Operational Resilience Director

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

The EMEA Senior Operational Resilience Director will play a key role within the central operational resilience function overseeing the operational capabilities across SMBC EMEA. This is a 1LOD role tasked with continuing to evolve and embed the framework in response to continued UK and EU regulatory development and internal risk management framework.

The role will report to the SMBC EMEA Operational Resilience Lead and will be part of a growing team as operational resilience is embedded by design at SMBC.

Business Area

Operational disruptions and the unavailability of important business services have the potential to cause wide-reaching harm to consumers. risk to market integrity and/or threaten the viability of SMBC. To meet these expectations, management of operational resilience is a fundamental part of SMBC’s risk management strategy and a key regulatory focus.

We’re looking for a dynamic leader to take ownership of our Operational Resilience framework and spearhead initiatives that ensure we operate within agreed tolerances supporting us to effectively safeguard the organisation and keep our customers safe and secure. This is an exciting opportunity and time to join this new function in a senior position, to build, mature and strengthen SMBC operational resilience capabilities.

Position Description

• Provide leadership support for the Operational Resilience Strategy and Policy implementation, ensuring alignment with SMBCs broader risk management and business continuity objectives.
• Provide leadership support for the capability enhancements in line with internal and external commitments
• Provide leadership support for the implementation of the annual IBS/CIF lifecycle – including IBS/CIF refresh, mapping, impact tolerance setting, testing and vulnerability remediation
• Provide leadership support for governance and entity level Self Assessment drafting
• Enable the embedding an Operational Resilience framework across SMBC EMEA, ensuring it aligns with SMBC’s strategic objectives and regulatory requirements and design and implementation of underlying methodologies and processes including CIF/IBS identification and scenario testing
• Stay abreast of current and emerging regulations, internal/external incidents and industry best practices related to operational resilience to continuously improve bank’s ability to manage resilience risk and ensure in line with regulatory expectations.
• Support Incident Management function to ensure appropriate response where incidents significantly impact CIFs/IBS’ and the tracking of relevant remediation and lessons learnt.
• Design and uplift of operational resilience scenario testing methodology, processes and scenario library as well as developing annual test schedule and overseeing its execution.
• Identify vulnerabilities that impact ability to continue the operations of Critical Important Functions and Important Business Services, and oversee their remediation.
• Develop operational resilience controls and reporting, directly and in partnership with Operational Resilience Pillars supporting functions, to Operational/Risk fora, Board, Regulators, Audits etc.
• Create initiatives to promote, train and guide stakeholders as to their responsibilities to drive a strong risk-aware culture embedded into BAU operations in identifying, assessing, and managing operational resilience risks
• Partner with 2nd line Risk functions to ensure operational resilience is managed in line with SMBC Risk Management Framework, including supporting alignment with risk appetite
• Partner with Operational Resilience Pillar functions to ensure frameworks are in place to manage risk and ensure the continuity of critical business functions during disruptions.
• Act as a people leader and develop and coach junior members of the team
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance the organisation's resilience capabilities and ensure best practices and lessons learnt are adopted.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience Qualifications

• 1LOD delivery: Proven ability to design, implement, support, and continuously improve and embed operational resilience aligned to industry practise and global regulatory expectations. This is a hands on role, and not a 2LOD oversight role.
• Technical expertise: Extensive experience enhancing Operational Resilience lifecycle components including CIF/IBS determination, mapping, scenario testing, impact tolerance setting, vulnerability management, self-assessment and governance. Strong understanding of underlying capabilities to achieve resilience.
• Regulations:  In-depth knowledge of UK FCA / PRA Operational Resilience and EMEA operational resilience regulations (e.g. EU DORA) and their interpretation by industry
• Banking:  Strong understanding of Investment Banking business lines, services and supporting operation functions
• Policy/Framework documentation: Experience of defining, implementing and continuously improving Operational Resilience policies and processes in financial services organisations.
• Communication: Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex concepts to senior management
• Leadership and Management: Proven experience in a senior leadership role, empowers and inspires others by being authentic and open in communication.
• Driving Change: Experience in project management, with the ability to oversee multiple initiatives and deliver results within deadlines. Ability to manage challenges and objections, remaining positive and maintain forward momentum
• Judgement and Decision Making: Demonstrates timely and sound judgement; recognises key SMBC EMEA priorities, seeks out the right outcomes and is comfortable working with and making decisions with incomplete information 
• Governance: Understand effective for management and executive level governance, reporting and escalation
• Dynamic: Organised with ability to analysis, problem solve and prioritise work pro-actively with experience of working in rapidly changing and ambiguous work environment

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!!