Global Head of Trade Finance Syndications & Distribution

Purpose of the Role

The Global Head of Trade Finance Syndications & Distribution is responsible for leading the bank’s UK and global distribution strategy for all Trade Finance & Export Credit Agency (ECA) transactions originated across the US, EMEA, and Asia.

Working with the UK and regional origination teams, the core tenet of the role is to contribute and grow revenues for the Trade business, ensuring that the bank optimises capital, increases returns and manages RWAs, deepens investor relationships, and maximises execution efficiency across primary syndication, secondary market distribution, insurance, and ECA-backed structures.

This is a front‑office, market‑facing leadership role that provides subject‑matter expertise, acts as the bank’s spokesperson in the trade finance syndications market, and shapes the future strategy of the distribution platform.

Director‑level expectations include managing a significant global function, influencing policy and cross‑bank initiatives, leading other managers, and acting as a principal contact point with senior internal and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Global Leadership & Strategy

• Develop and execute the UK and global syndication and distribution strategy across Trade & ECA products, aligned with T&WC and wider Corporate Banking objectives.
• Lead strategic initiatives, policy evolution, and best‑practice frameworks across regions, consistent with director‑level expectations regarding functional integration and strategic decision‑making.
• Represent the bank in global trade finance forums, industry associations, and regulatory dialogues.
• Drive initiatives to strengthen the bank’s leadership position in the global trade distribution market and ensure alignment with external market developments.

Primary Market Syndication

• Lead primary syndication for all multi‑bank Trade & ECA transactions globally.
• Provide structuring guidance, market pricing input, liquidity analysis, and investor soundings.
• Oversee syndications input on RFPs, client pitches, credit proposals, pricing papers, and underwriting structures.
• Ensure seamless coordination across Origination, Coverage, Structuring & Execution, Credit, Risk, and Legal.

Secondary Market Distribution

• Oversee global secondary distribution and portfolio risk management activities.
• Lead selection of assets for sell‑down, pricing to market, documentation checks, and offer term sheet preparation.
• Build and manage relationships with banks, NBFIs, insurers, multilaterals, brokers, and other counterparties.
• Identify and source asset purchase opportunities to support balance sheet, revenue and portfolio objectives.

Insurance & ECA Distribution

• Oversee utilisation of trade credit insurance and ECA risk mitigation to optimise capital and support origination.
• Manage relationships with private insurance markets, ECAs, multilaterals, and brokers.
• Drive negotiation and governance of MRPA frameworks, insurance policies, and ECA facility terms.

Investor & Market Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain a global network of bank and non‑bank investors.
• Lead investor engagement, market positioning, and distribution channel expansion.
• Represent the bank at industry conferences, investor meetings, and trade finance events.
• Uphold the bank’s reputation in global markets by demonstrating deep trade finance expertise.

 People Leadership

• Lead and manage the syndications & distribution team. This is based in London, supporting the UK and global business.
• Coach, develop, and mentor senior specialists and junior colleagues, embedding Barclays Values.
• Foster a collaborative, high‑performance culture across regions.

Governance, Risk & Controls

• Ensure global activities are fully compliant with the Enterprise Risk Management Framework, policies, and regulatory standards.
• Set standards for processes, documentation quality, and risk assessment across all distribution methods.
• Provide senior oversight of credit analysis, risk mitigation structures, and transactional documentation.

Essential Experience

• Director level experience in trade finance syndication, distribution, secondary trading, insurance, and/or ECA-backed transactions.
• Proven track record in leading execution of large, complex multi-bank trade transactions in both primary and secondary markets.
• Established network of bank and non-bank trade finance investors.
• Global experience working across multiple regions (US, EMEA, Asia).
• Prior leadership of teams, preferably in a global or regional capacity.

Technical Knowledge

• Deep understanding of:
  • Trade finance and working capital products
  • Distribution techniques: primary, secondary, insurance, MRPA, ECA
  • Global trade flows, pricing trends, investor landscape, and regulatory themes
  • Syndication structuring, underwriting processes, and documentation conventions
• Ability to provide strategic solutions and innovative distribution structures.

Leadership & Competencies

• Ability to influence senior internal/external stakeholders and negotiate complex outcomes.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, applying balanced judgment across risk/reward considerations.
• Exceptional communication and presentation capabilities.
• Highly collaborative, able to align and energise cross‑regional teams.
• Strategic thinker who can navigate ambiguity and drive long‑term initiatives.

Purpose of the role

To generate revenue and promote the bank's diverse product and service offerings to various customer segments, acting as the SME with regards the structuring and execution of complex Trade & Working Capital Product offerings. 

Accountabilities

• Identification of potential customers, analysing their needs and preferences, and staying abreast of emerging market trends and competitor strategies.
• Creation of detailed profiles for target customer segments, outlining their demographics, financial habits, and pain points to tailor sales approaches and product recommendations.
• Relationship management of potential and existing customer relations through the execution of high-quality customer support, by responding to queries and resolving issues, gaining their customer trust, and understanding their financial goals and challenges.
• Understanding of the features, benefits, risks, and compliance requirements of various banking products and services offered. Understanding of the key features, benefits, risks, enhancements, and regulatory requirements of new and existing banking products, and communicate insights clearly to potential customers to address their financial needs.
• Collaboration with Specialist Sales staff to develop compelling sales pitches and proposals that showcase the value proposition of the bank's offerings to convert leads into customers, and negotiation of terms that are beneficial for both the client and the bank.
• Collection and analysis of customer feedback on various products, services, and overall experience, to support the development of reports that communicate key findings to relevant stakeholders, to inform product development and sales strategies.

Director Expectations

• To manage a business function, providing significant input to function wide strategic initiatives. Contribute to and influence policy and procedures for the function and plan, manage and consult on multiple complex and critical strategic projects, which may be business wide..
• They manage the direction of a large team or sub-function, leading other people managers and embedding a performance culture aligned to the values of the business. Or for an individual contributor, they lead organisation wide projects and act as deep technical expert and thought leader, identifying new ways of working and collaborating cross functionally. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions..
• Provide expert advice to senior functional management and committees to influence decisions made outside of own function, offering significant input to function wide strategic initiatives.
• Manage, coordinate and enable resourcing, budgeting and policy creation for a significant sub-function.
• Escalates breaches of policies / procedure appropriately.
• Foster and guide compliance, ensure regulations are observed that relevant processes in place to facilitate adherence.
• Focus on the external environment, regulators, or advocacy groups to both monitor and influence on behalf of Barclays, when appropriate.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of how the function integrates with the business division / Group to achieve the overall business objectives.
• Maintain broad and comprehensive knowledge of industry theories and practices within own discipline alongside up-to-date relevant sector / functional knowledge, and insight into external market developments / initiatives.
• Use interpretative thinking and advanced analytical skills to solve problems and design solutions in often complex/ sensitive situations.
• Exercise management authority to make significant decisions and certain strategic decisions or recommendations within own area.
• Negotiate with and influence stakeholders at a senior level both internally and externally.
• Act as principal contact point for key clients and counterparts in other functions/ businesses divisions.
• Mandated as a spokesperson for the function and business division.

All Senior Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.