Senior Associate - Debt Finance

OakNorth is a digital bank for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs. Since our launch in 2015, we’ve backed ambitious businesses across the UK and US with over £21bn in funding, helping create more than 56,000 jobs and 34,000 new homes. We combine deep credit expertise, technology and a customer-first mindset to help businesses grow. We’re looking for a Senior Associate to join our Debt Finance team in Manchester, supporting lending to private equity and owner-managed businesses. You’ll bring the analytical depth to understand how a business makes and uses cash, and the judgement to help shape lending solutions around its debt and working-capital needs.

This is a hands-on, high-ownership role. You’ll lead day-to-day analysis and execution across complex transactions, working closely with senior originators and credit colleagues from initial assessment through structuring, credit approval and completion. You’ll take responsibility for moving deals forward, communicating clearly and maintaining strong credit discipline throughout. WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

• Assess new opportunities involving businesses, developing a clear view of the business model, sector, management team, financial and credit profile.
• Build and review financial models, including cash-flow forecasts, debt sizing, repayment capacity, sensitivities and downside scenarios.
• Identify the key risks in a transaction and develop practical mitigants.
• Shape and challenge facility structures and terms with originators, credit and other stakeholders, balancing customer needs with OakNorth’s risk appetite.
• Own day-to-day deal workstreams, coordinating diligence, analysis, credit papers, committee materials, term sheets, legal documentation and completion requirements.
• Present clear analysis and recommendations to senior stakeholders, and contribute to credit discussions with well-reasoned judgement.
• Build trusted relationships with borrowers, advisers and intermediaries, and contribute to developing a high-quality pipeline of opportunities.
• Review work and share your expertise with junior colleagues, helping strengthen the quality and consistency of the team’s analysis and execution.
• Work closely with colleagues across debt finance, credit, legal and portfolio teams to support a smooth transition from origination through completion and ongoing monitoring.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• Strong experience in accountancy, commercial lending, debt finance or a closely related area, with the ability to take ownership of complex transaction workstreams.
• Relevant exposure to businesses and their financing needs
• Excellent financial analysis and modelling skills, including cash-flow assessment, debt sizing and downside analysis.
• Sound credit judgement and the ability to identify the risks that matter, test assumptions and explain your conclusions clearly.
• Experience preparing or reviewing credit papers, committee materials, term sheets or transaction documentation.
• Confidence managing multiple stakeholders and workstreams, keeping transactions moving while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Clear written and verbal communication, with the confidence to explain complex analysis to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• A collaborative, low-ego approach and a genuine interest in supporting the development of colleagues around you.

PARTICULARLY USEFUL EXPERIENCE

• Lending
• Working-capital

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

• Meaningful ownership of live transactions and the opportunity to influence how lending solutions are structured.
• Close partnership with experienced originators and credit colleagues, with access to senior decision-makers.
• A varied portfolio of businesses and financing situations, with scope to deepen your expertise in trading and wholesale lending.
• A collaborative team environment that values commercial thinking, sound judgement and high standards of execution.

If you’re motivated by complex lending challenges and enjoy combining rigorous analysis with practical, relationship-led execution, we’d love to hear from you.