VP, Client Service Engineering - Entity Onboarding & Activation

First Abu Dhabi Bank; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 400,000 - 560,000; Full time

Job summary

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) seeks a VP of Client Service Engineering to drive end-to-end transformation of client service journeys. You will lead cross-functional teams across business lines, technology, and risk to deliver measurable improvements in CX, scalability, and risk mitigation.

The role emphasizes agile delivery, stakeholder engagement, and continuous innovation, including piloting AI and automation solutions to optimize operations and service delivery.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership: lead end-to-end client service engineering and transformation initiatives in financial services.
• Cross-functional collaboration across departments to drive integrated outcomes.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills to leverage data for improvements and decisions.
• Excellent communication to gain buy-in from stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and change leadership with agile mindset.

Responsibilities

• Lead redesign of client service journeys to be client-centric, efficient and compliant.
• Ensure delivery and scalability of redesigned journeys across cross-functional teams.
• Monitor and report KPI progress across CX, scalability and risk.
• Engage stakeholders across domains to drive priorities and change, advocating agility.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements and automation, piloting AI where applicable.
• Provide regular updates to senior management and governance forums on progress and risks.
• Directly lead a small team of 1–2 analysts, coordinating cross-functional initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional

Analytics

Communication

Stakeholder management

Team management

Banking knowledge

Digital/Automation

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration/Finance/Operations

MBA or advanced degree

Job description

Job description

JOB SUMMARY / INTRODUCTION

The mission of GCOO Client Service Engineering is to reimagine FAB’s client service journeys to be client-centric, efficient, and risk-controlled, positioning FAB as a benchmark for service excellence. The VP plays a key role in enabling the bank’s transformation agenda, ensuring that client service engineering initiatives directly support strategic priorities in customer experience, operational efficiency, and risk management. The VP will lead the delivery of assigned service priorities and is responsible with key stakeholders to deliver the expected outcomes within set time boundaries.

Reporting directly to the Head of Client Service Engineering, the VP Client Service Engineering plays a pivotal role in driving end-to-end change through process reengineering, automation, and efficiency improvements. He/She will lead multiple client service priorities, collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders, and ensure the successful execution of initiatives that align with the bank's strategic objectives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Service Journey Reimagination

• Lead the redesign of client service journeys to ensure they are client-centric, efficient, and risk-controlled. Drive end-to-end process optimization and automation initiatives.

  
  

  Service Delivery & Performance Management

  
  
• Ensure delivery and scalability of redesigned service journeys, coordinating cross-functional teams.

• Monitor and report progress on key KPI’s across CX, Scalability and Risk.

  
  

  Stakeholder Engagement & Change Leadership

  
  

• Engage with key stakeholders across business domains to align on service priorities and drive change. Champion a culture of agile, fast-paced, and repeatable deliver, fostering innovation, agility, and continuous improvement. Familiarity with change management frameworks (e.g., ADKAR, Kotter) is desirable.

  
  

  Continuous Improvement & Innovation

  
  

• Identify opportunities for ongoing process improvement and innovation, including piloting AI and automation solutions. Contribute to the adoption of structured toolkits, best practices, innovation, set-up playbooks, and frameworks for consistent service delivery.

  
  

  Reporting & Communication

  
  
• Provide regular updates to senior management and governance forums on progress, risks, and key decisions. Prepare, contribute, present materials for GCOO, ExCo-X and other executive committees as required.
• The VP will directly lead a small team of 1–2 analysts. While not responsible for a large team, the role requires strong influence and collaboration skills to drive cross‑functional initiatives and coordinate with stakeholders across business lines, technology, and support functions.
• The VP will engage with stakeholders across Business Lines, Group Technology, Risk, Finance, Legal, Compliance, Audit, and within GCOO to drive end-to-end service priorities, AI experiments, and automation improvements. This is an execution-focused role; tangible results in CX, scalability, and risk mitigation will be key in defining success.
  REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS
• An ideal candidate for the role has the following competencies:
• Proven leadership: Demonstrated experience in leading e2e client service engineering and transformation initiatives within a Financial Services and/or large multinational corporate institution.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Ability to collaborate effectively across departments. Skilled in aligning diverse perspectives (front line, digital, operations, etc.), fostering shared ownership, and driving integrated outcomes through collaboration and trust. Can engage several stakeholders to lead to common goals.
• Analytical skills: Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to interpret and leverage data to drive opportunities for improvement and expedite decision‑making.
• Communication skills: Ability to convey key concepts, problem statements and opportunity cases to gain buy‑in from stakeholders across the organization.
• Good communicator with very high awareness about stakeholder’s standpoint, who can formulate messaging accordingly. Capable of building relationships and collaborating with stakeholders at and above his/her level.
• Results‑orientated and hands‑on delivery: Track record to deliver tangible results in terms of improvement operation performance.
• Team management: Proven competence around managing people and team(s), both on a BAU and temporary basis; in agile and conventional setups.
• Banking & Technologic knowledge: good understanding of banking segments, domain, product and operations knowledge (Corporate, Consumer), regulatory compliance, and industry trends. Proficiency in leveraging technology and digital solutions to enhance operations.
  An ideal candidate has the following qualifications and experiences:
• Proven track record of leading successful transformation initiatives, driving process optimization, and delivering measurable results.
• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Finance, Operations Management, or a related field. MBA or advanced degree is a plus.
• ~ min 10-15 years of experience in Financial Services, external consultancy and with a substantial amount of experience in business transformation, strategic planning, process improvement or system automation with half or more being in executive and/or consulting roles.
  Preferred / Beneficial
• Professional certifications in project management (PMP, Prince2), process improvement (LEAN), change management, Agile, AI and-or related fields are a plus.

About Us:
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) is the largest bank in the UAE and one of the world's largest and safest financial institutions. We offer a comprehensive range of personal and private banking services, including credit cards, Islamic banking, investments, loans, and mortgages. Our commitment to excellence and innovation drives us to provide top-tier financial solutions to our clients.
Life at FAB:
Working at FAB means being part of a team of talented and passionate individuals with a shared vision to support the ambitions of our stakeholders to "Grow Stronger." We embrace the needs of our customers across the globe with a sense of responsibility and confidence driven by extensive expertise that can only be delivered by an ambitious world-class organization
Career Development:
FAB offers unique career choices, a chance to innovate, craft solutions for the future, and express yourself in a performance-based culture that will unleash the best in you. Whether you are an experienced professional or just starting your career, FAB provides a range of learning and development initiatives to support all employees through training and skill development.
Our Values:
At FAB, we place our customers at the core of our activities, live our values each day in every way, celebrate achievements, and empower each other to deliver leading solutions. We have structured plans for the recruitment and career progression of Emirati talent to enable them to make a mark in the financial and banking sector both regionally and globaly that rewards your hard work and dedication.
Join our team and be part of a journey to shape the future of banking.