Head of Retail & Wholesale

About the role

Barclays is recruiting a Head of Retail & Wholesale within its Relationship Management business, covering Greater Manchester, Leeds, London and Bristol. The role leads a portfolio of retail and wholesale clients, turning consumer demand, channel, inventory and supply-chain trends into commercial strategies that support resilient, profitable growth and franchise value. It is a director-level position with permanent contract.

Key responsibilities

• Own the R&W portfolio P&L, market share, capital, ROTE, CTI/returns, client advocacy, profitability and sustainable franchise growth.
• Develop expertise across retailers, wholesalers, distributors, e-commerce businesses, consumer brands and their supply chains.
• Assess consumer demand, pricing, margins, seasonality, inventory, supplier terms, fulfilment and international sourcing.
• Originate solutions across working capital, payments, cash management, FX, trade, store or distribution investment and digital transformation.
• Build strategic client and acquisition plans with disciplined pipeline, opportunity and portfolio management.
• Represent Barclays with trade associations, advisers, investors, intermediaries and sector events, and bring market insight on consumer behaviour, channel shifts, cost pressure and supply-chain risk into commercial and risk decisions.
• Build internal sector capability, coordinate Product, Risk and Coverage partners, and balance growth, risk, regulation and compliance.
• Manage the business function: set strategic direction, oversee colleagues and departmental goals, implement policies and procedures, manage risk and monitor revenue, profitability and costs.
• Conduct market research on trends, competition and regulation, and advise senior management and committees.

Required profile

• Significant relationship banking, retail, wholesale, consumer or supply-chain commercial experience.
• Track record of growing complex client portfolios and delivering sustainable income and profitability.
• Experience assessing seasonal, inventory-led, omnichannel and internationally sourced business models, and delivering working-capital, payments, cash management, trade or FX solutions.
• Established network across retailers, wholesalers, suppliers, advisers or industry bodies.
• Director-level expectations: managing a large team or sub-function, leading other people managers, and acting as principal contact and spokesperson for the function.

Required skills

• Deep understanding of channel economics, margin drivers, inventory, seasonality and supply chains.
• Strong commercial acumen, P&L ownership and portfolio prioritisation.
• Strategic client engagement, origination, negotiation and executive influencing.
• Sound risk judgement and external market leadership.

Applicants must have legal right to work in the UK. The role may be subject to enhanced governance and additional regulatory and compliance obligations. Flexible working and hybrid working are discussed with the hiring manager.