Strategy & Corporate Development Senior Associate

📋 Description

• • Lead discrete workstreams within strategic and corporate development projects, evaluating M&A opportunities, portfolio purchases, and lending partnerships across the UK SME lending market
• • Apply structured, consulting-style problem solving techniques including hypothesis-led analysis, market sizing, competitor benchmarking, customer and profit-pool analysis, and business case development to transform complex strategic questions into clear, actionable recommendations
• • Conduct end-to-end commercial due diligence for transactions, including financial modelling, valuation analysis, adviser coordination, negotiation support, and preparation of approval materials for executive and board review
• • Support the integration and post-deal value creation of executed transactions by translating deal theses into practical workplans, defining KPIs, establishing governance forums, and coordinating handover into business-as-usual operations across bank functions
• • Perform in-depth research and analysis on UK banking trends, SME lending dynamics, fintech innovation, and macroeconomic factors, while contributing to international expansion assessments as needed
• • Assist with capital raising initiatives by preparing investor materials such as information memoranda, investor updates, and responses to ad hoc investor inquiries
• • Develop concise, senior-ready presentations and reports using PowerPoint and written formats that inform executive and board-level decision making on strategic initiatives
• • Collaborate closely with teams across lending, risk, finance, compliance, and operations to ensure seamless execution of strategic initiatives and embed new business models into daily operations
• • Support the Head of Lending Strategy & Corporate Development and executive leadership with ad hoc strategic analyses, commercial insights, and data-driven recommendations
• • Work within a fast-moving, small team with direct exposure to board-level discussions and key decision-makers, operating in a regulated banking environment with high accountability and ownership
• • Maintain rigorous analytical standards and commercial judgement when interpreting data, expert insights, and market trends to drive strategic priorities and growth initiatives
• • Balance detail-oriented execution with big-picture strategic perspective, managing multiple workstreams simultaneously in a high-pressure, rapidly evolving fintech environment
• • Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external advisers, demonstrating maturity, collaboration, and professionalism in a regulated financial services context
• • Drive continuous improvement in strategic processes by identifying inefficiencies and proposing enhancements to due diligence, integration planning, and value creation frameworks
• • Contribute to Allica’s mission of serving established SMEs by ensuring strategic initiatives directly address gaps in SME lending and deliver measurable customer and financial outcomes
• • Stay current on developments in fintech, banking regulation, and competitive landscape to inform strategic positioning and anticipate market opportunities
• • Take ownership of project outcomes, delivering timely, accurate, and insightful outputs under tight deadlines in a dynamic, non-hierarchical team structure