Executive Director, Head of Digital Channels Applications

Headquartered in Tokyo, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) is a leading global financial institution and a core member of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMBC Group). Built upon our rich Japanese heritage since 1876, we put our customers first and provide seamless access to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. SMBC is one of the largest Japanese banks by assets and maintain strong credit ratings across our global integrated network. We work closely as one SMBC Group to offer personal, corporate and investment banking services to meet the needs of our customers. With sustainability embedded within our strategy and operations, we are committed to creating a society in which today’s generation can enjoy economic prosperity and well-being, and pass it on to future generations. We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Head of Digital Channels Applications to lead the development and optimization of our digital banking products. The ideal candidate will possess a strong technical background and a deep understanding of corporate banking products and digital channels, with the ability to translate business needs into actionable technical solutions. Responsibilities Strategic Leadership: Define and communicate the delivery vision and strategy for digital corporate banking channels, ensuring alignment with the company’s overall business objectives and driving the execution of digital initiatives. Implementation Management: Lead the implementation of Corporate Digital Channels projects, ensuring delivery within time, budget, and specifications while driving project execution and performance. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Oversee collaboration with cross-functional teams, including IT, marketing, operations, and compliance, to gather requirements, prioritize features, and ensure timely delivery of high-quality digital banking products. Facilitate decision-making through project charters, scope documents, risk assessments, budgets, and discussions on IT value (ROI, IRR). Technical Oversight: Provide technical expertise to assess and recommend technology solutions, manage integrations with banking systems, and ensure the scalability and security of digital channels. Backlog and Resource Management: Maintain an organized product backlog, prioritizing user stories and features based on business value, customer feedback, and strategic goals. Develop and oversee resource plans, schedules, and project estimates. User Experience Leadership: Collaborate with UX/UI teams to create intuitive and user-friendly digital banking interfaces that enhance the customer journey. Performance Metrics Establishment: Define success metrics for digital products, conduct data analysis, and leverage insights to inform product enhancements and strategic decision-making. Regulatory Compliance Oversight: Ensure that all digital banking products comply with applicable regulations and standards, implementing necessary controls and processes. Agile Practices Promotion: Foster agile methodologies within the delivery team, facilitating sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives to ensure continuous improvement. Risk Management: Identify and anticipate risks and issues, facilitating resolution and appropriate escalation. Lead assessments of inter-project dependencies and evaluate the financial impact and risk of projects. Project Recovery Planning: Develop, implement, and administer standards and procedures for project recovery planning, ensuring security and documentation. Team Development and Mentorship: Provide performance feedback for delivery team members and coach them on best practices related to solution delivery and IT value. Participate in hiring, supervising, training, and promoting candidates as needed. Stakeholder Engagement: Drive collaboration among project teams, stakeholders, vendors, and portfolio managers, ensuring alignment with ongoing interrelated efforts and managing the scope change process. Communication Strategy Implementation: Craft and implement communication plans that drive cultural change within the organization, incorporating feedback from customers and ensuring clear communication of project statuses to senior leadership. Project Management: Develop project team structures and establish communication and working processes to promote effective integrated teamwork across diverse cultural settings. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field Min 15 years of relevant experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership or managerial capacity for 200+ delivery staff. Liaise and manage India offshore delivery center between different work location Experience in digital transformation initiatives and managing change within an organization, with relevant corporate digital banking channels implementation rollouts across APAC locations. Proven experience in a senior delivery management role within digital banking or financial services, focusing on technology-driven projects. Demonstrated experience in leading cross-functional teams and managing the delivery of complex digital products. Regulatory Knowledge, in-depth knowledge of relevant regulations and compliance standards impacting digital banking and financial services. Strong understanding of digital banking products, services, and technologies, including APIs, CIAM, web analytics, integrations, and security protocols. Proficiency in Agile methodologies (e.g., Scrum, Kanban) and experience implementing agile practices within teams. Familiarity with project management tools (e.g., JIRA, Trello, Asana) and data analytics tools. Professional certifications in project management (e.g., PMP, PMI-ACP) or Agile methodologies. Proactive, results-oriented mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities effectively. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to inspire and develop team members. Strong stakeholder management and interpersonal skills, with effective communication across technical and non-technical audiences. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to craft clear presentations for senior leadership and stakeholders. Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess complex situations, identify risks, and develop effective mitigation strategies. Ability to leverage data and metrics to inform product development and measure success. Work location: If you are a proactive leader with a passion for digital transformation in corporate banking, we invite you to apply and be a part of our team. #J-18808-Ljbffr