Role Summary
The EMEA Senior Operational Resilience Director will play a key role within the central operational resilience function overseeing operational capabilities across SMBC EMEA. This 1LOD role is tasked with evolving and embedding the framework in response to UK and EU regulatory developments and the internal risk management framework.
The role reports to the SMBC EMEA Operational Resilience Lead and is part of a growing team as operational resilience is embedded by design at SMBC.
Business Area
Operational disruptions that affect critical business services can cause wide-reaching harm to consumers and threaten SMBC’s viability. Managing operational resilience is a fundamental part of SMBC’s risk management strategy and a key regulatory focus.
Position Description
- Provide leadership support for the Operational Resilience Strategy and Policy implementation, ensuring alignment with SMBC’s broader risk management and business continuity objectives.
- Support capability enhancements in line with internal and external commitments.
- Lead the implementation of the annual IBS/CIF lifecycle – including refresh, mapping, impact tolerance setting, testing and vulnerability remediation.
- Guide governance and entity‑level Self‑Assessment drafting.
- Embed an Operational Resilience framework across SMBC EMEA, aligning with strategic objectives and regulatory requirements, and design underlying methodologies and processes including CIF/IBS identification and scenario testing.
- Stay abreast of current and emerging regulations, incidents and industry best practices related to operational resilience, continuously improving SMBC’s resilience risk management.
- Support Incident Management to ensure appropriate response to incidents impacting CIFs/IBS, tracking remediation and lessons learnt.
- Design and upgrade the operational resilience scenario testing methodology, processes, scenario library, and oversee the annual test schedule execution.
- Identify vulnerabilities impacting the continuation of critical business functions and oversee remediation.
- Develop operational resilience controls and reporting in partnership with Pillar functions, presenting to operational/risk fora, board, regulators and auditors.
- Create initiatives to promote and train stakeholders on their responsibilities, fostering a risk‑aware culture embedded in daily operations.
- Partner with 2nd‑line Risk functions to ensure operational resilience aligns with the SMBC Risk Management Framework and risk appetite.
- Partner with Operational Resilience Pillar functions to maintain continuity of critical business functions during disruptions.
- Act as a people leader, develop and coach junior team members.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance resilience capabilities, adopting best practices and lessons learned.
Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Qualifications
- 1LOD delivery: Proven ability to design, implement, support and continuously improve operational resilience aligned with industry practice and global regulatory expectations.
- 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.
- Regulations: In‑depth knowledge of UK FCA/PRA Operational Resilience, EMEA operational resilience regulations (e.g., EU DORA) and their industry interpretation.
- Banking: Strong understanding of Investment Banking business lines, services and supporting operation functions.
- Policy/Framework documentation: Experience defining, implementing and continuously improving operational resilience policies and processes in financial services organisations.
- Communication: Strong oral and written communication skills, capable of presenting complex concepts to senior management.
- Leadership and Management: Proven experience in a senior leadership role, empowering and inspiring others with authentic and open communication.
- Driving Change: Experience in project management, overseeing multiple initiatives and delivering results within deadlines while maintaining forward momentum.
- Judgement and Decision Making: Demonstrates timely and sound judgement, recognising key priorities and making decisions with incomplete information.
- Governance: Understanding effective management and executive‑level governance, reporting and escalation.
- Dynamic: Organised with the ability to analyse, problem‑solve and prioritise work proactively in rapidly changing environments.
Competencies
- Customer Focus
- Driving Change
- Driving Results
- Embraces Diversity
- Enterprise Leadership
- Judgement and Decision Making
- Risk Management
- Strategic and Visionary
- Trust and Integrity
What we offer
- Hybrid and flexible working
- Competitive paid leave days
- Benefits supporting physical wellbeing, including private medical insurance and life/invalidity insurance
- Policies supporting mental wellbeing, including a robust behavioural health network with counselling and coaching services
- Access to a wide range of learning and development opportunities and career progression
- Ambitious remuneration package
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. Reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process will be offered due to a disability or long‑term condition whenever requested.
About SMBC
SMBC Group delivers a full suite of corporate finance products and solutions to its customers, including corporate, structured and trade finance, leveraged finance, loan market and treasury products. The group also provides investment banking and advisory services and innovative solutions in global capital markets.
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