Head - Innovation & Digital Solutions

Job Purpose:

The Head of Innovation & Digital Solutions is responsible for driving the bank's innovation agenda and leading digital transformation initiatives, that enhance operational efficiency and customer experience. This role integrates strategic innovation, emerging technologies, and research & development (R&D) to deliver high-impact digital initiatives. The Head of Innovation & Digital Solutions collaborates with internal and external stakeholders positioning the bank as a leader in specialized housing finance while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and agility.

Key Accountabilities:

• Defines and leads the bank's innovation agenda, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy and long-term objectives by integrating emerging financial technologies and scalable business models.
• Develops and executes an enterprise-wide innovation framework embedding design thinking methodologies to drive problem-solving, user-centric solutions, and a data-driven approach to digital transformation.
• Fosters an innovation-driven culture, embeds best practices across all business units and drives a structured approach to ideation and execution.
• Establishes and oversees the execution of key innovation programs, ensuring successful integration into core banking operations.
• Acts as a key advisor to the executive leadership and board, advocating for forward-thinking policies and strategic investments in innovation.
• Establishes and leads the bank's R&D function, focusing on future-proof banking, next-generation housing finance models, and alternative mortgage structures.
• Oversees research into market shifts, macroeconomic trends, regulatory changes, and behavioral finance to anticipate industry disruptions and emerging opportunities.
• Develops and manages an innovative pipeline, ensuring R&D efforts progress through ideation, prototyping, validation, and commercialization.
• Implements controlled pilots, innovation sandboxes, and iterative testing environments, ensuring projects are scalable and compliant with regulatory frameworks.
• Leverages internal and external insights to drive continuous improvements in digital lending, financial inclusion, and customer engagement strategies.
• Collaborates with academic institutions, think tanks, and regulatory sandboxes / bodies to engage in innovation discussions, frameworks, and outlooks.
• Drives the digital transformation of workplace tools, enhances operational efficiency and employee experience.
• Implements enterprise collaboration platforms, AI-driven automation, and next-gen digital workplace technologies.
• Fosters a culture of digital dexterity, ensuring employees are equipped with the necessary digital skills and tools.
• Leads the execution of enterprise-wide digital initiatives, ensuring timely delivery and measurable impact.
• Oversee end-to-end digital product development, from planning to implementation, ensuring alignment with business requirements and strategic objectives.
• Implements suitable methodologies to accelerate digital product and service deployment.
• Establishes and monitors key performance indicators to track the success and ROI of digital initiatives.
• Develops and implements a comprehensive digital transformation roadmap, ensuring that all digital initiatives align with corporate strategy and customer needs.
• Manages cross-functional teams and third-party vendors to execute digital projects efficiently, ensuring compliance with regulatory and security standards.
• Leads the implementation of digital automation and integrations to enhance digital service delivery and operational agility.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in technology or a related business field. A master's degree is desired.
• A minimum of 8 years of commercial banking experience, including at least 3 years leading an innovation management or digital transformation team.
• Proven track record of leading large-scale innovation initiatives and integrating transformative business models.
• Strong understanding of financial services, emerging technologies, and regulatory frameworks in the banking and housing finance industry. Expertise in strategic leadership, change management, digital transformation initiatives and cross-sector collaboration.
• A proven ability of cross-functional stakeholder management experience.
• Demonstrated track record of constantly meeting deadlines.

** Applications will be accepted until 01-June-2025 at 2:00 P.M

Submissions received after this date and time will not be considered **