Senior Assoc/ AVP, Project Manager, Self-Services Banking Operations, CBGO,...

DBS Bank Limited; Singapore; On-site; SGD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in Singapore is seeking a highly motivated Project Manager/Senior Project Specialist to lead strategic initiatives across various domains, including RFP management and operational efficiency improvements. The ideal candidate will possess strong project management skills and a solid background in vendor negotiations. This role offers the opportunity to drive complex projects to successful completion in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in end-to-end project management, preferably within a financial institution or large enterprise.
• Strong background in RFP management and vendor negotiation.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage complex projects from inception to completion.
• Facilitate negotiations between vendor legal teams and internal stakeholders.
• Develop structured evaluation matrices for decision-making.

Skills

Project Management

Vendor Management

Negotiation Skills

Communication Skills

Analytical Skills

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Project Manager/Senior Project Specialist to lead and support strategic initiatives across various domains including Request for Proposal (RFP) management, technology implementation, operational efficiency improvements, and infrastructure projects. The successful candidate will be responsible for end-to-end project lifecycle management, stakeholder engagement, vendor management, and ensuring compliance with regulatory and internal standards. This role requires a proactive individual with strong independent work ethic, exceptional communication skills, and a proven ability to drive complex projects to successful completion.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Initiative and Project Management

• Independently manage complex projects from inception to completion, encompassing requirements gathering, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.
• Conduct thorough background research and present high-level outlines of potential future requirements to internal teams to establish structured processes.
• Develop and manage project plans, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and timelines.
• Proactively identify and address potential roadblocks, implementing solutions to keep projects on track and within scope.
• Facilitate regional platforms, track performance metrics, and ensure alignment with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Collaborate with regional teams and Scrum Masters to define clear goals and drive accountability.
• Lead project management responsibilities for various initiatives, independently driving execution and aligning multiple stakeholders.

2. Vendor Management and Procurement

• Manage the full lifecycle of Request for Proposal (RFP) processes, including independent management of NDA processes with participating vendors.
• Facilitate negotiations between vendor legal teams and internal stakeholders (e.g., DBS Legal), ensuring mutual resolution and proactive communication of contract implications to senior management.
• Collaborate with procurement teams to create comprehensive RFP packages and ensure efficient processing for future RFP issuances.
• Manage communications with multiple vendors (up to 7 simultaneously), clarify RFP requirements, address queries, and coordinate with internal stakeholders for accurate responses.
• Efficiently manage vendor and key stakeholder schedules, coordinating briefings and demonstrations.
• Develop structured evaluation matrices in collaboration with procurement and internal teams, facilitating consensus and alignment in decision-making.
• Consolidate extensive vendor proposals into clear, comparative summaries by aligning units of measure, enabling effective evaluation and rating by internal stakeholders.
• Ensure international non-incumbent vendors understand local (Singapore) requirements and facilitate tours of DBS Singapore operations.
• Compile and tally stakeholder scores, create rankings, and formulate well-supported recommendations for internal stakeholders and RFP quorums.
• Present final scores and recommendations to all stakeholders, acting as a subject matter expert on vendor information.
• Independently calculate Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for multiple vendors over multi-year periods, standardizing quotations for fair comparison.
• Conduct due diligence on vendor workplace practices, consulting with procurement control functions and senior management to ensure suitability and compliance.

3. Operational Excellence and Process Improvement

• Gather requirements from Operations, Business, and technical teams to inform project scope and deliverables.
• Proactively reconfigure Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to implement new solutions that reduce manual intervention and enhance employee efficiency.
• Identify gaps in current operating processes and collaborate with tech and operations teams to devise solutions prior to project implementation.
• Implement new technical communication channels (e.g., Secured Gateway (DSG SFTP)) to establish resilient information exchange systems with vendors.
• Ensure User Acceptance Testing (UAT) sign-offs are completed with rigorous documentation quality checks and conduct multiple test runs to validate file accuracy.
• Take a hands‑on approach to managing Go‑Live events, providing real‑time troubleshooting.

4. Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Effectively communicate project scope and progress to all relevant parties, including vendors, senior management, legal, compliance, and internal stakeholders (business, operations, and tech).
• Initiate and run daily stand‑ups to bridge communication gaps between technology and operations teams, ensuring a clear understanding of operational requirements.
• Communicate with multiple technology teams across different functions, countries, and time zones.
• Collaborate with control functions (e.g., RMG, ISS) from project inception to ensure vendor deliveries align with DBS standards and secure necessary approvals (e.g., Outsourcing Assessment Forms, architecture diagrams).

5. Infrastructure and Resource Management

• Proactively anticipate potential resource or infrastructure constraints (e.g., office space) and coordinate logistics, source and confirm available resources, and manage renovations to support project requirements.
• Lead Proof of Concept (POC) initiatives to certify new hardware, including proposing innovative, stripped‑down evaluation approaches.
• Lead collaborative squads of business, tech, and branch teams to brainstorm, structure, and document special SOPs for new pilots.
• Influence vendors to modify proprietary software to meet DBS requirements, demonstrating creative problem‑solving and workarounds for missing integrations while ensuring compliance.
• Engage directly with compliance units (FCSS, ISS, RMG) to meet physical security, information network, and outsourcing standards.
• Lead User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to identify software bugs and ensure timely vendor fixes.
• Initiate Operational Acceptance Testing (OAT) to identify hardware bugs and communicate them to branch and project teams.
• Work with branch teams to ensure infrastructure readiness, including renovations for machine accommodation and operational feasibility.
• Engage legal and control functions to align hardware order forms with procurement and compliance standards.

Skills and Qualifications

• Proven experience in end‑to‑end project management, preferably within a financial institution or large enterprise.
• Strong background in RFP management and vendor negotiation.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, taking initiative and managing complex tasks without supervision.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders at all levels.
• Solid understanding of compliance, legal, and regulatory requirements in a banking context.
• Experience in operational process improvement and technology implementation.
• Proficiency in coordinating and collaborating with cross‑functional and international teams.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to consolidate complex information and make data‑driven recommendations.
• A proactive and resourceful approach to problem‑solving.
• Experience with UAT and OAT processes.