Growing talent from within: Why internal progression is a smart investment for your business

In an industry as dynamic and relationship-driven as mortgage lending, the strength of your business often lies in your people.

At Accord, we’ve made a deliberate and strategic choice to invest in our internal talent, creating clear pathways for progression from entry-level roles right through to senior leadership. And the results speak for themselves.

A few years ago, we recognised a disconnect. Talented colleagues – particularly in sales roles – were eager to grow, but geographic limitations often stood in the way. Roles were emerging across the country, while many of our most promising team members were based in locations that didn’t match the opportunities. Relocation wasn’t always feasible, and we knew we had to rethink how we supported career development.

We began by creating structured development opportunities: masterclasses, interview preparation sessions, and cross-functional exposure. These initiatives helped colleagues build their confidence and prepare for future roles.

We also tapped into our branch network, identifying individuals with strong customer-facing experience, utilising them to support our Accord business. This not only broadened their understanding of the broker market, but also created a pool of talent ready to step into new opportunities, as and when they arose.

We’ve also grown our telephony team. By strengthening our telephone-based business development manager (BDM) function, we’ve reduced the impact of geography – allowing talented individuals to thrive regardless of location.

All these efforts have helped us to create a clear pathway – from entry level roles within our telephony team, through to telephone BDMs, to field-based BDMs, and ultimately into our corporate account strategic partnership team. Over the past four years, at Accord, we’ve only needed to recruit externally for two roles – a reflection of a culture that values growth, loyalty, and long-term investment in people.

Our senior management team is also testament to this approach. Many have progressed through the ranks at Accord, bringing with them deep knowledge and a genuine passion for the brand.