Head of Lending Operations APAC

ING Wholesale Banking in Singapore

We began operating in Singapore in 1987 where we host the regional Asia Pacific headquarters. With over 300 financial experts, we are the largest wholesale banking branch in Asia. ING stands out in the Asia Pacific region because we go a step further for our customers. We look at things from the client’s perspective which allows us to construct tailor-made solutions to fit the needs of every company we serve. This mentality underpins all our client relations and has produced various prestigious awards.

Job Profile Summary

The Team lead is responsible for the seamless and flawless execution of the responsibilities in their team, whilst always ensuring that processes are followed, and continuously operating in a robust control environment. The lead is a hands-on member of the team and ensures that legally agreed terms/conditions in loan agreements and the applicable Bank’s and regulatory standards are followed.

The Team Lead is also responsible for the leadership, training, and technical and personal development of the people in the team. Together with the COO and the other team leads, you will be responsible for ensuring that there is a collaborative team environment, globally driven one way of working in the department with the focus on delivering a best-in-class client experience whilst proactively managing risks and ensuring that we continue to have a digital mindset. In addition, ensure together with the team that there is a cohesive environment without silo’s.

Job Responsibilities:

• Team Leadership – guide and motivate team members. Setting clear goals and performance expectations aligned with organizational targets. Assign tasks based on skills and workload, monitor the progress, and holds self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Customer Experience – ensure that team action the client’s requests in a timely and accurate manner and ensure that all times the team proactively take on the responsibility to ensure that we deliver an end-to-end seamless client experience, and where possible using data to help us manage this effectively. Strive to constantly improve based on NPS insights.
• Improvement Mindset – lead by example by always demonstrating an improvement mindset with the goal of improving the client experience, user experience, improving our control framework and continuing to develop our execution capabilities, all where possible driven by data.
• People Development – ensure that we have a safe environment in place that allows us to grow, build and deepen talent in the department so that we can grow individually and as a team, to be the best people working for the best Wholesale Bank.
• Regulatory/Compliance – always ensure that we are adhering to ING’s policies and procedures, and we are fully compliant with all external regulatory and compliance related matters. 
• Risk Champion – lead by example and ensure such a mindset and culture is within the team’s DNA by always demonstrating a deep understanding of the risks, how they are proactively managed and how we can improve and enhance the existing control framework. 
• Operations Management – ensures and oversees the execution of daily activities (deal closings, restructurings and in life management) and in control of all daily metrics and reporting. First point of escalation for operational issues. 

Competencies:

• Emotional Intelligence – Understanding and relating to others’ emotions and ability to recognize one’s own emotions and their impact. Gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity. Builds trust among people and groups by ensuring honest and upfront communication; maintains transparency.
• Balances Stakeholders – Anticipates and balances the needs of multiple stakeholders. Speaks clearly about the need for ING to adhere to strong ethics and show cultural savviness when working with internal and external stakeholders.
• Problem Solving – capable of recognizing operational issues and having a clear understanding of the impact and able to take the necessary mitigating actions.  
• Decision Quality – Makes good and timely decisions that keep ING moving forward whilst staying in control. Pushes for the use of sound logic and data when making decisions.
• Manages Conflict – Handles conflict situations effectively, with a minimum of noise. Treats conflict as a chance to have an open discussion and identify better solutions; finds common ground and builds consensus among multiple stakeholders.
• Optimizes Work Processes – Knows the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement. Sees that problems are well examined, and improvements are raised. 
• Strategic Mindset – Understands the Lending Operations model in the collaboration between locations and the hubs. Supports the head of department with the effective integration of vision & strategy, and long-term opportunities with day-to-day activities.

What we’re looking for:

An approachable, content-driven team lead who is an active member in the team and is an energetic professional who leads by example, takes responsibility and is focused on getting things done. 

Proven track record and technical skills: 

• Deep knowledge and understanding of Wholesale Banking clients and products and has undertaken the role of Agent Bank through the cycle.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience and proven track record in an Operations department.
• Knowledge of the end-to-end Lending value chain and Loan IQ. 
• A personality and the capabilities to optimally perform in a high-paced environment.
• Experience with steering on output / data.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.