Operations Planning Department - Business Architect - Vice President

Who we are

United by a sense of purpose towards our customers – to be a trusted partner for the long-term – and our universal banking platform in EMEA, SMBC Group has an international growth agenda and award-winning products, meaning we provide exciting opportunities to work on a diverse range of projects and initiatives. We deliver a full suite of corporate finance products and solutions to our customers as well as investment banking and advisory services, and a range of innovative solutions in global capital markets. Read on to find out how you could enhance your skills and gain valuable experience, by joining us to support our clients transition to a sustainable future.

Purpose of Job

• This role will be responsible for:
  • Designing the Target State Business Architecture (capability map, operating model, value streams, business services model etc.) for SMBC EMEA (all departments and functions; all legal entities and branches).
  • Collaborating with the Technology, Data Architects, Compliance and Risk SMEs, Business stakeholders etc. to develop a holistic Target State design (encompassing business architecture, technical architecture and data architecture) that enables the business strategy of SMBC EMEA.
  • Recommending a roadmap to implement the Target State Business Architecture (i.e., sequencing the work to deliver the target state whilst balancing the competing requirements to maximise business outcomes and minimise cost, delivery time and project risks).
  • Supporting the project and programme teams in ensuring that their design is consistent with the Target State Business Architecture and Roadmap.
  • Developing, maintaining and driving best practice across business design and process engineering.

• This role requires close collaboration with senior stakeholders across all Departments within EMEA.

Background

• S&T is a significant part of the business growth strategy, with various projects across operating model, new products, infrastructure and processes with multi-year coverage
• The Transformation and Change Management Group has been established to drive and govern the prioritisation and governance of transformation initiatives and ensure that change investment in EMEA enables the EMEA business strategy and delivers the specified transformational business outcomes.
• The Business Design team are a key part of the Transformation and Change Management Group lead the work to support target state design and then lead the work to design the Target State Business Architecture with a focus on near term priorities for 2025/26 delivery and then evolve this to give a multi-year view.
• The Business Design team also support more detailed work for Transformation projects and programmes on an ongoing basis to ensure that their design solutions align with the Target State Business Architecture and Roadmap.

Facts and Scale

• Successful design and delivery of the Target State Business Architecture and associated artefacts is a business-critical activity and key to delivering the strategic objectives of SMBC EMEA.
• The scale of the Transformation activity will vary over time, however it is expected to require a budget of greater than USD 100 million per annum.

Accountabilities and Responsibilities

• The Business Architect in the Business Design team will be responsible for:
  • Design of the EMEA Target State Business Architecture (capability map, operating model, value streams, business services model etc.). This will be done in collaboration with other departments and functions in EMEA and in collaboration with other regions and will require orchestrating and co-ordinating work across these areas. This is also likely to require assisting departments and functions to clarify their business strategy in order to provide sufficient detail to support the target state design.
  • Development of the Roadmap to deliver the Target State Business Architecture.
  • Development and maintenance of the Current State Business Architecture to a level of detail sufficient to inform the target state design and the development of the Roadmap.
  • Collaboration with the Technology, Data, Compliance and Risk to develop a holistic target state design (encompassing business architecture, technical architecture and data architecture) that enables the business strategy of SMBC EMEA.

• A key feature of the role will be to participate in development and maturing a sustainable business architecture capability.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Qualifications

• Business Architecture Design. Experience of designing organisation-wide, multi-entity, target state business architecture (capability map, operating model, value streams, business services model etc.) that is informed by, and aligned with, macro business strategy.
• Business Analysis. Experience of how to best gather requirements and build business process designs to support lower level design and delivery activities.
• Strategic thinking. Evidence of the ability to understand and influence business strategy and the ability to create strategic transformation strategies and design target state business architecture. Experience of doing this in Financial Services (ideally at a significant, multi-entity, wholesale/universal bank).
• Senior Stakeholder Management. Proven ability to build positive working relationships with senior stakeholders and capable of influencing to gain agreement and resolve conflicting priorities in ambiguous environments.
• Communication. Excellent communication skills. Able to communicate effectively at all levels of the organisation. Able to convey complex topics simply and to articulate issues in a way that eases decision making and drives action.
• Influence. Able to influence at all levels of the organisation. Able to mobilise and align resources across the organisation– especially in teams outside of the direct reporting line.
• Industry Knowledge. In-depth knowledge of best practice across the financial services industry (and beyond) and an ability to utilise that knowledge to enhance the capability at SMBC.

Challenges

• The business objectives of SMBC as articulated in the 3 year plan are ambitious and require significant change delivery in order for the required outcomes to be achieved. Hence the Change Portfolio is likely to be complex, multi-location, multi-product and impact the majority of teams, processes and systems within SMBC EMEA. A major challenge for this role will be to balance the competing priorities to ensure a coherent Roadmap and Target State Design that will enable the business strategy of SMBC EMEA.

What we offer

For all the expertise and experience you bring to help us make a difference, it’s only sustainable if we support you to build your career and be your best self so we offer competitive company benefits, centred around promoting positive well-bring and work-life balance. We also believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment, where all team members perspectives and contributions are valued. Initiatives in place which promote a diverse and inclusive culture and healthy work life balance include hybrid working, Sport & Social Clubs and Diversity and Inclusion networks.

As an employee of SMBC you have access to a host of both useful and exciting benefit offerings. See below some of the benefits on offer to you:

• Hybrid and flexible working
• Competitive paid leave days
• Benefits to support your physical wellbeing, including private medical insurance and life and invalidity insurance
• Various policies to support your mental wellbeing, including a robust behavioural health network with counselling and coaching services
• Access a wide range of learning and development opportunities and career progression opportunities
• Ambitious remuneration package

So, if you like a challenge and want to continuously grow and develop in a role where you will be supported along the way by a dynamic and diverse team, apply today!!

Important note

This is an evergreen requisition, your application is to join our talent pool so we know your interested. Applications will be reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team and you'll be contacted by our team if we feel a relevant role is available that you would suit. Due to volumes, we're not able to reach out to every applications.