Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced transformation leader with deep Financing and Securities Services (FSS) expertise to serve as Chief Product Owner (CPO) for a multi-year FSS Operations Transformation Programme, a key strategic priority for Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) Operations. The programme will enable the accelerated growth of the CIB FSS business by creating a more scalable, resilient and efficient operations function across FSS’s global footprint.

The FSS Ops Chief Product Owner is accountable for defining and implementing the FSS Ops Target Operating Model (TOM), covering Process, Technology, Data and Organisation design.  

The role works with key stakeholders to set the required vision, strategy and integrated transformation roadmap. Defining, building, implementing and driving adoption of the capabilities required by FSS Ops, across Custody, Transfer Agency and Funds Services to enable improved efficiency, client experience and risk, and enabling the ambitions business growth target.

Working with the Accountable Executive, Programme Manager, Operations, Product, Technology and delivery squads, the Chief Product Owner translates strategy into prioritised capabilities, epics, features and measurable outcomes. The role develops and leads a team of Product Owners aligned to initiatives and technology delivery squads, ensuring consistent ownership and execution across the transformation portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

Product Vision, Strategy and Capability Ownership

• Define, maintain and communicate the FSS Operations Transformation product vision, strategy and integrated roadmap, aligned to the FSS business strategy, CIB Operations priorities and programme business case.
• Define the business capabilities required by Operations and maintain a coherent portfolio across Custody, Funds, Utilities and cross-cutting transformation domains.
• Own those capabilities throughout their lifecycle, from problem definition and design through build, implementation, adoption, performance management and ongoing enhancement.
• Maintain a clear line of sight from strategy and investment to capabilities, epics, features, user stories, releases, business outcomes and benefits.
• Ensure product, technology, architecture, data, artificial intelligence, automation and technical-debt roadmaps remain aligned.

Value Management and Prioritisation

• Maximise business value by directing investment and delivery capacity towards the highest-value client, operational, financial, risk and regulatory outcomes.
• Own and continuously refine the unified product backlog, using transparent criteria covering value, urgency, risk, dependencies, feasibility, capacity and return on investment.
• Resolve competing stakeholder demands and make timely decisions on scope, sequencing and trade-offs.
• Define measurable objectives, key results, performance indicators and benefits for each capability and release.
• Track outcomes after implementation and redirect investment or corrective action where capabilities do not deliver intended value.

Product and Agile Delivery Leadership

• Lead Product Owners while retaining overall accountability for the product and capability portfolio.
• Establish clear decision rights and accountabilities between the Chief Product Owner, initiative and squad Product Owners, Process Owners and Technology leads.
• Translate strategic objectives and capability requirements into clear epics, features, user stories, acceptance criteria and definitions of done.
• Ensure backlog items are sufficiently understood, prioritised and refined for squads to plan and deliver.
• Provide early and continuous feedback, formally accept delivered outcomes and showcase product increments to stakeholders and users.
• Remove functional blockers and resolve cross-squad priorities, dependencies and scope conflicts.
• Promote iterative delivery, learning and continuous improvement while maintaining appropriate control for complex and regulated change.

Client, User and Stakeholder Leadership

• Represent client, user and operational needs throughout the capability lifecycle.
• Sponsor user research, process analysis, service design, prototyping and testing to validate needs and solutions.
• Build strong relationships across FSS Business, Product, Operations, Technology, Risk, Finance, regions and countries.
• Facilitate decisions where business priorities, operational requirements, technology constraints and risk considerations compete.
• Communicate the product vision, roadmap, priorities, progress, decisions, risks and outcomes clearly to executive and delivery audiences.
• Partner with Change Management and Operations leaders on implementation, communication, training, readiness and adoption

Process, Data and Technology Transformation

• Drive end-to-end process simplification, standardisation and automation across FSS Operations.
• Ensure capability designs align to the target operating model, process taxonomy, architecture principles and data standards.
• Partner with Process Owners and Process Design Leads to remove pain points, hand-offs and unnecessary variation and to create scalable global workflows.
• Partner with Technology, Architecture and Data teams to build secure, resilient and reusable capabilities.
• Prioritise opportunities involving workflow orchestration, straight-through processing, intelligent exception management, process intelligence, analytics, generative artificial intelligence and agentic solutions.
• Ensure security, resilience, scalability, performance, maintainability and data quality are incorporated into product decisions.
• Ensure effective transition to Business-as-Usual ownership, support and ongoing product management.

Governance, Risk and Control

• Ensure the portfolio is governed and delivered in accordance with Change Delivery Standards, Enterprise System Delivery Lifecycle and other applicable Bank standards.
• Ensure required product, initiative, governance, assurance and closure artefacts are complete, timely and of appropriate quality.
• Ensure programme and initiative information is accurate and complete in relevant systems of record.
• Ensure risks are identified, assessed, mitigated and monitored throughout the capability lifecycle, engaging Process Owners, Risk Control Owners and control functions early.
• Maintain transparency over backlog progress, dependencies, blockers, delivery risks, operational risks and value realisation.
• Ensure impacted processes, applications, markets, clients and user groups are assessed and addressed.
• Ensure effective operational readiness, Business-as-Usual handover, post-implementation review and formal closure.

Financial and Benefits Accountability

• Partner with the Accountable Executive and Programme Manager to shape investment cases, funding priorities and measurable financial and non-financial outcomes.
• Ensure portfolio financial reporting is accurate and delivery remains within approved funding and tolerance.
• Make evidence-based trade-offs across cost, capacity, scope, quality, risk and time.
• Track realised benefits against approved baselines and ensure shortfalls have corrective actions and accountable owners.
• Reduce cost of change through reuse, simplification, platform convergence and active management of technical debt.

People and Talent

• Lead, coach and develop Product Owners and contribute to the development of Business Analysts and squad members.
• Build an empowered, high-performing and inclusive product community with clear decision rights and accountability.
• Set clear objectives, delivery standards and performance expectations for direct and matrix team members.
• Ensure sufficient product-management capability, capacity and succession coverage.
• Promote client centricity, data-led decision-making, experimentation, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Role-model inclusive leadership, the Group’s values and high standards of conduct.

Key stakeholders

• Programme Sponsors and Accountable Executives 
• Project/Programme Managers 
• Technology & Operations (T&O) Function Heads 
• Product Owners 
• Business Process Owners
• Process Excellence Team
• Technology Delivery Squads
• Enterprise Architecture Teams
• Risk, Compliance, Finance, HR, GBS Ops
• Change Management and Training Teams
• Data and Analytics Teams
• Internal Audit
• Vendor and third-party partners

Our Ideal Candidate

Skills & Experience

• 15+ years of overall work experience in banking field, with proven track record in a Transformation role. Experience with managing Agile and waterfall projects.  
• Experience within Financing & Securities Services (FSS); Custody, Settlements, Corporate Actions, Securities Financing, Fund services and Operations, or related operational functions is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding and experience of Agile delivery & Product Owner role 
• Able to build strong relationships and work closely with Product Owners, Business Analysts, Process Design Leads, and Technology squads.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex interdependencies across multiple delivery teams and business stakeholder
• Should demonstrate strong leadership and governance capabilities.   
• Should possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to clearly convey complex information, align stakeholders, and promote transparency across all levels of the organization.   

Qualifications and Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)

Role Specific Technical Competencies

• Project Management 
• Planning and Execution
• Risk & Issue Management
• Digital Fluency & Programme Tooling

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.

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