Director - European Real Estate Debt

Cobalt is partnering with an established and well-capitalised European real estate private credit platform to appoint a Senior Vice President / Director to its London-based investment team.

Backed by significant institutional capital and with an active lending pipeline, the business is looking to add an experienced real estate debt professional with strong origination and execution capabilities across the UK and continental Europe.

This is a highly commercial role for an accomplished transactor who can originate opportunities, assess risk, structure financing solutions and independently lead transactions through to completion.

Key responsibilities

• Originate mid-market real estate financing opportunities across the UK and continental Europe, developing relationships with borrowers, sponsors and intermediaries.
• Lead transactions from initial screening and underwriting through structuring, credit approval, documentation and completion.
• Assess property-level, borrower and market risk across a range of real estate sectors and European jurisdictions.
• Build and interrogate financial models, investment cases and downside scenarios to support lending decisions.
• Structure and negotiate complex financing solutions, balancing commercial opportunity with appropriate risk-adjusted returns and protections.
• Prepare and present investment recommendations to internal decision-makers and institutional funding partners.
• Coordinate legal, technical, valuation and other third-party advisers throughout due diligence and execution.
• Negotiate term sheets and transaction documentation alongside internal and external counsel.
• Continue to develop the platform's European origination network and contribute to its wider investment strategy.

Candidate profile

• Approximately 9+ years' relevant experience within real estate lending, private credit or a closely related investment environment.
• A demonstrable recent track record of originating and executing European mid-market real estate financings, typically involving loan sizes of £30m–£150m, with particular relevance to the £35m–£80m segment.
• Proven ability to independently lead transactions from origination through to completion.
• Experience across multiple European geographies and a range of real estate asset classes.
• Strong underwriting, financial analysis and structuring capabilities, including experience of complex or structurally sophisticated transactions.
• An established network of sponsors, borrowers, advisers and intermediaries within the European real estate market.
• Strong commercial judgement, communication, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills.
• Detailed understanding of financing documentation.
• Entrepreneurial, self-directed and comfortable operating within a lean, collaborative investment environment.
• London-based or willing to relocate to London. Additional European language skills would be advantageous.

The opportunity

The successful candidate will join a well-capitalised, institutionally backed lending platform with genuine appetite to deploy across Europe. The business combines access to significant institutional capital with the autonomy, speed and entrepreneurial culture of a specialist investment platform.

The role offers meaningful scope to build relationships, originate transactions and take ownership of deals, alongside broad exposure to European markets, asset classes and complex financing situations.

We are particularly interested in speaking with credible dealmakers who combine strong technical execution with a genuine origination mindset.

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