Portfolio Manager, Post-Issue Export Credit Transactions

Job summary

As a Portfolio Manager, you are a principal deal lead, responsible for protecting the interests of UK taxpayers by shaping outcomes on high-profile global projects. You will negotiate directly with international banks, sovereign borrowers and major corporates. The team's sector focus is broad, spanning from corporate deals, project finance and defence to emerging markets sovereign-backed transactions.

You will operate in an environment that combines structured finance, export credit, and transaction management, with meaningful autonomy and exposure to complex commercial decision making.

The Portfolio Manager is responsible for the ongoing monitoring and management of UKEF supported transactions after issuance. The team covers civil and defence transactions (including project finance cases). The role ensures that amendments, waivers, and post issue changes are assessed effectively, commercial and policy risks are identified early, and UKEF’s rights are upheld. The team currently manages c.135 medium to long term facilities with an exposure of over £35bn.

You will work closely with the Head of Post-Issue Management in ensuring strong portfolio oversight and operational governance across UKEF.

The team is managed by the Grade 6 (G6) Head of PIM & UK Content and consists of 3 x Grade 7 (G7) Portfolio Manager roles, with each G7 being supported by at least one Senior Executive Officer (SEO).

This is a role where you’ll genuinely influence outcomes on some of the UK’s most significant export finance projects.

What is exciting about this role?

• Exposure to multibillion pound international transactions.
• Responsibility for a complex portfolio of deals and exposure to senior management in UKEF.
• Direct negotiation exposure with sovereigns, banks and global corporates.
• Work with purpose — supporting UK exporters, green transition and critical infrastructure.
• A uniquely broad vantage point across credit, legal, Climate & ESG, political risk and structured finance.
• Opportunity to travel (domestic & overseas) to visit clients and projects.

Job description

Team Leadership & People Management

Leading and managing people — building capability, and confidence in those around you.

• Lead, coach, and support at least one direct report, with regular 1:1s.
• Create a team culture built on trust, curiosity, and shared problem‑
• Help shape the direction of PIM by supporting (and occasionally deputising for) the Head of PIM.
• Celebrate wins, unblock challenges, and help the team grow into their best professional selves.

Transaction Monitoring & Portfolio Oversight

You are the person who keeps these deals running smoothly long after they have been signed.

• You will take ownership of the day‑to‑day oversight of a portfolio of high‑value, globally distributed transactions.
• Keep a close eye on project performance, borrower behaviour, and market developments.
• Spot early warning signs — whether it’s a construction issue, a financial wobble, or an external shock — and steer the response.
• Ensure borrowers stick to what they’ve committed to: loan terms, covenants, and UK Content requirements.
• Review amendment and waiver requests, assessing commercial, legal, and policy impacts.
• Identify risks early and propose smart, pragmatic solutions or escalation paths.
• Keep transaction records accurate, up‑to‑date, and ready to support high‑level analysis.

Lead negotiations, submit Amendment/Waiver Analysis to UKEF management & drive decisions

You will be responsible for UKEF’s major transactions — balancing commercial sense, risk awareness, and policy alignment.

• You’ll be at the forefront conversations with senior stakeholders, representing UKEF’s interests with confidence and clarity.
• Lead negotiations on post‑issuance issues, using a combination of commercial acumen, diplomacy, and confidence.
• Present UKEF’s position on complex amendments and waivers to senior management.
• Work directly with C‑suite executives of global corporates, senior international bankers, and export credit agencies from around the world.
• Dive deep into complex issues: construction delays, credit developments, Climate & ESG requirements, market movements, and more.
• Collaborate with leading law firms, financial advisors, and technical specialists to build robust, well‑informed analysis.
• Prepare clear and compelling recommendations for senior decision‑makers, including UKEF’s Enterprise Risk & Credit Committee (ERiCC), covering every angle: legal, credit, commercial, policy and Climate & ESG.
• Liaise with Credit Risk, Legal, E&S, Compliance, and other specialists — and build your own knowledge across all these disciplines in the process.
• Lead or support presentations to ERiCC on portfolio performance and emerging risks.

This list is not exhaustive, and you may be required to carry out additional duties according to business needs.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Graduate level qualification in a finance or relevant subject or significant demonstrable relevant professional experience (A)

Knowledge

• A working level technical knowledge of UKEF product use (A,I&P)
• Good working knowledge of loan documentation (A,I&P)
• An aptitude for learning more about the main finance and risk structures used in project and export finance (A)

Skills/Ability

• Skilled line manager who is open and development-focused leader with an invested interest in the team’s wellbeing (A&I)
• Effective communication skills (oral and written) sufficient to make recommendations to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders (A,I&P)
• Good numeracy skills, strong analytical ability to review a range of issues (A)
• Ability to understand complex, financial, legal and policy issues (I&P)
• Ability to work without close supervision, exercise autonomy sensibly and to ensure that deadlines are met (A&I)
• Ability to work effectively within, and manage, cross departmental teams (A&I)
• Proficient attention to detail (A)
• Ability to interpret and analyse data to inform decisions (A,I&P)

Experience

• Understanding the challenges of managing deals in emerging and frontier markets (A,I&P)
• Relevant ECA, commercial, banking or financial institution experience (A)
• Experience working with legal teams on contractual renegotiation, documentation and implementation (A&I)

Other requirements

• Some overseas and UK travel may be required. (A&I)

Qualifications

Graduate level qualification in a finance or relevant subject or significant demonstrable relevant professional experience (A)

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Presentation - a topic agreed by UKEF and will be provided to relevant candidates in advance of their interview

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,250, UK Export Finance contributes £17,744 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

We are assessing candidates using Success Profiles and Line Management Standards (see Appendix 1) and across the whole process we will assess your Experience, Technical and Behaviours and Line Manager Standards as highlighted below.

The application must be completed by 23.55 on the day of the closing date for it to be accepted.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Please ensure that you read through the Candidate Information Pack attached to this advert, before applying.

All applications will be sifted against our essential criteria outlined in the personal specification.

• Qualification:
  • Graduate level qualification in a finance or relevant subject or significant demonstrable relevant professional experience (A)
• Statement of suitability - you should fully articulate in 500 words how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification within the Information Pack.

For the initial sift your application will be evaluated against:

1. Experience - Application and Statement of Suitability

In the event of a high volume of applications, an initial sift will be carried out on the following essential criteria, as listed in the person specification:

• Relevant ECA, commercial, banking or financial institution experience (A)
• Effective communication skills (oral and written) sufficient to make recommendations to a wide range of stakeholders (A,I&P)
• Ability to work effectively within, and manage, cross departmental teams (A&I)

If you are successful following the sift stage, you will be invited to an initial interview to be held onsite at 1 Horse Guards Road; this will include the following assessment:

1. Behaviours/Experience/Line Manager Standard - a formal panel interview where you will be interviewed across all four behaviours and Line Manager Standard highlighted below in Appendix 1.
2. Technical - you will be assessed across your technical expertise and acumen, in relation to the essential criteria
   1. Presentation - a topic agreed by UKEF and will be provided to relevant candidates in advance of their interview,

Details of interview panel members will be e-mailed to all successful candidates who are invited for interview.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : UKEF Resourcing Team
• Email : Recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk

Further information

Should you have a complaint or wish to raise any concerns regarding the recruitment process, please e-mail your complaint to the Head of Pay and Resourcing (UKEF) at Recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk and include “Complaint” in the subject heading. Should you remain dissatisfied following UKEF’s investigation then you can refer your complaint to the Commission - http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/making-complaint.

Attachments

Candidate Info Pack - Portfolio Manager G7 Opens in new window (pdf, 4383kB)