Head of Platform Delivery - Director
London, LND, GB, EC2M 2AT
SMBC: A trusted partner for the long term
Here at SMBC Group, we want to help you find the next step in your career so read on to discover if this opportunity is the one for you. We like to recognise potential in our people, so we welcome your application even when your experience doesn’t perfectly align with the job description. Whilst we’ll always strive to be better, we’re proud of our inclusive culture, and encourage our applicants and colleagues to be their authentic, unique selves.
Who we are
United by a sense of purpose towards our customers – to be a trusted partner for the long-term – and our universal banking platform in EMEA, SMBC Group has an international growth agenda and award-winning products, meaning we provide exciting opportunities to work on a diverse range of projects and initiatives. We deliver a full suite of corporate finance products and solutions to our customers as well as investment banking and advisory services, and a range of innovative solutions in global capital markets. Read on to find out how you could enhance your skills and gain valuable experience, by joining us to support our clients transition to a sustainable future.
Role Summary
Is the next step in your career at SMBC Group EMEA? We’re looking for a Head of Platform Delivery for our ITSD Architecture & Engineering department to join our team.
It offers high visibility, direct engagement with senior stakeholders, and accountability for outcomes across large-scale strategic technology delivery.
In this role you will be responsible for:
- Owning end-to-end delivery of a portfolio of large, complex, multi-million-dollar technology programmes, including cloud platforms and AI-enabled initiatives.
- Leading multi-stream delivery across EMEA, managing risks, dependencies, and governance to ensure consistent execution and high-quality outcomes.
- Engaging and influencing senior stakeholders (including C-level) to ensure alignment between strategic priorities and delivery execution.
For you to succeed in the role, you’ll need to have:
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Strong track record delivering large-scale, complex technology programmes, ideally including cloud and AI-related initiatives.
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Proven ability to translate strategic objectives into structured delivery plans and drive execution across multiple teams and regions.
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Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with experience operating in complex, regulated environments.
Business Area
The ITSD Architecture & Engineering department provides the core technology foundations and architectural oversight that enable the wider organization to operate effectively and achieve its strategic objectives. By defining standards, governing solution design, and promoting best practices, the department ensures a consistent, scalable, and resilient technology landscape. It works closely with regional and global stakeholders to support the successful delivery of business outcomes, requiring strong cross-functional and cross-regional collaboration.
Position Description
The ITSD Architecture & Engineering function provides the core technology foundations, standards, and architectural oversight that enable scalable, resilient, and consistent delivery of business capabilities across the organisation. It works closely with regional and global teams to ensure technology initiatives are aligned to strategic priorities and delivered effectively.
This role exists to lead the delivery of complex, strategic technology programmes across cloud and AI, ensuring alignment between business objectives and execution. It has a direct impact on the organisation’s ability to deliver key initiatives by driving disciplined delivery, managing risk, and ensuring transparency across the portfolio.
Key stakeholders include senior business leaders, C-level executives, architecture and engineering teams, cross-functional technology partners, and external vendors.
Our role will allow you to:
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Lead end-to-end delivery of large, complex technology programmes, including cloud and AI initiatives, from initiation through to release.
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Drive structured delivery across multiple workstreams, managing risks, dependencies, governance, and reporting.
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Build and influence senior stakeholder relationships to ensure alignment and successful execution of strategic priorities.
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Set and enforce delivery standards, processes, and reporting practices to improve consistency and transparency across the portfolio.
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Lead, coach, and develop a team of delivery managers, fostering a high-performance and accountable delivery culture.
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Oversee portfolio-level governance, including progress tracking, financials, risks, and escalation to senior forums.
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Coordinate across cross-functional and cross-regional teams to manage interdependencies and ensure aligned delivery outcomes.
What will you bring?
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Extensive experience delivering complex, large-scale technology programmes, with strong leadership accountability.
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Proven ability to deliver initiatives involving cloud platforms and desirable exposure to AI or advanced automation capabilities.
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Strong stakeholder management, communication, and governance experience within complex, regulated environments (e.g. financial services).
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Demonstrated track record of managing multi-workstream programmes with significant budgets and delivery complexity.
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Strong understanding of core technology domains, with the ability to engage effectively with architecture and engineering teams.
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Experience working across cross-functional and geographically distributed teams, navigating organisational complexity.
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Desirable experience using a range of delivery methodologies (e.g. Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid approaches).
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Highly organised with strong attention to detail and a disciplined approach to planning, governance, and execution.
Competencies
What we offer
For all the expertise and experience you bring to help us make a difference, it’s only sustainable if we support you to build your career and be your best self so we offer competitive company benefits, centred around promoting positive well-bring and work-life balance. We also believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment, where all team members perspectives and contributions are valued. Initiatives in place which promote a diverse and inclusive culture and healthy work life balance include hybrid working, Sport & Social Clubs and Diversity and Inclusion networks.
As an employee of SMBC you have access to a host of both useful and exciting benefit offerings. See below some of the benefits on offer to you:
- Hybrid and flexible working
- Competitive paid leave days
- Benefits to support your physical wellbeing, including private medical insurance and life and invalidity insurance
- Various policies to support your mental wellbeing, including a robust behavioural health network with counselling and coaching services
- Access a wide range of learning and development opportunities and career progression opportunities
- Ambitious remuneration package
So, if you like a challenge and want to continuously grow and develop in a role where you will be supported along the way by a dynamic and diverse team, apply today!!
We recognise our role as a bank to support social change and welcome all applications, including those from groups often under-represented in financial services. We value the uniqueness of professional and personal, backgrounds and perspectives as they play a vital role in continuing the sustainable growth of our organisation. We’ll ensure reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process are offered due to a disability or long-term condition whenever requested.