Head of UK Private Banking Customer Relationships

JOB TITLE: Head of UK Private Banking Customer Relationships

LOCATION(S): London, Bristol, Hove, Manchester or Edinburgh

HOURS: Full time

WORKING PATTERN: Hybrid, 40% (or two days per week) in one of our office hubs mentioned above

About this opportunity

An exciting opportunity has emerged to lead our customer facing banking and specialist lending teams in UK Private Banking (UKPB). Reporting directly to the UKPB Managing Director, the role will be part of the UKPB senior leadership team (SLT) and play a key role in the delivery of UKPB’s strategy and priorities.

UKPB helps the Group’s Affluent and High Net Worth personal customers achieve their financial goals and aspirations across several brands and offerings including Banking, Specialist Lending and Estates & Trusts. It’s a truly exciting time to be working in UKPB, as it goes through a customer focussed growth and transformation journey. This role represents a great opportunity to add real value and drive our bold plans to help more of our Affluent and High Net Worth customers with their financial wellbeing.

You would lead circa 160 colleagues in customer facing teams who help customers in the Affluent and High Net Worth segments. The teams are based nationally across the UK, providing relationship driven banking services, and specialist lending solutions. A focus on achieving great customer outcomes with high customer satisfaction, alongside driving sound commercial performance is essential.

The ideal candidate has leadership experience within the Affluent and High Net Worth sector with the ability to draw on market specific knowledge and insights. We’re looking for someone who can lead through transformation and bring teams on this journey. You would demonstrate sound judgement in decision making, as well as excellent relationship building, communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.

Key accountabilities:

• Inspire and lead a culture of relationship-driven customer excellence across a team of ~160 colleagues.

• Maintain oversight of performance and demand using data and insight, ensuring consistently high service delivery and customer outcomes.

• Coach and develop Senior and Team Managers to build high-performing, empowered teams.

• Champion continuous improvement, identifying and implementing changes that enhance service and efficiency.

• Act as a key escalation point, helping leaders overcome delivery challenges and barriers.

• Build effective relationships with internal partners across Risk, Planning, Technology, Product and Operations.

• Collaborate across the leadership team to shape future strategy, modernise operations, and contribute to the UK Private Banking transformation.

• Apply a strong commercial lens, ensuring activity delivers both excellent customer outcomes and robust business performance.

• Role-model the culture and values of the business in everything you do.

Skills you’ll need:

• Commercial leadership in customer-focused settings: A track record of driving business outcomes while maintaining exceptional client service. You’ll bring a sharp commercial mindset to ensure team activity translates into measurable value for customers and the organisation.

• Transformational people leadership: Experience leading large teams through change, embedding a performance-driven, outcomes-based culture. You’ll be an inspiring leader who supports colleagues through transition with clarity and purpose.

• Strategic thinking and influence: Ability to shape and execute business strategy, influence senior stakeholders, and identify new opportunities for growth. This role plays a key part in the future direction of our Private Banking proposition.

• Credibility beyond traditional Private Banking: While experience in wealth or financial services is beneficial, we welcome candidates from adjacent sectors who bring fresh thinking, strong leadership, and the ability to win the confidence of colleagues quickly.

• Strong stakeholder management and communication: You’ll bring presence, clarity and conviction in how you engage with teams and senior leaders alike. This role requires someone who can quickly establish trust and drive alignment across complex priorities.

• Change delivery and cultural uplift: Demonstrated experience leading culture change — uplifting performance, efficiency and commercial focus, while keeping the customer at the heart of what we do.

About working for us

Our ambition is to be the leading UK business for diversity, equity and inclusion supporting our customers, colleagues and communities, and we’re committed to creating an environment in which everyone can thrive, learn and develop.

We were one of the first major organisations to set goals on diversity in senior roles, create a menopause health package, and a dedicated Working with Cancer Initiative.

We offer reasonable workplace adjustments for colleagues with disabilities, including flexibility in office attendance, location and working patterns. And, as a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee interviews for a fair and proportionate number of applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role with a disability, long-term health or neurodivergent condition through the Disability Confident Scheme.

We provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to reduce or remove barriers. Just let us know what you need.

We also offer a wide-ranging benefits package, which includes:

• A generous pension contribution of up to 15%

• An annual bonus award, subject to Group performance

• Share schemes including free shares

• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping

• 30 days’ holiday, with bank holidays on top

• A range of wellbeing initiatives and generous parental leave policies

Ready for a career where you can have a positive impact as you learn, grow and thrive? Apply today and find out more!