Senior Relationship Manager

About the role:

As a Senior Relationship Manager - Acquisition, you will be responsible for acquiring new SME banking relationships and driving business growth through the promotion of lending and transaction banking solutions. The role focuses on identifying and onboarding new-to-bank SME clients, building a strong sales pipeline, and delivering customized financial solutions across working capital, unsecured lending, trade finance, asset-backed lending, merchant POS financing, and other business banking products. Working closely with Credit, Operations, Compliance, and Product teams, you will ensure a seamless client acquisition journey while achieving portfolio growth and revenue targets.

What you will be doing:

• Acquire new SME customers and grow the bank's Business Banking portfolio.
• Generate new business opportunities through prospecting, networking, referrals, and market outreach.
• Promote SME lending products including Working Capital Finance, Trade Finance, Unsecured Business Loans, Merchant POS Lending, Asset-Backed Lending, and Commercial Loans.
• Build and manage a strong pipeline of new-to-bank prospects.
• Conduct client meetings to understand business requirements and recommend suitable banking solutions.
• Achieve assigned sales, revenue, and acquisition targets.
• Prepare and present financing proposals in line with customer needs and bank policies.
• Manage the end-to-end client acquisition and onboarding process.
• Ensure all KYC, compliance, and documentation requirements are completed accurately.
• Liaise with Credit, Operations, Product, and Compliance teams to facilitate approvals and onboarding.
• Build strong relationships with SME business owners and key decision-makers.
• Identify cross-sell and upsell opportunities across the bank's product suite.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activities, and industry developments.
• Maintain an active sales pipeline and update customer records regularly.
• Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements and internal policies.
• Deliver a high standard of customer service throughout the acquisition lifecycle.
• Participate in networking events and business forums to enhance market presence.
• Contribute towards portfolio growth, lending volumes, and fee income generation.
• Maintain portfolio quality while balancing growth objectives.
• Support the bank's overall SME acquisition and business development strategy.
What We're Looking For

Minimum Qualification:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Banking, Economics, or a related field.
Minimum Experience:

• Relevant experience in SME Banking, Business Banking, Commercial Banking, or Corporate Banking.
• Proven track record in new business acquisition and relationship management.
• Strong understanding of SME lending and transaction banking products.
• Experience in business development and portfolio growth.
• Knowledge of credit assessment and financial analysis.
• Understanding of KYC, AML, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to build relationships with SME owners and key stakeholders.
• Proven ability to achieve sales and revenue targets.
• Familiarity with CRM systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• English: Fluent (written and spoken) - required.
• Arabic: Proficiency is an advantage.
Preferred Skills:

• Strong networking and relationship-building capabilities.
• Excellent sales and business development skills.
• Customer-centric mindset with strong problem-solving abilities.
• Knowledge of the UAE SME market and business landscape is an advantage.