Director, Operational Excellence, Wholesale Bank

About Our ClientOur client is a fast-growing wholesale bank with a strong and expanding footprint across Asia. In line with its transformation and growth agenda, the bank is seeking a Director, Operational Excellence to partner with senior leadership in driving process improvements, strengthening internal controls, and shaping a culture of operational excellence across both the Corporate and Private Banking businesses.This is a newly created role, offering the opportunity to work closely with the COO and CEO to enhance the bank’s operational resilience, streamline manual processes, and champion a client- and problem-solving–oriented culture.Key ResponsibilitiesOperations transformation: Drive process re-engineering and automation initiatives across front-to-back functions within Corporate and Private Banking.Internal control uplift: Identify operational gaps, streamline manual processes, and strengthen governance frameworks to ensure robust risk and control standards.Change leadership: Act as a strategic change agent within Operations — influencing teams to adopt best practices, digital tools, and a continuous improvement mindset.Problem-solving: Lead root-cause analyses of recurring operational issues and champion sustainable solutions to improve service quality and efficiency.Stakeholder management: Partner with senior stakeholders across Operations, COO Office, Risk, Compliance, and Front Office to align priorities and deliver impactful outcomes.Governance and oversight: Define key operational KPIs, track progress, and prepare management dashboards and reports for senior management and regulatory discussions.Culture transformation: Embed a proactive, client-centric operations culture that values accountability, collaboration, and end-to-end ownership.RequirementsBachelor’s degree with 12–20+ years of experience in banking operations, business process improvement, or operational risk/control functions within a wholesale or private bank.Proven track record in operations transformation, control remediation, and process simplification.Strong understanding of front-to-back banking processes, governance, and risk management frameworks.Experienced in stakeholder management and influencing senior leaders across multiple functions without direct authority.Analytical and structured thinker with strong problem-solving and project execution skills.Hands-on, collaborative, and adaptable to a dynamic, change-oriented environment.Exposure to digital transformation or automation initiatives will be an advantage.Application ProcessPlease submit your resume to Emily Tan at et@empowerpartners.sg, quoting “Director, Operational Excellence – Wholesale Bank” in your subject line.Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.EA License No.: 24S2395Registration No.: R1106860