First Abu Dhabi Bank is an inclusive environment where each person values the experiences, perspectives, ideas and beliefs of others. We’re in a unique position to learn from all our colleagues, combining international experience with deep cultural knowledge and local
expertise. At FAB, you’ll have the support of your team and a strong relationship with your line manager, who will trust you with responsibility and recognize your good performance. As we embrace different ways of seeing the world, listening to each other and respecting
different viewpoints, we grow stronger together.

FAB is seeking a senior leader to lead the Trade and SCF Channel Development and Management activities within the Channels & Innovation team within Global Transaction Banking (GTB) group in CIB.  The candidate will manage Trade and SCF Channels and Trade systems transformation for GTB.  The scope of responsibility includes managing Digital Channels, Driving Innovation and Business and Systems Transformation and providing leadership in delivering a portfolio of system projects by working with IT and Product teams. 

The span of responsibility includes UAE and International locations where FAB and GTB has presence.

The selected candidate will lead development, design, and integration for client-facing channels serving Business Banking and Corporate Investment Banking customers. Candidate should have considerable experience in managing enterprise strength customer facing channels including web, mobile and API and Microservices with adaptive authentication, fraud and security requirements.  He or she should be able to use their experience to advocate for world class user experience balanced with security and robustness. The candidate should be well versed with establishing modern UI and UX standards and understand full stack technology frameworks.  He or she will also be responsible for transforming end to end customer journeys including onboarding journey, digitizing processes (using STP and Robotics) and optimizing team member tools.

The candidate will also lead the enhancement and transformation of back-end cash systems and middleware in support of cash product strategy. 

The selected candidate will work in close partnership with key stakeholders including Product and Advisory and IT and Design teams in delivering world class solutions.  It is critical that the candidate establishes a close partnership with LOB partners as well as key stakeholders.

The candidate needs to demonstrate the experience and keen ability to manage a portfolio of projects and initiatives with complex and evolving technology ecosystems.  He or she will be tasked with being a leader in business and technology trends, strong business understanding of processes and procedures, deep understanding of systems integration, and experience in delivering resilient and scalable platforms.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for end to end delivery and management of Trade & SCF Channels and corresponding core banking systems.
• Responsible for delivering projects in excess of $50+ million dollar including enterprise wide payments engine, new digital channel capability, new billing and pricing engine and many other innovative solutions.  In addition, direct responsibility to deliver on several other enhancements and BAU projects.
• Key role in the development of a new state-of-art channel called Global Channel Next (GCN) to provide a single window into all customer’s interactions with the bank.
• Work with product teams and stakeholders from different Lines of Business within CIB including GTB, Global Markets and GCF to prioritize pipeline of initiatives and deliver on these as per agreed timelines.
• Integration of new products and enhancements to channels with adherence to best practices, resiliency and scalability requirements.
• Establishment of modular, adaptive and flexible authentication services to meet the evolving customer, regulatory and business needs and supporting varying requirements in different countries and jurisdictions including UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, Singapore etc.
• Collaborate with IT and other stakeholders to optimize the enhancements of the user experience with continuous integration and agile delivery practices.
• Implement consistent and responsive user experience by collaborating with Design and Product teams.
• Work in close partnership with the Product and Operations and Sales teams to understand the onboarding customer journeys, implement consistent workflows, leverage common API for entitlements and customer relationship hierarchy's and enable self-service and self-maintenance flows.
• Lead maintenance of capabilities like Alerts, Communications and Document management by leveraging enterprise services.
• Participate in project prioritization meetings and provide oversight for project assessment, project governance, business case development and approvals, project and release management. 
• Provide oversight to managing scope and ensure projects are delivered within budget and agreed upon timeline.
• Participant in project Steering Committee meetings with senior management and communicate impacts to dates and budgets to the relevant stakeholders.

