Business Lending Manager

Department: Lending & Business Development

Location: Home based – Dorset area

About Our Client

Our client is a purpose-driven lender with a clear mission: to make finance more accessible and inclusive for small and medium-sized businesses across the South West. By offering flexible, affordable funding and human-led support, they help entrepreneurs overcome barriers to finance and achieve their business ambitions. Every loan made helps to create and safeguard jobs, strengthen local economies, and build thriving, sustainable communities.

As a values-led organisation, our client doesn’t just provide capital — they provide confidence, guidance, and partnership. It’s finance that genuinely makes a difference.

About the Role

As a Business Lending Manager, you’ll play a key role in delivering our client’s mission to unlock potential for local businesses. You’ll work closely with small business owners across the Dorset area, assessing loan applications, providing financial insight, and supporting entrepreneurs to grow and succeed.

This is a hybrid role, combining home working with regular travel to meet clients and build relationships within the local business community.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess and process business loan applications in line with company policy and risk appetite.
• Work directly with SME clients to understand their funding needs and provide tailored finance solutions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with introducers, partners, and local business networks.
• Drive new business opportunities and raise awareness of our client’s offering within the region.
• Ensure lending activities are compliant with regulatory requirements and internal standards.
• Contribute to team targets and continuously enhance customer experience through proactive, values-led service.

About You

You’re a confident and empathetic finance professional who enjoys helping businesses succeed. You’re equally comfortable analysing a set of accounts as you are building rapport with an ambitious start-up founder.

You’ll bring:

• 3+ years’ experience in SME lending, commercial banking, or business finance.
• Proven ability to structure and assess loan proposals with sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management and communication skills.
• Proactive and organised approach, with genuine enthusiasm for supporting SMEs.
• Willingness to travel within the Dorset and wider South West region.

Desirable:

• Degree or professional qualification in business, finance, or a related discipline.
• Established local network within the SME or intermediary community.

Why Join Our Client?

You’ll be part of a values-driven organisation where your work directly supports people, communities, and regional growth. You’ll enjoy a supportive culture, genuine work-life balance, and opportunities for professional development.

You’ll also join a team that believes finance should be fair, responsible, and accessible — and that every loan is an opportunity to create lasting positive change.

Type: Full-time, permanent

Purpose: Empowering local businesses and communities through responsible finance

If you’re passionate about purpose-led finance and want to help businesses thrive, we’d love to hear from you.