Relationship Manager - Private Credit/ Direct Lending (SME)

On behalf of our esteemed client, an International private credit fund that recently opened a new office in Saudi Arabia, we are looking for a Relationship Manager Direct Lending responsible for originating, structuring, and managing lending transactions within the SME and mid-market segment in alignment with the Fund's investment strategy. The role covers pipeline generation, transaction structuring, commercial negotiation, and portfolio relationship oversight, while ensuring underwriting discipline and risk alignment with Investment Committee standards and remaining revenue-generating and risk-accountable.

Key responsibilities

A. Deal origination and pipeline development

1. Source qualified lending opportunities within target sectors and risk appetite.
2. Build and maintain relationships with SME owners and management teams, financial advisors and intermediaries, sponsors and ecosystem partners, and industry associations and SME initiatives.
3. Maintain a forward-looking pipeline sufficient to support deployment targets.
4. Conduct preliminary screening of opportunities before formal underwriting.

B. Transaction structuring and credit leadership

1. Lead transaction structuring in coordination with Credit and Risk teams.
2. Define facility type and structure, tenor and amortization profile, pricing and risk-adjusted return, covenant package, and collateral and guarantees.
3. Oversee the full underwriting lifecycle from origination to Investment Committee approval.
4. Ensure commercial viability and return alignment before submission to the Investment Committee.
5. Participate in negotiation of term sheets and financing agreements.
6. The Relationship Manager retains commercial ownership of the transaction throughout its lifecycle.

C. Investment Committee and approval process

1. Work closely with Credit Analysts to prepare Investment Committeeready materials.
2. Present transaction rationale, structure, and risk mitigation strategy during the Investment Committee.
3. Address committee queries and provide clarifications as required.
4. Ensure documentation of approval conditions and compliance prior to closing.

D. Portfolio relationship management

1. Act as primary relationship owner for portfolio borrowers.
2. Maintain regular contact with management teams.
3. Monitor borrower performance and covenant compliance.
4. Identify early warning indicators and escalate appropriately.
5. Support restructuring discussions when required.
6. Identify refinancing, upsizing, or additional opportunity potential within the existing portfolio.

E. Commercial and strategic contribution

1. Provide market intelligence on SME lending trends.
2. Contribute to sector targeting and strategy refinement.
3. Support investor discussions when required (pipeline visibility and deal quality).
4. Represent the Fund professionally in market engagements and stakeholder meetings.

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Accounting, or Business Administration.
• 510 years of experience in SME banking, corporate lending, private credit and structured finance.
• Demonstrated experience in deal origination, credit structuring, financial modeling, and negotiating commercial lending terms.
• Strong knowledge of the Saudi SME ecosystem and lending landscape preferred.
• Existing market relationships considered advantageous.

Saudization programm applicants only