Interim Deputy Head of Operations (Mandarin‑Speaking)

ABL Recruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Chinese corporate bank in London seeks an Interim Deputy Head of Operations. The role involves ensuring compliance and operational continuity, overseeing payments, treasury, and trade finance operations. Candidates should possess 10–15 years of experience in senior leadership roles, a strong understanding of UK regulations, and fluent Mandarin to collaborate with the head office. This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced Operations leader to contribute significantly during a critical period.

Qualifications

• 10–15 years’ experience in senior operational leadership roles within corporate or wholesale banking.
• Experience spanning corporate and residential banking operations.
• Strong understanding of UK regulatory requirements.
• Proven ability to engage with Compliance, Risk, and Audit teams.

Responsibilities

• Ensure operational continuity and regulatory compliance.
• Provide oversight of day-to-day operations including Payments, Treasury, and Trade Finance.
• Champion a robust operational risk and control framework.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to support strategic change initiatives.

Skills

Fluent Mandarin

Operational leadership

Risk and control judgement

Excellent communication skills

Organisational discipline

Tools

SWIFT

Treasury booking/settlement systems (e.g., OPICS)

Job description

Overview

Interim Deputy Head of Operations (Mandarin‑Speaking)

Day rate: £462 per day (equivalent to £120k per annum)

Location: London

My client is a well‑established Chinese corporate bank with a significant London presence and an ambitious growth agenda. As Interim Deputy Head of Operations, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring operational continuity, regulatory compliance, and disciplined execution across all core banking processes.

This interim appointment offers a high‑impact leadership opportunity for an experienced Operations executive with fluent Mandarin and a strong background across corporate and residential banking. The successful candidate will provide immediate stability and senior oversight during a critical period, supporting the COO and senior management team in maintaining and strengthening the Bank’s operational platform in the UK.

The Role

This is a senior, visible, and hands‑on position requiring deep technical authority, strong risk and control judgement, and the ability to lead and influence in a fast‑moving environment. You will be responsible for the effective oversight of day‑to‑day operations across:

• Payments Operations (domestic & international)
• Treasury Settlements
• Trade Finance Operations
• Loan Administration (bilateral & syndicated)
• Reconciliations, Correspondent Banking & Custodian Services
• Oversight of corporate and residential banking operational activity
• Treasury, finance, and broader operational governance

You will champion a robust operational risk and control framework, support CASS‑related responsibilities as a delegated SMF individual, and oversee key elements of the UK regulatory reporting landscape including EMIR, MiFID II, SFTR, SCV, SMMD and CASS.

The interim leader will also contribute to strategic change initiatives, including systems enhancements, UAT governance, business continuity planning, and regulatory reviews. Close partnership with Front Office, Compliance, Risk, Finance, Internal Audit and governance committees is essential.

Candidate Requirements

• 10–15 years’ experience in senior operational leadership roles within corporate or wholesale banking
• Experience spanning corporate and residential banking operations, treasury, finance, and oversight
• Broad, hands‑on expertise across Treasury, Clearing, Corporate Banking and Custodian Operations
• Strong understanding of UK regulatory requirements and their operational impact
• Proficiency with SWIFT, treasury booking/settlement systems (e.g., OPICS) and core operational platforms
• Demonstrated people leadership and experience uplifting team capability
• Proven ability to work confidently with Compliance, Risk, Audit and senior management
• Excellent communication skills in English; Mandarin essential for collaboration with head office
• High levels of organisational discipline, accuracy, and resilience under pressure

This is a rare interim opportunity to step into a senior leadership role within a respected Chinese corporate bank, ensuring operational stability and regulatory integrity during a key period. It is ideally suited to an experienced Operations leader with deep technical expertise, strong governance capability, and the cultural fluency to operate seamlessly between London and China.