Head of Trade Finance Operations
OCBC Bank · Menara OCBC
WHO WE ARE:
As Singapore’s longest established bank, we have been dedicated to enabling individuals and businesses to achieve their aspirations since 1932. How? By taking the time to truly understand people. From there, we provide support, services, solutions, and career paths that meet their individual needs and desires.
Today, we’re on a journey of transformation. Leveraging technology and creativity to become a future-ready learning organisation. But for all that change, our strategic ambition is consistently clear and bold, which is to be Asia’s leading financial services partner for a sustainable future.
We invite you to build the bank of the future. Innovate the way we deliver financial services. Work in friendly, supportive teams. Build lasting value in your community. Help people grow their assets, business, and investments. Take your learning as far as you can. Or simply enjoy a vibrant, future-ready career.
Your Opportunity Starts Here.
Overview
We are conducting a confidential executive search for a dynamic and forward-thinking Head of Trade Finance Operations to lead and transform our Trade Finance Operations department. This strategic leadership role is pivotal in shaping the future of our trade finance capabilities, ensuring operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and innovation in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.
Incumbent will support and report directly to Head of Centre of Excellence.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Transformation
- Champion a transformational agenda for Trade Finance Operations, aligning operational capabilities with the bank’s strategic direction and future growth.
- Lead the reimagining of trade finance processes, leveraging automation, digital platforms, and data analytics to drive efficiency, scalability, and customer-centricity.
- Identify and implement innovative solutions to streamline workflows, reduce manual touchpoints, and enhance turnaround times across trade products.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging experimentation, agility, and cross-functional collaboration to solve complex operational challenges.
Operational Excellence & Delivery
- Oversee the full spectrum of trade finance operations including Letters of Credit, Documentary Collections, Bank Guarantees, and Supply Chain Finance.
- Ensure robust controls and governance are in place to maintain high levels of accuracy, timeliness, and compliance in transaction processing.
- Drive performance metrics and KPIs to monitor operational health, proactively address bottlenecks, and deliver consistent service excellence.
Risk & Regulatory Management
- Maintain a strong risk management framework, ensuring adherence to internal policies and external regulatory requirements (e.g., MAS, ICC, AML/CFT).
- Lead the department’s readiness for regulatory audits and inspections, ensuring transparency, traceability, and responsiveness.
- Anticipate emerging risks and regulatory changes and proactively adapt operational strategies to mitigate impact.
Stakeholder Engagement & Influence
- Act as a key liaison between Trade Finance Operations and stakeholders including Business Units, Compliance, Risk, Technology, and external partners.
- Influence senior leadership and cross-functional teams by providing strategic insights and operational intelligence to support decision-making.
- Collaborate with product and technology teams to co-create digitally enabled trade solutions that enhance client experience and operational agility.
People Leadership & Culture Building
- Lead, mentor, and inspire a diverse team of trade finance professionals, cultivating a high-performance and resilient workforce.
- Drive talent development and succession planning, ensuring the team is future-ready and equipped with the skills needed for transformation.
- Promote a culture of accountability, adaptability, and innovation, empowering teams to take ownership and deliver impactful results.
Key Requirements
- Proven experience in Trade Finance Operations, with deep domain expertise across products and processes.
- Demonstrated success in leading transformational initiatives and driving operational change.
- Strong understanding of risk management, regulatory frameworks, and compliance in trade finance.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across functions.
- Resilient, results-driven, and able to perform under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
- Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach and a passion for operational excellence.
- Prior leadership experience in a banking or financial services environment is essential.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business, Finance, or related field.
- Professional certifications in Trade Finance or Risk Management are advantageous.
- Experience with digital transformation, automation, process optimization and emerging technologies in trade finance operations.
- Minimally 15 years’ hands on experience in relevant experience.
What we offer:
Competitive base salary. A suite of holistic, flexible benefits to suit every lifestyle. Community initiatives. Industry-leading learning and professional development opportunities. Your wellbeing, growth and aspirations are every bit as cared for as the needs of our customers.
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