As Singapore’s longest established bank, we have been dedicated to enabling individuals and businesses to achieve their aspirations since 1932. How? By taking the time to truly understand people. From there, we provide support, services, solutions, and career paths that meet their individual needs and desires.
Today, we’re on a journey of transformation. Leveraging technology and creativity to become a future-ready learning organisation. But for all that change, our strategic ambition is consistently clear and bold, which is to be Asia’s leading financial services partner for a sustainable future.
We invite you to build the bank of the future. Innovate the way we deliver financial services. Work in friendly, supportive teams. Build lasting value in your community. Help people grow their assets, business, and investments. Take your learning as far as you can. Or simply enjoy a vibrant, future-ready career.
Your Opportunity Starts Here.
Position
Head, EMB Credit Risk Approval
Rank: Executive Director
Job Purpose
To provide strong credit risk leadership over Emerging Business (EMB) credit approvals, ensuring sound credit decisions, disciplined adherence to risk appetite, regulatory compliance, and efficient delivery of approval outcomes that support sustainable portfolio growth.
Key Responsibilities
Credit Approval & Risk Oversight
- Provide leadership and direction to a team of credit approvers, ensuring consistent application of credit policies, standards, and approval discipline.
- Assess credit standing, structure facilities, and approve all Emerging Business (EMB) credit applications, including credit exceptions.
- Evaluate and approve trade transaction exceptions, current account excesses, end-financing empanelment proposals, and other ad-hoc exceptions, where required.
- Review and approve rescheduling and restructuring proposals in line with credit policy and risk appetite.
Governance & Compliance
- Oversee the timely review and enhancement of the EMB Credit Procedure Guide, ensuring alignment with business developments, risk appetite, and regulatory requirements.
- Ensure full compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements, internal controls, and audit expectations.
- Act as the key point of contact for internal, external, and regulatory audits relating to credit approval matters.
Portfolio Reviews
- Conduct post-mortem reviews on delinquent or problem accounts to identify root causes, systemic issues, and control gaps.
- Partner with Policy and Collections teams to ensure early identification of credit deterioration and timely implementation of corrective actions.
- Provide clear and constructive risk feedback to business stakeholders to support prudent and sustainable EMB portfolio growth.
People & Operational Management
- Manage departmental capacity and resources to ensure credit approval turnaround time are consistently delivered within agreed service level targets.
- Continuously enhance credit approval processes to improve efficiency, quality, and productivity.
- Build a strong risk culture through coaching, mentoring, and effective performance management of the credit approval team.
Job Requirements
- A recognised Diploma or Degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, Economics, Business, or a related discipline.
- Minimum 10 years of relevant credit risk or credit approval experience, with proven senior-level decision-making capability.
- Strong credit judgement with high integrity and sound risk awareness.
- Proactive, adaptable, and open to change, with a continuous improvement mindset.
- Excellent planning, organisation, and stakeholder management skills.
- Independent, self-motivated, resourceful, and confident in exercising authority.
- Excellent command of written and spoken English
This Role reports into Head of Retail Credit Risk Management
What we offer:
Competitive base salary. A suite of holistic, flexible benefits to suit every lifestyle. Community initiatives. Industry-leading learning and professional development opportunities. Your wellbeing, growth and aspirations are every bit as cared for as the needs of our customers.
What We Do
OCBC is the longest established Singapore bank, formed in 1932 from the merger of three local banks, the oldest of which was founded in 1912. It is now the second largest financial services group in Southeast Asia by assets and one of the world’s most highly-rated banks, with an Aa1 rating from Moody’s. Recognised for its financial strength and stability, OCBC is consistently ranked among the World’s Top 50 Safest Banks by Global Finance and has been named Best Managed Bank in Singapore by The Asian Banker. OCBC and its subsidiaries offer a broad array of commercial banking, specialist financial and wealth management services, ranging from consumer, corporate, investment, private and transaction banking to treasury, insurance, asset management and stockbroking services. OCBC’s key markets are Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Greater China. It has more than 570 branches and representative offices in 19 countries and regions. These include about 300 branches and offices in Indonesia under subsidiary Bank OCBC NISP, and over 90 branches and offices in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR under OCBC Wing Hang. OCBC’s private banking services are provided by its wholly-owned subsidiary Bank of Singapore, which operates on a unique open-architecture product platform to source for the best-in-class products to meet its clients’ goals. OCBC's insurance subsidiary, Great Eastern Holdings, is the oldest and most established life insurance group in Singapore and Malaysia. Its asset management subsidiary, Lion Global Investors, is one of the largest private sector asset management companies in Southeast Asia.
