SMBC: A trusted partner for the long term

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

Could the next step in your career be at SMBC Group EMEA? We're looking for a VP to join our team in the Global Transaction Banking Department (GTBD). The VP within the GTBD Payments Product Management team will contribute to the development of, and take ownership for driving the execution of, SMBC's EMEA payments product strategy through effective stakeholder management, governance and delivery discipline. The VP will drive innovation, client adoption and revenue growth whilst ensuring operational resilience, regulatory compliance and robust governance. The role will contribute to the end-to-end management of the overall payments proposition, drawing on deep knowledge of the payments ecosystem, emerging technologies and market trends to meet evolving client needs.

Business Area

GTBD manages Transaction Banking ("TB") businesses in EMEA, which provides an integrated suite of cash management services to address the various needs of corporate and institutional clients. From the interactive online banking channel "E-Moneyger®", our key product, to Host-to-Host and SWIFT connectivity, or regional and domestic Cash Pooling, we are helping the Bank's clients to maximise their efficiency and streamline financial operations.

We offer corporates and institutions:

• Convenient, efficient and secure real-time online banking,
• The ability to support domestic and international payments and collections,
• Access to high value and low value clearing systems,
• Support from regional and in-country cash management specialists across EMEA providing local advisory and sharing best practices.

The GTBD EMEA team is in a phase of expansion to approximately 60 members across Product Management, Liquidity Management, Sales and Customer Support, Product and Solutions Implementation, and Business Management.

SMBC is expanding its payments offering beyond traditional Japanese corporate clients to serve a broader EMEA client base. This role is critical to shaping the future of our payments proposition, leveraging digital transformation, ISO 20022 migration, and emerging technologies to deliver competitive solutions.

Position Description

Purpose of the Job

• Own and drive the delivery of SMBC's EMEA Payments product strategy and roadmap, translating strategic priorities into clear plans, milestones and outcomes that support innovation, client adoption, revenue growth, operational resilience and regulatory compliance.
• Undertake market discovery and client research by collaborating with Sales and Support, analysing internal performance data, competitor intelligence and market trends.
• Define business outcomes and requirements, actively manage the product development backlog, and prioritise roadmap initiatives to maximise business value and support timely execution across delivery teams.
• Act as the end-to-end business owner for payment products and strategic initiatives, connecting and aligning internal stakeholders such as Sales, Group Treasury, Technology, Operations, Risk, Legal and Compliance to secure decisions, remove blockers and maintain delivery momentum.
• Ensure all legal, regulatory, and governance standards are met through collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, such as Compliance, Information Security and Payment Schemes.

Required Qualifications, Capabilities and Skills

1. 7+ years of experience or equivalent expertise in payments product management or a relevant domain area
2. Deep expertise in payments and transaction banking
3. Strong understanding of the regulatory, compliance, security and market landscape
4. Proven experience owning product strategy execution, roadmap delivery and cross-functional initiative management in a complex financial services environment
5. Excellent stakeholder management, influencing and communication skills, with the ability to align senior stakeholders, manage dependencies and drive decisions across a matrixed organisation
6. Demonstrated prior experience working in a highly matrixed, complex organisation
7. Understanding of payment schemes and rails including SWIFT, SEPA, Bacs, CHAPS, Faster Payments and Open Banking
8. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

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-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!!

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.

We are committed to transparent and equitable pay practices. Compensation is determined using objective criteria, including skills, experience, and role responsibilities, and applied consistently throughout our recruitment processes. We do not request candidates' pay history and are committed to preventing unjustified pay disparities.

About SMBC

A trusted partner for the long term
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, we deliver a full suite of corporate finance products and solutions to our customers, including corporate, structured and trade finance, leveraged finance, loan market and treasury products. We can also provide investment banking and advisory services and a range of innovative solutions in global capital markets.
Find out more about what we do and who we are at https://www.smbcgroup.com/emea/careers

Find out more