SVP, Regional PMO, Innovation Research & Partnership Engagement

About UOB

United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) is a leading bank in Asia with a global network of more than 500 branches and offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. In Asia, we operate through our head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, as well as branches and offices. Our history spans more than 80 years. Over this time, we have been guided by our values – Honorable, Enterprising, United and Committed. This means we always strive to do what is right, build for the future, work as one team and pursue long-term success. It is how we work, consistently, be it towards the company, our colleagues or our customers.

Job Description

Job Summary

Reporting to the Head of Innovation Enablement, the SVP, Regional PMO, Innovation Research & Partnership Engagement is a senior enterprise transformation leader responsible for orchestrating and accelerating UOB's strategic innovation, AI, data, digital asset and platform-driven initiatives across the Group.

This role sits at the centre of the Innovation Group's regional PMO function, overseeing multiple concurrent, cross-domain initiatives spanning business lines, technology platforms, risk, data, and operations. The role works closely with Group functions, country teams and regional stakeholders to drive alignment, adoption and scaling of innovation initiatives across UOB's regional network.

Beyond delivery, this role is foundational in shaping UOB's evolution into a network-platform organisation where products, channels, partners, data, and technology converge to deliver intelligent, interoperable, and scalable services.

The SVP will institutionalise repeatable blueprints, accelerators, governance frameworks, and partnership models that enable the Bank to scale innovation safely, consistently, and at speed across markets.

Success in this role requires a rare combination of enterprise systems thinking, innovation strategy, ecosystem engagement, strong execution discipline, and executive-level stakeholder leadership, with the ability to operate credibly across business, technology, risk, compliance, regulators, and external ecosystems.

Key Responsibilities

Lead Rapid Response Enterprise Transformation Regional Engagements

• Serve as programme lead within a high-impact transformation unit deployed into priority business, operational, innovation, or platform opportunities across the Group.
• Define clear engagement models, triage mechanisms, success metrics, and operating cadence for intervention-based delivery.
• Drive coordination and alignment across Group functions and country teams to support the adoption and scaling of strategic innovation initiatives.
• Apply strong analytical, systems-thinking, and executive communication skills to bring clarity and alignment in complex and ambiguous environments.
• Demonstrate strong programme governance, documentation discipline, and enterprise architecture awareness.

Build and Operationalise Strategic Partnerships

• Develop and deepen partnerships with fintechs, technology providers, universities, innovation hubs, venture ecosystems, and industry partners aligned to UOB's innovation, platform, and digital asset strategy.
• Implement structured partner onboarding, including sandbox access, certification, security and risk assessments, data-sharing agreements, and commercial alignment.
• Create and manage partnership roadmaps that expand UOB's innovation capabilities, ecosystem reach, and network effects across the region.
• Identify emerging opportunities through ecosystem engagement and market intelligence, translating them into strategic initiatives for the Group.
• Facilitate collaboration across Group functions and country teams to maximise value from strategic partnerships and innovation programmes.
• Leverage strong external stakeholder management, negotiation, and ecosystem-building capabilities.

Drive Innovation Research and Market Intelligence

• Lead the identification, assessment, and monitoring of emerging technologies, industry trends, regulatory developments, and innovation opportunities across key markets.
• Produce strategic insights and recommendations to inform innovation priorities, investment decisions, ecosystem partnerships, and capability development.
• Monitor competitive developments, fintech activity, and technology trends to identify opportunities for differentiation, collaboration, and growth.
• Support thought leadership activities and represent UOB at industry forums, innovation ecosystems, and strategic engagements.

Foster a Culture of Rapid Innovation & Modern Engineering

• Partner with Innovation Academy and HR to uplift organisational capabilities in AI literacy, agile delivery, modern engineering, innovation management, and platform thinking.
• Promote innovation practices, experimentation, and continuous learning across Group and country teams.
• Champion knowledge sharing and capability-building initiatives to strengthen innovation adoption across the organisation.
• Demonstrate strong people leadership, coaching, and talent development capabilities.

Align Stakeholders and Drive Enterprise Execution

• Lead alignment forums across business, technology, data, risk, compliance, governance, and regional stakeholders.
• Define ownership models, RACIs, governance guardrails, funding requirements, and delivery sequencing for strategic initiatives.
• Maintain delivery momentum through structured governance, programme tracking, risk management, issue resolution, and transparent communication.
• Facilitate alignment across Group functions and country teams to support consistent execution and adoption across markets.
• Influence effectively without formal authority, resolving conflicts and driving enterprise-wide alignment on strategic priorities.

Qualifications & Skills

Core Experience

• 15+ years of senior leadership experience in programme management, innovation, strategic partnerships, technology, digital services, enterprise platforms, or large-scale transformation.
• 5+ years leading high-performing, cross-functional teams in complex enterprise environments.
• Demonstrated success delivering enterprise-wide or regional initiatives involving multiple business units, regulators, and ecosystem partners.
• Proven experience working across regional markets and managing stakeholders across different countries and operating environments.

Technical & Domain Expertise

• Strong understanding of AI/ML, data platforms, blockchain/digital assets, interoperability frameworks, innovation ecosystems, and related regulatory considerations.
• Experience in innovation strategy, platform business models, ecosystem partnerships, and emerging technology adoption.
• Familiarity with financial services, digital transformation, and regional operating models.

Leadership & Behavioural Competencies

• Strategic and structured thinker who translates ambiguity into clear roadmaps and executable plans.
• Compelling communicator and storyteller across executive, regulatory, technical, and external audiences.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing capabilities across diverse groups.
• Strong coach and mentor with a talent development mindset.
• Thrives in ambiguity and complexity while maintaining execution discipline and governance rigour.

Personal Attributes

• Enterprise-level systems thinker with strong analytical rigour.
• High integrity, ownership mindset, and strong execution focus.
• Curious, adaptive, and committed to continuous learning and improvement.
• Passionate about innovation, partnerships, and building scalable capabilities across the Group and region.

Additional Requirements

Be a Part of the UOB Family

UOB is an equal opportunity employer. UOB does not discriminate on the basis of a candidate's age, race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or other non-merit factors. All employment decisions at UOB are based on business needs, job requirements and qualifications. If you require any assistance or accommodations to be made for the recruitment process, please inform us when you submit your online application.

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