APAC / Middle East Corporate Banking Technical Platform Owner - Director

Purpose of the role

To collaborate with product owners and other technical teams involved in the product development process and utilise their knowledge of the bank’s technologies to enact the vision defined in the product roadmap. 

Accountabilities

• Provision of subject matter expertise to support the collaboration between the product owner and the technical side of product development.
• Support the development and implementation of the product strategy and vision defined in the product roadmap and communicate them with the relevant stakeholders and the development team.
• Collaboration with internal stakeholders to gather and prioritise product requirements and features based on business value and feasibility that are well defined, measurable and secure.
• Development and implementation of assessments to ensure continuous testing and improvement of product quality and performance.
• Monitoring of product performance to identify opportunities for optimisation that meets the banks performance standards.
• Stay abreast of the latest industry technology trends and technologies, to evaluate and adopt new approaches to improve product development and delivery.

Director Expectations

• To manage a business function, providing significant input to function wide strategic initiatives. Contribute to and influence policy and procedures for the function and plan, manage and consult on multiple complex and critical strategic projects, which may be business wide..
• They manage the direction of a large team or sub-function, leading other people managers and embedding a performance culture aligned to the values of the business. Or for an individual contributor, they lead organisation wide projects and act as deep technical expert and thought leader, identifying new ways of working and collaborating cross functionally. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions..
• Provide expert advice to senior functional management and committees to influence decisions made outside of own function, offering significant input to function wide strategic initiatives.
• Manage, coordinate and enable resourcing, budgeting and policy creation for a significant sub-function.
• Escalates breaches of policies / procedure appropriately.
• Foster and guide compliance, ensure regulations are observed that relevant processes in place to facilitate adherence.
• Focus on the external environment, regulators, or advocacy groups to both monitor and influence on behalf of Barclays, when appropriate.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of how the function integrates with the business division / Group to achieve the overall business objectives.
• Maintain broad and comprehensive knowledge of industry theories and practices within own discipline alongside up-to-date relevant sector / functional knowledge, and insight into external market developments / initiatives.
• Use interpretative thinking and advanced analytical skills to solve problems and design solutions in often complex/ sensitive situations.
• Exercise management authority to make significant decisions and certain strategic decisions or recommendations within own area.
• Negotiate with and influence stakeholders at a senior level both internally and externally.
• Act as principal contact point for key clients and counterparts in other functions/ businesses divisions.
• Mandated as a spokesperson for the function and business division.

All Senior Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.

Role Overview
The APAC & Middle East Corporate Banking Technical Platform Owner - Director is a senior leadership role responsible for ensuring the scalability, adaptability, and effectiveness of the development, testing, and deployment processes within the corporate banking technology landscape. This role plays a pivotal part in driving DevSecOps, Test Driven Development (TDD), automating testing processes, and mentoring teams to adopt best practices that align with broader business strategies.
The successful candidate will lead efforts to enhance platform capabilities, address execution challenges, and ensure the successful turnaround of complex programs. The role will also be instrumental in driving the DevSecOps mandate, embedding security into the development lifecycle, and ensuring continuous delivery with built-in compliance and risk controls.
This role will focus on delivering transformational change, supporting the horizontal Risk & Control and Operational Governance agenda, and executing key projects, including the buildout of the Gift City Corporate Banking Platform, followed by Singapore and Hong Kong, while uplifting the UAE and India UBS programs. The individual will work in close collaboration with Technology, Operations, Product, and Front Office teams, ensuring seamless alignment of technical solutions with business objectives and client requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Platform Leadership and Development
• Drive the scalability, adaptability, and efficiency of development, testing, and deployment processes for the corporate banking technology platform.
• Champion Test Driven Development (TDD) and ensure testing processes are fully automated to enhance quality and speed.
• Implement and drive the DevSecOps mandate, embedding security, compliance, and risk controls into the development and delivery lifecycle.
• Lead the delivery of transformative technology programs, ensuring alignment with business goals and objectives.
Program Execution and Turnaround
• Provide leadership to address current execution and project discipline challenges, turning around underperforming programs.
• Oversee the buildout of the Gift City Corporate Banking Platform, followed by platform extensions in Singapore and Hong Kong.
• Enhance the delivery capabilities of UAE and India UBS corporate banking programs, ensuring they meet global standards.
Strategic Transformation and Governance
• Collaborate with horizontal Risk & Control teams to ensure the platform adheres to regulatory and operational requirements.
• Strengthen Operational Governance frameworks to ensure seamless execution and mitigate delivery risks.
Team Mentorship and Best Practices
• Mentor and coach technical teams to adopt and implement best practices, enhancing productivity and delivery excellence.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement within geographically distributed teams.
• Align technical efforts with broader business strategies, ensuring the platform delivers continuous value creation.
Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement
• Partner with Technology teams to leverage synergies and ensure the end-to-end delivery of technology solutions.
• Collaborate with Operations teams to ensure systems are operationally robust and efficient.
• Work with Product teams to incorporate business innovation and new features into the technology roadmap.
• Liaise with Front Office teams to ensure the platform supports client-facing requirements and business growth strategies.
Qualifications and Experience
Technical Expertise
• Extensive experience (15+ years) in Transaction Banking or Corporate Banking, with a focus on Core Banking or Cash Management platforms.
• Proven expertise in implementing DevSecOps practices, including integrating security into CI/CD pipelines, automated compliance, and risk mitigation.
• Deep expertise in Test Driven Development (TDD), automated testing, and scalable deployment processes.
• Proven ability to lead complex, multi-region corporate banking technology programs.
Leadership and Stakeholder Management
• Demonstrated experience in turning around underperforming programs and addressing execution challenges.
• Strong leadership and mentorship skills, with the ability to guide teams toward best practices and delivery excellence.
• Experience collaborating with senior stakeholders across technology, business, operations, and product teams.
Other Requirements
• Strong knowledge of Risk & Control frameworks and Operational Governance practices in corporate banking.
• Proven track record of delivering high-quality technology solutions in challenging and dynamic environments.
• Familiarity with corporate banking landscapes in APAC and the Middle East, particularly in regions like UAE, India, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Key Competencies
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving
• Expertise in DevSecOps, TDD, and automated testing practices
• Results-driven, with a focus on execution and impact
• Collaborative leadership and team-building skills
• Adaptability in navigating complex, multi-region environments
Why Join Us?
This role offers a unique opportunity to lead the development and transformation of corporate banking technology platforms across APAC and the Middle East. By driving innovation, embedding DevSecOps practices, mentoring teams, and overcoming execution challenges, the successful candidate will play a critical role in shaping the future of corporate banking technology for a dynamic and high-growth region.