Section Head & Senior Manager, Business Analysis & Process - Operational Strategy & Development

The Bank of East Asia (BEA); Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 2,000,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bank of East Asia (BEA) is seeking an experienced leader to drive its operational transformation agenda in Hong Kong. You will guide a high-performance team of business analysts and project managers to redesign complex workflows and migrate critical systems.

You will work with senior leaders to align cross-functional roadmaps, ensure risk-adjusted delivery, and realize measurable efficiency gains through automation and data-driven decisions.

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership of large, multi-disciplinary transformation teams.
• Deep knowledge of banking operations and regulatory models.
• Proven track record in process re-engineering or offshoring/nearshoring.
• Strong stakeholder management and executive alignment skills.
• Ability to drive cost reduction while maintaining risk and service levels.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a key driver for operational transformation and lead a 20+ team of BAs and PMs.
• Oversee large-scale system migrations and nearshoring initiatives to Guangzhou.
• Optimize workflows across Securities, Payments, Trade Finance, and Loans.
• Partner with senior leadership to secure buy-in and align cross-department roadmaps.
• Ensure initiatives stay within approved budgets and deliver measurable value.
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve STP through automation.
• Maintain compliance with regulators and risk controls throughout transformations.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Banking operations

Stakeholder management

Regulatory knowledge

Data analytics

Problem solving

Change management

Team development

Job description

• Serve as a key driver for the bank’s operational strategic transformation agenda, leading a high-performing team of 20+ Business Analysts and Project/Program Managers to redesign and optimize complex operational workflows
• Oversee and drive strategic operation transformation initiatives, with a primary focus on large-scale system migrations, process re-engineering, and the successful nearshoring of critical operations to our Guangzhou (GZ) service center.
• Command a deep operational understanding of Banking services, specifically Securities & Payments, Trade Finance, Loan Operations, and Account Services, ensuring that all transformations enhance efficiency without compromising risk or service standards.
• Act as a strategic partner to senior leadership, leveraging exceptional stakeholder management skills to navigate complex organizational dynamics, secure executive buy-in, and drive cross-departmental alignment on transformation roadmaps.
• Cultivate a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, ensuring the team consistently delivers measurable business value through automation, data-driven insights, and the seamless integration of new operational models.
• Ensure all operational transformation initiatives and project implementations are delivered within the approved financial budget
• Actively identify opportunities to reduce operational costs through process re-engineering and nearshoring to the GZ Service Centre
• Serve as the strategic bridge between Front Office and Operations, ensuring that re-engineered processes and system changes deliver high-quality, seamless service to internal business
• Drive the maturity of the Global Operation Hub strategy, ensuring the offshore center acts as a scalable, high-efficiency engine for the bank’s core operations.
• Lead the design and implementation of optimized operational workflows across Securities, Payments, Trade Finance, and Loans to enhance Straight-Through Processing (STP) and reduce manual intervention
• Review, design and implement the end to end process to optimize responsiveness and effectiveness in operation
• Direct a team of 20+ BAs and PMs to deliver against rigorous transformation roadmaps, setting clear standards for project planning, execution, and milestone management
• Partner closely with Business Sponsors, Technology, and external vendors to identify operational bottlenecks and mobilize teams for large-scale change management
• Comply with all applicable regulations, rules, codes, guidelines and standards set by regulators and the Bank, and carry out duties with high integrity; and
• Adhere to all established risk control guidelines, procedures and measures to identify, assess, report, mitigate and monitor the risks involved in the day-to-day work

Requirements

• 15+ years in banking with solid knowledge of operations processes and a deep understanding of banking business and regulatory models.
• 7-10 years of experience leading large-scale programs, particularly in process re-engineering within financial services/Fintech.
• Strong understanding of operational banking products, including Securities & Payments, Trade Finance, Loan Operations, and Account Services.
• Proven track record in operational re-engineering, digital transformation, or offshoring/nearshoring initiatives
• Demonstrated expertise in Business Analysis (requirement gathering, process mapping, gap analysis
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving capabilities to address complex business challenges and drive strategic initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing a team of 15-20 professionals.
• Skilled in providing strategic advice to SMEs and collaborating effectively with operational risk and first‑line teams.
• Ability to identify target operating models and drive significant process improvements.
• Demonstrated success in managing diverse stakeholder groups, including the ability to build consensus, negotiate priorities, and drive executive decision-making across complex, bank‑wide programs
• Proven ability to deliver under pressure, with a strong focus on achieving objectives.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including negotiation and presentation, in English and Chinese (Cantonese + Mandarin).
• Knowledge in data & AI would be a plus

Personal data provided by job applicants will be used for recruitment purposes only and will betreated in accordance with the Bank's Personal Information Collection (Employees) Statement and Privacy Policy Statement. Applicants who are not invited for interviews within six weeks may consider their applications unsuccessful and the personal data collected will be destroyed after 1 year.