mid‑Corporate customers. You’ll be highly experienced in navigating the complexities of a regulated financial services environment, with a strong conduct mindset and a well-developed understanding of credit risk, balance sheet management, and specialist finance solutions. Strong commercial decision‑making is essential, alongside the judgement required to balance customer, conduct and commercial imperatives.

You’ll have led large, geographically dispersed teams and demonstrate an ability to build and coach high‑performing cultures, inspire confidence and elevate capability. Your leadership style will be authentic and purposeful, enabling you to influence effectively, secure organisational buy‑in and create clarity in complex, fast‑moving situations.

Your approach will champion a culture of innovation and creativity, learning, diversity of thought and external perspectives, enabling cross‑functional collaboration and ultimately, products and services that are original, distinctive and deliver competitive advantage.

Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:

• Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers’ shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind
• Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think – we’re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand
• Push for better - We don’t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development

• Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes.

  
  
  

You can strengthen your application by showing how our customer first behaviours resonate with you, and where you may have already demonstrated these.

The extras you'll get

There are all sorts of employee benefits available at Nationwide, including:

• 30 days annual leave as standard, plus, you can ‘buy’ up to 10 extra days each year, giving you even more choice

• Opportunity to participate in a Green Car Scheme with access to an electric vehicle (EV) via monthly salary sacrifice payments

• Competitive pension contributions or a cash alternative

• Family private healthcare cover, plus executive health screening every 2 years

• Employee assistance programme - a free, confidential service offering counselling, wellbeing support, legal advice and debt guidance

• Life assurance - 4x your notional salary for peace of mind

• Opportunity to participate in our Annual Performance Pay plan – recognising your contribution to our success

• Wellhub - access to a wide range of free and paid wellness resources for you and your family

• Flexible Benefits - We currently operate a flexible benefits scheme that allows you to select from a fantastic range of benefits

• Up to 2 paid volunteering days annually to support causes close to your heart while making a difference

• You could also tailor your reward package with a great selection of voluntary benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme

Banking - but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society 

We forge our own path at Nationwide.

As a mutual, we’re owned by our members - those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.

If you’re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, you’re one of us.

At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society.

We are purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.
 

What to do next

If this role is for you, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button. You’ll need to attach your current CV and answer a few quick questions for us.

We respond to everyone, so we will be in contact shortly after the closing date to let you know the outcome of your application.