Operational Resilience Director

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board. Here at SMBC Group, we want to help you find the next step in your career so read on to discover if this opportunity is the one for you. We like to recognise potential in our people, so we welcome your application even when your experience doesn't perfectly align with the job description. Whilst we'll always strive to be better, we're proud of our inclusive culture, and encourage our applicants and colleagues to be their authentic, unique selves.

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.

Role Summary: The EMEA Senior Operational Resilience analyst will play a key role within the central operational resilience function overseeing the operational capabilities across SMBC EMEA. This is a 1LOD role tasked with continuing to evolve and embed the framework in response to continued regulatory development and internal risk management framework. The role will be part of a team which includes the testing function and will work in close partnership with adjacent functions who are key contributors to the operational resilience of the firm. Alignment of UK and EMEA requirements is a key aspect of the roles to ensure EMEA wide support.

The Framework oversees resilience risk internally and across the supply chain, by identifying and controlling threats and vulnerabilities, and by responding effectively to adverse events that could adversely impact the organisation, the financial market and/or our customers. As well as supporting the framework the role will have specific responsibilities for:

• Oversight of the testing strategies, plans and execution in partnership with testing teams;
• Methodologies for identifying Critical Important Functions and Important Business Services;
• Alignment of DORA and UK Operational Resilience requirements and central service offering across EMEA.

Business Area Operational disruptions and the unavailability of important business services have the potential to cause wide-reaching harm to consumers, risk to market integrity and/or threaten the viability of SMBC. To meet these expectations, management of operational resilience is a fundamental part of SMBC's risk management strategy and a key regulatory focus. SMBC has significantly invested in several initiatives to help ensure that the Bank is able to withstand even the most challenging of plausible disruptions and so continue to deliver its core services without severe disruption to the SMBC franchise, clients or the financial system. This includes remediation of the recent Digital Operational Resilience Act 'DORA' and the Bank of England 'BoE' Operational Resilience Supervisory Statement, by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).

SMBC is building a sustainable operational capability to manage Operational Resilience and embed the project deliverables. We're looking for a dynamic leader to take ownership of our Operational Resilience framework and spearhead initiatives that ensure we operate within agreed tolerances supporting us to effectively safeguard the organisation and keep our customers safe and secure. This is an exciting opportunity and time to join this new function in a senior position, to build, mature and strengthen SMBC operational resilience capabilities.

The Operational Resilience function comprises the central operational resilience and testing activities, as well as coordinating the activities across wider functions, defined as Operational Resilience Pillars, in support of operational resilience objectives. These pillars are Business Continuity Management, Service Management, Incident Management, Cyber Risk, Technology Risk and Third Party Management.

Position Description: Support the Operational Resilience Strategy and Policy, ensuring alignment with SMBC's broader risk management and business continuity objectives. Enable the embedding an Operational Resilience framework across SMBC EMEA, ensuring it aligns with SMBC's strategic objectives and regulatory requirements and design and implementation of underlying methodologies and processes including CIF/IBS identification and scenario testing. Stay abreast of current and emerging regulations, internal/external incidents and industry best practices related to operational resilience to continuously improve bank's ability to manage resilience risk and ensure inline with regulatory expectations.

Lead the alignment of the centralised EMEA regional operational resilience and testing function across UK, Ireland and EU. Develop and continuously improve the CIF/IBS assessment methodology and lead the annual assessment, including engaging CIF, IBS and Critical Services Owners within the business lines and support functions. Work with owners to onboard CIFs/IBC's into the Operational Resilience Framework. Liaise with Service Management team to ensure service catalogue and mapping of services and their underlying assets is maintained in line with operational resilience objectives. Support Incident Management function to ensure appropriate response where incidents significantly impact CIFs/IBS' and the tracking of relevant remediation and lessons learnt.

Design of operational resilience scenario testing methodology, processes and scenario library as well as developing annual test schedule and overseeing its execution. Represent SMBC in cross-authority operational resilience forums and exercises. Identify vulnerabilities that impact ability to continue the operations of Critical Important Functions and Important Business Services, and oversee their remediation. Support completion of the annual Operational Resilience self-assessment for all required entities/branches as defined by the Operational Resilience Policy. Facilitate and drive EMEA operational resilience governance and actively engage in relevant operational risk and entity management body governance forums/committees and industry groups.

Develop operational resilience controls and reporting, directly and in partnership with Operational Resilience Pillars supporting functions, to Operational/Risk fora, Board, Regulators, Audits etc. Create initiatives to promote, train and guide stakeholders as to their responsibilities to drive a strong risk-aware culture embedded into BAU operations in identifying, assessing, and managing operational resilience risks. Partner with 2nd line Risk functions to ensure operational resilience is managed in line with SMBC Risk Management Framework, including supporting alignment with risk appetite. Partner with Operational Resilience Pillar functions to ensure frameworks are in place to manage risk and ensure the continuity of critical business functions during disruptions. Act as a key liaison with internal and external stakeholders, including regulators, auditors, and senior management, to ensure effective communication and management of operational resilience risk. Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance the organisation's resilience capabilities and ensure best practices and lessons learnt are adopted.

Competencies: Customer Focus, Driving Change, Driving Results, Embraces Diversity, Enterprise Leadership, Judgement and Decision Making, Risk Management, Strategic and Visionary, Trust and Integrity.

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-being 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.

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!! We recognise our role as a bank to support social change and welcome all applications, including those from groups often under-represented in financial services. We value the uniqueness of professional and personal backgrounds and perspectives as they play a vital role in continuing the sustainable growth of our organisation. We'll ensure reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process are offered due to a disability or long-term condition whenever requested.