Head of Service- Securities Services

First Abu Dhabi Bank; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UAE bank is seeking a Head of Service for Securities Services to drive technology initiatives and build strategic relationships. The ideal candidate will have over 12 years of banking technology experience with strong leadership and analytical skills, focusing on custody operations, fund services, and regulatory compliance. This role presents an opportunity to lead transformations in a dynamic financial environment.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in banking technology, with at least 5 years in Securities Services or Capital Markets.
• Proven success in managing third-party vendors and cross-border integration.
• Strong team player with excellent communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Build trust & relationship with business, defining and owning Technology roadmap.
• Lead technology initiatives for launching new custody products.
• Manage strategic vendor relationships and oversee contract negotiations.

Skills

Banking technology

Securities Services

Capital Markets

Vendor management

Analytical mindset

Leadership skills

AWS Cloud Services

Agile methodologies

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field

MBA or business-related postgraduate degree

Tools

MS product suite

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Company Description

Join the UAE’s largest bank and one of the world’s largest and safest financial institutions. Our focus is to create value for our employees, customers, shareholders and communities to grow through differentiation, agility and innovation. We are looking for top talent and your success is our success. Accelerate your growth as you help us reach our goals and advance your career. Be ready to make your mark a top company, in an exciting and dynamic industry

Job Description

JOB PURPOSE:

Head of Service – Securities Services

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Generic Accountability

As Head of Service you will be responsible in building trust & relationship with business and jointly define and own the Technology roadmap and execution of critical banking services. In this position you will focus on design, development and execution of end to end solutions for Securities Services products including Custody, Fund Administration, and Capital Markets in the UAE and wider GCC region. You will understand strategic business needs and plan for growth, explore and analyze the design of digital solutions and technical models suited to the growth of Security Services offering in the UAE and other international locations.

5. JOB CONTEXT

(Specific accountabilities unique for the role which are not covered in Section 4)

Specific Accountability

• Lead, consult and implement digital technology transformation initiatives across all Securities Services functions considering the latest technological trends.
• Owns and manages end to end Technology Service roadmap and execution, be the CTO for Security Services department and trusted technology advisor to the bank’s Head of Securities Services.
• Understand all service offerings and actively identify opportunities to better serve internal and external customers
• Oversight on demand management and release milestones for all initiatives Security Services portfolio
• Lead technology initiatives for launching new custody products, cross-border fund services, and digital capital markets workflows
• Collaborate with Product owners and develop strategies and solution of high business value.
• Align business and various IT teams across organization to drive common approaches, delivering sustainable, agile and reusable solutions.
• Ensure adherence to UAE Central Bank, SCA, ADGM, and DFSA regulations on securities services and data management.
• Drive conceptualization and ideation process, develop detailed project plans, track and monitor key project health indicators and ensure effective implementation of new services and changes.
• Manage strategic vendor relationships with vendors and oversee contract negotiations, renewals, performance SLAs, and roadmap alignment.
• Ensure high availability and operational stability of platforms through proactive monitoring and ITIL-aligned support processes.
• Manage support teams (internal or outsourced) for incident resolution and change requests, especially during peak activity (e.g., corporate actions, IPOs).
• Lead a local and offshore team of platform managers, analysts, and support staff; build local capabilities and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of service delivery, risk management, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in banking technology, with at least 5 years in Securities Services or Capital Markets.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. MBA or business-related postgraduate degree preferred
• Strong understanding of Custody operations, Fund Services, and IPO issuance processes.
• Proven success in managing third-party vendors and cross-border integration (e.g., GCC and global custodians).
• Familiarity with UAE and GCC regulations, especially SCA/ADGM/DFSA compliance and reporting.
• Proven track record of owning technology decisions and managing large and complex programs/projects in Investment Banking.
• Strong team player and self-driven with strong analytical mindset plus able to manage multiple senior stakeholders.
• Excellent presentation, analytical and articulation skills.
• Strong leadership, vendor governance, and communication skills.
• Knowledge and hands on working experience in one or more of the following areas is required: AWS Cloud Services, Azure Cloud Services, AI, ML, full stack engineering practices and platforms and Open APIs.
• Deep understanding on non-functional requirements and experience developing DevOps practices including pipeline automation and monitoring solutions
• Experience in both waterfall and agile methodologies.
• Proficiency in MS product suite, Jira and Confluence is a must.

Certifications in Project Management approaches including PRINCE 2, PMI, and Agile are desired.