Responsibilities
Strategic Transformation Leadership
- Lead the planning, execution, and delivery of strategic transformation initiatives aligned with SMBC's regional and global business objectives.
- Partner with senior business leaders to translate strategic priorities into executable programmes and project roadmaps.
- Develop comprehensive business cases, implementation strategies, operating models, and delivery plans to support transformational change.
- Drive front-to-back process improvements, digitalization initiatives, and operating model enhancements across multiple business and support functions.
- Identify opportunities to improve organizational effectiveness, productivity, client experience, and operational resilience through innovation and transformation.
Programme and Project Management
- Establish and manage project scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, resource requirements, dependencies, and success measures.
- Lead large-scale, cross-functional programmes involving multiple stakeholders, workstreams, and implementation teams across APAC.
- Monitor programme performance through robust governance frameworks, KPIs, milestones, and benefit-tracking mechanisms.
- Ensure projects are delivered within approved scope, budget, quality standards, and timelines while proactively managing risks and issues.
- Drive disciplined project management practices and promote consistent delivery standards across transformation initiatives.
Governance, Risk and Control
- Establish appropriate governance structures and reporting frameworks to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective decision-making.
- Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate project and programme risks, ensuring timely escalation of critical issues to management and steering committees.
- Ensure transformation initiatives comply with regulatory requirements, internal policies, and risk management standards.
- Support management in evaluating strategic, operational, regulatory, and technology-related risks associated with transformation programmes.
Senior Stakeholder Management
- Build strong relationships with senior executives, business heads, functional leaders, and project sponsors across the organization.
- Facilitate executive steering committees, management forums, and governance meetings, providing clear reporting on progress, risks, dependencies, and key decisions.
- Influence stakeholders across diverse business and support functions to build consensus and drive successful outcomes.
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior management on transformation priorities, implementation considerations, and execution risks.
- Manage competing stakeholder interests while maintaining alignment to strategic objectives and delivery commitments.
Global and Regional Collaboration
- Represent APAC in global programme forums, governance committees, and transformation working groups.
- Partner with global teams to ensure alignment of strategic initiatives, operating models, governance standards, and best practices across regions.
- Contribute to the development of global transformation frameworks, methodologies, and operating standards.
- Drive consistency and standardization while balancing regional business requirements and regulatory considerations.
Change Management and Adoption
- Lead organizational change activities to support successful transformation outcomes and user adoption.
- Develop and execute stakeholder engagement, communication, training, and adoption strategies.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and change readiness across the organization.
- Ensure realization of programme benefits through effective transition planning, operational readiness, and post-implementation reviews.
Digital Transformation and Innovation
- Champion the adoption of digital technologies, process automation, data analytics, AI, and emerging technologies to improve business effectiveness.
- Collaborate with technology, operations, and business teams to identify and implement innovative solutions that support strategic objectives.
- Evaluate opportunities to enhance data-driven decision-making and improve operational performance through technology-enabled transformation.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Banking & Finance, Economics, Technology, Engineering, or a related discipline. Advanced degrees (MBA or equivalent) are advantageous.
- Approximately 7-10 years of experience within financial services, including significant exposure to corporate banking, transformation, change management, and project delivery.
- Proven track record of leading large-scale strategic, front-to-back transformation, digitalization, operating model, or process reengineering programmes.
- Experience managing complex initiatives involving business, operations, technology, risk, finance, compliance, and external stakeholders.
- Working knowledge of Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, and hybrid project delivery methodologies.
- Strong understanding of banking products, client journeys, risk frameworks, regulatory environments, and operational processes.
- Good appreciation of emerging technologies, including data analytics, artificial intelligence, automation, and digital platforms, and their application within the financial services industry.
- Demonstrated ability to engage and influence senior management, drive executive-level discussions, and build alignment across complex organizations.
- Ability to bridge strategic business objectives and technology implementation requirements.
- Strong collaborative leadership style with the ability to challenge constructively, build consensus, and drive change across diverse stakeholder groups.
- Strong project and programme management capabilities, including planning, execution, governance, risk management, budgeting, and benefits realization.
- Demonstrated experience leading complex strategic transformation initiatives within financial services.
- Deep understanding of change management methodologies and organizational transformation practices.
- Professional project management certifications such as PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2, Agile, Scrum Master, or equivalent are highly desirable.
- Proficiency with project and portfolio management tools and reporting frameworks.
- Exceptional communication, presentation, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
- Ability to influence senior executives and drive alignment across diverse stakeholder groups.