Executive Director, Transaction Banking Product Designer and Strategy Planning, GTPD

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced TB Product Designer and Strategy Planner to accelerate our transaction banking development.

Transaction Banking is one of the strategic priorities for SMBC Group and hence strengthen the expertise in TB domain to accelerate the growth of our business.

This role will be part of product development Team and will lead shape and define the TB Product design, development & delivery and make/implement the TB product strategy to ensure alignment with business goals and customer needs.

Job Responsibilities :

• Product Design, Delivery & Improvement

• Drive the design and development of product into Delivery across APAC market, Japan and global based on business value and strategy.

• Design end-to-end customer journeys and front-to-back processes to ensure a seamless client experience.

• Lead the testing strategies (including user scenarios, UAT, and migration planning) and partner closely with IT and delivery teams to ensure timely, high-quality implementation.

• Collaborate with Business to shape / influence the overall Product Vision. Ensure alignment of product with business goals and customer needs across APAC and global markets.

• Backlog & Requirements Management

• Own and prioritize multiple backlogs (Product, BAU, Defects) .

• Create and refine user stories with clear acceptance criteria, and review requirements to ensure readiness and alignment with product goals.

• Ensure the backlog is visible, transparent and understood by all team members.

• Stakeholder Management

• Act as primary liaison between business, clients, and technology teams.

• Run the Bank & Continuous Improvement

• Oversee Run the Bank activities including product maintenance, commercialization, and regulatory compliance, ensuring stability and operational excellence.

• Strategy, Planning & Business Management

• Lead development and tracking of KPIs aligned with transaction banking strategy.

• Eexecute strategic initiatives to drive growth and transformation.

• Management reports for Head Office and Regional Office requirements.

• Collaborate with regional and global teams to strengthen governance and operating models.

• Budget planning and cost management.

• Operational efficiency across transformation, analytics, and business functions.

• TB Operational Excellence & Transformation:

• Drive initiatives to enhance processes through re-engineering, digitization, and automation, improving speed, efficiency, and overall client experience.

• Promote the adoption of workflow tools, standardized processes, and data-driven practices to optimize productivity and reduce cost-to-serve.

• Team Leader and Management:

• Lead, mentor, and manage the team effectively to maximize overall performance and productivity. Foster the development of team members through coaching, guidance, and knowledge sharing, while contributing to their professional growth and the team's success.

Job Requirements :

• Strong experience of business domains such as Cash Management, Trade Finance, Lending, and Treasury, including payment landscapes across APAC and Japan.

• Deep understanding of technology, with the ability to assess solution alignment with business requirements and critically evaluate effort estimates based on task complexity.

• Demonstrates strong people management experience.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a collaborative mindset.

• Proven ability to prioritize effectively and manage multiple competing demands.

• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving capabilities.

• Highly organized with effective time management skills.

• Business fluency in both English and Japanese is essential, as this role requires the ability to write and communicate effectively with our Tokyo office

• Experience with product management tools such as Jira, Trello, or Azure DevOps.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and collaborate across teams, motivate stakeholders, work across functions and geographies, and operate independently when necessary.

• Proactive and adaptable, with a focus on delivering innovative and value-driven solutions.

• Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 10 years in the banking industries with enough experience in TB domain.

Key Traits:

• Customer-focused mindset.

• Strategic thinking and vision.

• Leadership and decision-making abilities.

• Adaptability and flexibility in a fast-paced environment.