Other Responsibilities Include

• Evangelize digitalization and agile approaches to internal partners and work with relevant stakeholders to optimize investments in user experience and authentication services.
• Continuously monitor other Bank’s and FinTech company’s innovation strategies and marketplace trends and enhance the strategy accordingly.
• Collaborate across high performing global teams in order to deliver practical solutions with business value, aligned to our target state technology stack.
• Adopt agile practices to deliver continuous improvements to project portfolio.
• Work with IT team to continuously measure and optimize Channel performance and resiliency.
• Collaborate with business and LOB partners on improving Channel capabilities by monitoring key business events, usage and trends.
• Recruits and mentors talented development resources leveraging on and offshore teams.
• Provide in-direct management responsibilities of 30 to 40 contract project resources.
• Ensure appropriate controls are in place to effectively manage risk associated with the channel by working closely with IT and Risk teams.
• Develop and maintain an updated understanding of industry and market developments ensuring FGB’s channel proposition remains at the forefront of innovation.
• Prepare product/channel propositions and syndicate for approval from relevant stakeholders.
• Liaise with Information Security and technology to ensure channel proposition are sound from and technology risk and data security point of view.
• Use client feedback and reported issues and internal and external data to benchmark product functionality and the overall “client experience” to identify Channel proposition gaps. Work with internal stakeholders to ensure product gaps are prioritized and delivered.
• Vendor Management - collaborate with the internal support team (IT, Project Management, Procurement, legal etc) in order to efficiently source, select, and manage appropriate vendors that support WGB value proposition.
• Manage existing vendor relationships by collaborating with procurement management and perform yearly vendor evaluations on performance and cost.

Frameworks, Boundaries & Decision-making Authority:

• The Head of Trade & SCF Channels reports to the Global Head of Channels & Innovation and confers with the latter on critical and strategic issues.
• Key decisions having significant impact on the Digitization and Transformation activities are referred to the Global Head of GTS for approval before implementation.
• The jobholder exercises decision making and financial authority as per the level established by FAB’s management.

Communication & Working Relationships:

Internal:

• GTB Product Teams
• Retail Payments and Digital team
• CIB Strategy team
• Islamic banking product team
• Global Markets and GCF product team
• IT and Project Management team
• Operations
• Risk Teams
• Credit Team
• Legal Team
• Client Services Teams

External:

• Vendors/Service / FinTech providers
• Customers
• Conferences and seminars

Must Have Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience managing and implementing Trade & SCF Corporate Banking channel development and management.
• In depth knowledge of Trade products including SCF, Receivable finance, Invoice Finance and related products and services.
• 8+ years of leadership or management experience in a business / technology environment
• 5+ years of experience delivering projects using Agile practices including Design thinking and building User Stories
• 5+ years of experience in providing governance and managing a portfolio of projects
• 5+ years of experience with strategic planning in digitization and digital technology
• 5+ years of experience with UI & UX designs and systems architecture and design
• 5+ years of managing team with 100+ organization

  Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience managing technology transformation and development projects of similar size/scale and scope. 
• Experience in the transformation of traditional technology functions into a service operations culture.
• Demonstrated experience in Design thinking and building ungroomed and groomed User Stories.
• Demonstrated experience in building wireframes and prototypes working with the Design teams.
• Highly effective decision-making/critical thinking/problem solving skills with a collaborative and results oriented leadership style.
• Demonstrated ability to manage technology initiatives and effectively partner/influence at the senior executive level.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of the business, operational, technical, and regulatory drivers impacting a complex and dynamic global business environment.
• Ability to develop digitization strategy, operating model & roadmaps with clear objectives and aligned with business, enterprise, and CIB strategies.
• Broad experience across multiple areas of corporate banking including cash management and treasury product areas. 
• Demonstrated ability to consult with key business partners and translate complex, technical concepts so that they are clearly understood in support of sound decisions to meet business objectives.
• Demonstrated experience motivating and influencing groups or individuals across organizational boundaries to gain trust and confidence to make timely decisions. 
• Excellent communication (oral and written) with ability to communicate at multiple levels ranging from technologists to senior managers and executive leadership.
• Measurable impacts and a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion.
  Other Skills and Attributes:
• Must be a self-starter who is self-driven and confident and with strong ability to work independently and in making decisions.
• Must have In-depth knowledge of the Global Transaction Banking Trade & SCF Products and Services including Letter of Credits, Guarantees, Documentary collections and SCF as well as familiarity with various systems that support GTB products including Trade back-office core banking platforms (TIPlus, China Systems, SWIFT, credit & limit systems, T24).
• Ability to lead teams in delivering on objectives according to agreed timelines.
• Ability to formulate, articulate and present strategy & proposal to senior leadership for investment approval
• Must have demonstrability ability to think innovatively to find creative solutions
• Must have business analysis, requirements creation, risk and vendor management experience
• Must have ability to quickly grasp concepts and issues and come up with creative solutions
• Must have ability to interact with customers to understand their needs & propose solutions
• Ability to stay current with technology concepts with ability to connect the dots between client needs and technical capabilities
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communications skills as well as a team player with strong influential skill to motivate others to achieve the business objective
• Self-confident and results driven and ability to break down barriers
• Ability to work under pressure and adjust quickly to changing priorities
• Strong relationship building skills