Head of Operations

Position Overview

The Director – Head of Operations is accountable for the full scope of operational activities within the branch, including payment processing, accounting and booking of money market and FX transactions, and end-to-end trade finance operations. He/She leads the Payments & Back Office and Trade Finance Operations functions and ensures operational excellence, governance, controls, and delivery of strategic change initiatives.

Responsibilities

• End-to-end execution of all branch payments, ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and compliance with internal policies and market standards.
• Full accountability for the accounting and booking of money market operations, including loans, deposits, interbank loans, securities settlements, and related confirmations.
• Operational processing and accounting of foreign exchange contracts (spot, forward, swaps), including MiFID2 reporting requirements.
• Oversight of all transactions subject to MiFID2 suitability and appropriateness, ensuring correct documentation, system capture, and regulatory reporting support.
• Good knowledge of Italian payment systems, particularly the RIBA and CBI circuits.
• Knowledge of the CABEL IT system is an added value.
• Single-point accountability for all Trade Finance operations, including import/export processing, documentary credits, collections, and supply chain finance activities.
• Preparation and issuance of letters of guarantee, both domestic and international, with operational accuracy and adherence to local legal and group standards.
• Oversight of AML and sanctions controls for trade finance transactions, serving as accountable owner for AML checks.
• Ensure effectiveness and traceability of AML controls, transaction screening, escalation management, and cooperation with Compliance and Risk.
• Owner of first level controls (1LoD) across all Operations processes.
• Draft, maintain, and update departmental procedures to reflect regulatory changes and GOPD requirements.
• Manage documentation of controls, issue management, and remediation actions.
• Prepare and coordinate OCC (Operational & Control) Meetings, including agenda setting, minutes, and follow-up tracking.
• Lead interactions with Internal Audit and regulators on AML and operational controls.
• Oversee the preparation and organization of OCC meetings for structured escalation and decision-making.
• Serve as permanent Member of the Branch Productivity Committee, contributing to efficiency initiatives and cost management.
• Represent the Bank within the AIBE Operations Commission, ensuring alignment with Italian banking community initiatives and market practices.
• Provide unified leadership to the entire Operations team, fostering a culture of high performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Develop and execute a cohesive annual operating plan and strategy for the Operations department, integrating Payments and Trade Finance.
• Act as a key member of the Branch's leadership team, representing the Operations function in broader business decisions.
• Manage, mentor, and develop two Vice Heads / Team Leaders and their teams, ensuring talent development and succession planning.
• Serve as the primary operational deputy and right-hand to the Functional Head/DGM for all operational matters.
• Own and lead the Change Management Office for Operations, designing, planning, and executing the transformation roadmap.
• Drive major modernization projects, including process re-engineering, robotics/automation (RPA), and digital solution implementation.
• Spearhead the regulatory adaptation agenda, particularly regarding PSR/PSD3 and other payment system developments.
• Collaborate with Technology, Product, and GOPD central teams to ensure flawless project delivery.
• Champion a culture of innovation and agility, challenging the status quo and identifying efficiency opportunities.
• Ensure robust, efficient, and compliant day-to-day operations (BAU) across both sub-units, maintaining high quality, accuracy, and timeliness.
• Oversee risk management, internal controls, and audit preparedness, ensuring full adherence to internal policies and external regulations.
• Manage departmental budgets, resources, and capacity planning, balancing BAU demands with project investments.
• Act as the ultimate escalation point for critical operational issues.

Qualifications

• Senior professional experience in international banking operations: minimum 10 years, with deep expertise in Payments and/or Trade Finance. Experience in both areas is highly desirable.
• Proven track record in:
  • payments processing and control frameworks;
  • operational accounting of money market and FX transactions;
  • trade finance operations including guarantees and AML controls.
• Strong knowledge of MiFID2 operational requirements.
• Experience drafting procedures and managing first line controls.
• Demonstrated ability to lead industry interactions at Director level.
• University degree in Economics, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• Demonstrated track record (5+ years) in a leadership role, successfully managing large, diverse teams in a complex, regulated environment.
• Proven experience as a “Change Agent” – documented history of leading and delivering large-scale transformation, process re‑engineering, or digitalization projects within operations.
• Strong understanding of the regulatory landscape for payments (PSD2/PSD3, SEPA, SWIFT) and operational risk.
• Excellent project and program management skills.
• Superior communication, influencing, and stakeholder management abilities, capable of engaging both technical teams and senior executives.

Functional / Technical Competencies

• Strong functional and management skills; technical skills must be solid.
• Strong human resources management capability.
• Good Italian language proficiency; essential for correspondence with Italian counterparties.
• Good English language proficiency.
• Computer literacy.

Soft Skills

• Strategic Vision & Leadership: clear direction, inspirational, unified leadership style.
• Change Driver: passion for transformation, resilience, ability to manage ambiguity.
• Results‑Oriented: focus on tangible efficiency, control, and client service improvements.
• Analytical & Problem‑Solving: dissect complex processes and identify innovative solutions.
• Integrity & Judgment: ethical standards and sound judgment in high‑stakes environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong decision‑making and structured approach to work.
• Proactive, motivated approach with ability to manage large workloads and tight deadlines.
• Attention to detail and accuracy; calm under pressure.
• Strong numerical skills.
• Leadership experience and ability to guide a high‑performing team.
• Strategic approach, ability to lead and motivate.
• Ability to articulate and implement the vision/strategy for the Operations Department.

Other

We are open to considering flexible working requests in line with organisational requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer

MUFG is committed to embracing diversity and building an inclusive culture where all employees are valued, respected and their opinions count. We support the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in recruitment and employment, and oppose all forms of discrimination on the grounds of age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and maternity, race, gender reassignment, religion or belief and marriage or civil partnership. We make our recruitment decisions in a non‑discriminatory manner in accordance with our commitment to identifying the right skills for the right role and our obligations under the law.