THE FIRM

The business falls into 3 broad categories:

Capital Raising  The team advises on most forms of fundraising, ranging from acting as placement agent for new property funds through to raising debt and/or equity for transactions on behalf of financial and corporate clients.

M&A Lead Advisory  Buy and sell side lead advisory for assets, portfolios and corporates in the real estate sector.

Corporate Balance Sheet Optimisation  Advising corporates on optimal structures to meet their occupational needs in the most cost effective manner, with particular regard for overall operational and financial gearing – ranging from freehold ownership through to Prop Co / Op Co split and structured sale and leaseback.

The team works with fund managers, property investors / developers and occupiers, together with most sources of capital including property funds, institutional investors, property companies and banks. The team works closely with other parts of the firm including real estate consulting, tax and accounting to provide clients with an integrated service in most cases involving complex structured transactions.

THE ROLE

• Work within small client-focused teams of 2 or 3 providing advice, technical input and client support as required.

• Manage medium sized assignments reporting directly to clients and Partners/ Directors.

• Develop effective funding strategies for transactions and businesses and appraise the relative merits of each with clients, go to market on behalf of clients – identify target funders and negotiate therewith, working with other professionals to reach conclusion.

• Manage sell side mandates through optimal positioning of the assets or business, identifying target bidders, prepare Information Memoranda, negotiate commercial arrangements with bidders until completion.

• Manage buy side mandates, identifying targets and working with clients to structure and negotiate successful transactions

• Work with corporate occupiers to appraise options for various tenure options, bringing knowledge of the relative merits of each, assessing the market appetite and presenting recommendations to clients. Working with clients to take the proposals to market, identifying target funders or partners and presenting the opportunity in the most effective way, negotiating and structuring the transaction with other professionals to successful completion.

• Present to clients and generate complex reports to convey conclusions and arguments.

• Develop and use complex financial models and advise clients on financial structures, viability, valuations, sensitivity and scenario analysis.

• Derive sales proposals to target clients, attendance and participation in sales presentations.

• Share technical knowledge within the group.

• Ad hoc involvement in internal activities ranging from recruitment to communications strategies. 

THE CANDIDATE

• Ideally, an accountancy, legal or surveying qualification

• Experience of real estate finance and/or corporate finance transactions

• It would be desirable to have good knowledge of the real estate funding markets

• Likely to have some existing contacts within the sector

• Energetic, lateral thinker with an enquiring mind and a commercial approach

• Experience of developing and application of business planning and option appraisal

• Strong team player with an ability to build effective working relationships with individuals, organisations and clients.

• High degree of personal drive and motivation to succeed

• Numeric with an analytical approach, at ease with financial models

• Good communicator and highly articulate (written and verbal)

• Ability to learn quickly and keep abreast of developments

• Committed to business development and able to identify opportunities to deliver the best value