Job Summary

•    The Global Head, Software Engineering is a senior technology leadership role accountable for defining and executing the Bank’s enterprise software engineering strategy and providing the foundational engineering platforms, standards and capabilities that enable technology teams to build, deploy and operate software securely, reliably and at scale.
•    The role leads a large-scale, globally distributed organisation spanning multiple engineering platforms, operations and specialist technical capabilities, with accountability for leadership, talent, delivery and engineering outcomes.
•    The role is responsible for setting the strategic direction for software engineering, driving engineering excellence and simplification, modernising foundational platforms, improving developer experience and productivity, and ensuring engineering platforms are secure, resilient, scalable and effectively governed.
•    As a senior technology leader, the role partners closely with CIOs, Architecture, Infrastructure, Cyber Security, Delivery and business technology teams to translate the Bank's technology strategy into sustainable engineering capabilities and standards.

Key Responsibilities

The role holder leads a large, globally distributed organisation spanning software and platform engineering, DevOps, application and runtime platforms, observability, messaging, engineering excellence and technology process capabilities. The current Software Engineering portfolio includes DevOps and Engineering Platforms, Messaging Platforms, database and operating system platforms, container and automation platforms, Service Bench, SC-IDP, API and batch platforms, Observability and engineering practices

•    Set and execute the enterprise Software Engineering strategy, defining the target state, engineering principles, standards and multi-year roadmap aligned to the CIO Technology & Architecture strategy.
•    Own and modernise critical enterprise engineering platforms and capabilities, driving simplification, standardisation, automation, lifecycle management and reduction of technical debt across the engineering estate.
•    Drive engineering excellence and developer productivity through modern software engineering practices, DevSecOps, CI/CD, automation, self-service platforms, reusable engineering capabilities and consistent SDLC standards. The organisation has previously driven enterprise engineering capabilities including Azure DevOps, Service Bench, SC-IDP, API Platform and E-SDLC.
•    Ensure resilience, security and operational excellence of foundational engineering services through strong architecture, observability, reliability engineering, capacity management, recoverability and disciplined technology lifecycle management.
•    Lead the Bank’s engineering transformation, accelerating adoption of modern application platforms, containers, APIs, automation and AI-enabled engineering while simplifying legacy technologies and engineering practices.
•    Establish and govern enterprise engineering standards and measures, creating transparency of engineering quality, delivery effectiveness, reliability, risk and technology health.
•    Own the technology risk and control environment for the Software Engineering portfolio, ensuring adherence to architecture, cyber security, operational resilience, regulatory and technology risk requirements, with timely remediation and escalation of material risks.

•    Digital Channels: Lead the strategy, modernisation and resilience of digital channel and application platforms, enabling secure, scalable and consistent experiences.
•    Incident & Service Management: Own major incident and service management outcomes, driving rapid recovery, root-cause remediation and sustained improvement in platform reliability.
•    Engineering Capability: Own the Engineering Academy, technical learning pathways, accreditation and communities of practice to systematically build, upskill and reskill engineering talent.
•    Partner across the enterprise with CIOs, Architecture, Infrastructure, Cyber Security, Risk and other technology leaders to ensure common engineering platforms meet enterprise requirements and enable major transformation programmes.
•    Lead, inspire and develop a high-performing global engineering organisation, attracting and retaining critical technical talent, strengthening senior engineering leadership, building succession pipelines and creating a culture of ownership, innovation, inclusion and continuous improvement.
•    Manage investment and resources effectively, ensuring engineering capacity and technology investment are prioritised toward the highest-value outcomes while improving efficiency, productivity and long-term sustainability.

People and Talent 
•    Build and lead a high-performing global organisation spanning platform engineering, software engineering, DevOps, reliability and engineering practices. 
•    Develop strong engineering leaders and senior technical talent, including Principal and Distinguished Engineer capability. 
•    Strengthen succession pipelines and critical engineering skills. 
•    Foster a culture of technical excellence, innovation, inclusion, continuous learning and enterprise ownership.
•    Build early-career and diverse engineering pipelines

Skills and Experience

Must-have Skills    
    •    Software Engineering
    •    Software Development
    •    Application Delivery Process
Other Skills    
    •    Emerging Technologies
    •    Executive Transformation Leadership
    •    Digital Transformation
    •    GenAI Software Development
    •    DevOps
    •    SDLC
    •    Incident management
    •    Action Oriented
    •    Collaborates
    •    Develops Talent
    •    Drives Vision and Purpose
    •    Instils Trust
    •    Courage
    •    Decision Quality
    •    Nimble Learning

Our Ideal Candidate

Key Experiences    
•    Significant experience leading large, globally distributed software engineering and platform engineering organisations within a complex enterprise environment.
•    Proven track record defining and executing enterprise-wide software engineering strategy, including engineering standards, target-state platforms and multi-year transformation roadmaps.
•    Extensive experience leading large-scale technology modernisation and simplification, including platform rationalisation, legacy remediation, technical debt reduction and adoption of modern engineering practices.
•    Demonstrated leadership across enterprise engineering platforms, including DevSecOps, application/runtime platforms, containers, databases, operating systems, APIs, messaging, observability, automation and developer tooling.
•    Proven experience improving engineering excellence, developer productivity, resilience and software delivery effectiveness through common platforms, standards, automation and measurable engineering practices.
•    Strong experience managing technology risk, cyber security, operational resilience and controls within a highly regulated environment.
•    Demonstrated ability to influence and partner with CIO/MD-level stakeholders, Architecture, Infrastructure, Cyber Security, Risk and business technology teams on enterprise-wide priorities.
•    Proven ability to build, inspire and develop senior engineering leaders and deep technical talent, including strong succession and capability pipelines.
•    Experience managing significant technology investment, strategic vendors and engineering capacity while balancing innovation, resilience, risk, cost and business outcomes.
Certifications / Qualifications 
•    Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
•    Relevant senior-level certifications in Cloud, Architecture, Cyber Security, DevOps or Technology Management are advantageous but not mandatory.
Languages    
•    Business Communication: Advanced / Fluent, with strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to influence senior executives, technical leaders and globally distributed teams.
•    Additional languages are beneficial for a global role but not essential.

About Standard Chartered

We're a global bank connecting clients to our differentiated network, offering growth opportunities in the world's most dynamic markets. Our strategy, which combines cross-border capabilities and leading wealth management expertise, helps us deliver our purpose - to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity.

Over our 170-year history, and across a unique geographical footprint connecting Asia, Africa and the Middle East to each other and the world, we've built a bank like no other, with diverse capabilities and partnerships that set us apart.

What We Offer

• Being part of an inclusive and values driven organisation, one that embraces and celebrates our unique diversity, across our teams, business functions, and geographies.
• In line with our Fair Pay Charter, we offer a competitive salary and benefits to support your mental, physical, financial and social wellbeing.
• Core bank funding for retirement savings, medical and life insurance, with flexible and voluntary benefits available in some locations.
• Time-off including annual leave, parental/maternity (20 weeks), sabbatical (12 months maximum) and volunteering leave (3 days), along with minimum global standards for annual and public holiday, which is combined to 30 days minimum.
• Flexible working options based around home and office locations, with flexible working patterns.
• Proactive wellbeing support through Unmind, a market-leading digital wellbeing platform, development courses for resilience and other human skills, global employee assistance programme, sick leave, mental health first-aiders and self-help toolkits.
• A continuous learning culture to support your growth, with opportunities to reskill and upskill and access to physical, virtual, and digital learning.

Visit our careers website to learn more about us: www.sc.com/careers.