VP/AVP, Strategic Planning

MUFG; Greater London; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services firm in Greater London is looking for a strategic professional to support its Chief of Staff for EMEA. The role involves managing significant strategic initiatives, ensuring compliance with regulations, and requires fluency in both English and Japanese. This position offers a hybrid working model that promotes flexibility and a collaborative culture.

Benefits

Flexible working requests

Inclusive culture

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven track record of establishing strategies and achieving business development targets.
• Extensive experience in the banking industry.
• Experience in building and maintaining relationships.

Responsibilities

• Support Chief of Staff for EMEA and execute assigned tasks.
• Manage multiple significant strategic initiatives in EMEA.
• Ensure regulatory compliance for EMEA operations.

Skills

Fluent English

Fluent Japanese

Excellent communication skills

Negotiation skills

Teamwork

Problem-solving skills

Attention to detail

Education

Degree level education or equivalent industry experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Do you want your voice heard and your actions to count?

Discover your opportunity with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), one of the world’s leading financial groups. Across the globe, we’re 120,000 colleagues, striving to make a difference for every client, organization, and community we serve. We stand for our values, building long‑term relationships, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world.

With a vision to be the world’s most trusted financial group, it’s part of our culture to put people first, listen to new and diverse ideas and collaborate toward greater innovation, speed and agility. This means investing in talent, technologies, and tools that empower you to own your career.

Join MUFG, where being inspired is expected and making a meaningful impact is rewarded.

Main Purpose and Accountability of the Role

Specifically, you have accountability for the following named departments:

• Office of the Chief of Staff for EMEA (former Strategic Planning Department of EMEA Planning)

Roles, Scope and Reporting Structure

>Authority from and reporting to Head of Corporate & Financial Strategy for EMEA or his/her direct report

Key Responsibilities

Regional Planning and Strategy Development

You will be responsible for taking appropriate action with respect to Office of the Chief of Staff for EMEA, including

• Responsible for supporting Chief of Staff for EMEA and Head of Corporate & Financial Strategy for EMEA, and executing all tasks assigned by them.
• Responsible for supporting Regional Executive for EMEA and executing all tasks assigned by them.
• Responsible for the Project/Programme management of multiple significant strategic initiatives in EMEA.
• Responsible for the Projects/Programmes relevant to Securities (MUSE and MUS(EU)) matters
• Responsible for strengthening the integrated operation of both Chief of Staff for EMEA and MUSE/MUS(EU) CEO’s support team, and building robust relationships with MUSE/MUS(EU) CEO and his/her support team
• Responsible for strategic policy planning and implementation to enhance the activities, governances and operational efficiencies in EMEA.
• Responsible for rebuilding the robust regulatory policy and strategy across EMEA, covering horizon scanning, implementation of new regulations, and monitoring of open issues with regulators, all of which require MUFG wide coordination both in Tokyo and EMEA.
• Responsible for regulatory compliance with respect to the operations administered by EMEA, and supporting communication and negotiation with local authorities in EMEA.
• Responsible for setting and management of organization performance evaluation for COOI area.
• Responsible for providing support, guidance, assistance and management on the Safety and Soundness activity for each branch, representative office and local affiliate offices in EMEA.
• Responsible for liaising between HO divisions in Tokyo and divisions / branches in EMEA, communicating and negotiating in many cases in Japanese (reading, writing and speaking). If necessary, interpreting between English and Japanese. (The communication with and application to Japanese regulatory bodies is accepted only in Japanese.)
• Responsible for leading crisis management in serious disasters, terrorism, riots, wars, and outbreaks (pandemics) of infectious disasters etc.
• Responsible for supporting facility team to ensure safety and effectiveness of all bank facilities in EMEA.
• Responsible for collaborating with Corporate Communication team for developing internal/external communication, brand related strategies & initiatives.
• Responsible for enhancing collaborative framework among affiliated companies and alliance partners.

Work Experience

• A proven track record of establishing strategies and achieving business development targets.
• Proven track record of building and maintaining internal and external relationships.
• Extensive/enough experiences in the banking industry.

Skill and Experience

Functional / Technical Competencies

• Excellent understanding of a broad spectrum of banking business and other financial industries, both in the global and regional market.
• Fluent English and Japanese language skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to lead by example by coaching, mentoring and developing staff.
• Good working knowledge of Japanese business culture or experience of adapting to and working with different culture.
• Well‑developed communication skill and human network are necessary for this position in order to establish EMEA strategy in consistent with the entire MUFG strategy.
• Ability to negotiate and settle issues with head offices in Tokyo, other regions and branches and maintain good internal relationships.
• Well‑developed negotiation, persuasion and influencing skills.
• Good team worker and ability to prioritise and drive deadlines.
• Knowledge of managerial accounting, general financial accounting standards, and general knowledge of applicable tax regime and its implication – preferable but not required.

Education / Qualifications

• Degree level education or equivalent industry experience essential.

Personal Requirement

• Excellent communication skills
• Result‑driven, with a strong sense of accountability
• A proactive, motivated approach.
• The ability to operate with urgency and prioritise work accordingly
• Strong decision‑making skills, the ability to demonstrate sound judgement
• A structured and logical approach to work
• Strong problem‑solving skills
• A creative and innovative approach to work
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• The ability to manage large workloads and tight deadlines
• Excellent attention to details and accuracy
• A calm approach, with the ability to perform well in a pressurised environment
• Strong numerical skills
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills

Please note MUFG operates a hybrid working model with 3 days per week in the office

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

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.

At MUFG, our colleagues are our greatest assets. Our Culture Principles provide a roadmap for how each of our colleagues must think and act to become more client‑obsessed, inclusive and innovative. They reflect who we are, who we want to be and what we expect from one another. We are excited to see you take the next step in exploring a career with us and encourage you to spend more time reviewing them!

Our Culture Principles

• Client Centric
• People Focused
• Listen Up. Speak Up.
• Innovate & Simplify
• Own & Execute