Job Summary

The overall role for the position is to assist the VP/ AVP Innovation to drive cultural change around innovation across QNB Group. The incumbent will manage and monitor selected innovation initiatives in order to ensure that they are implemented and completed within the defined time, budget and scope with the support of the originally allocated resources. The incumbent will also be responsible for developing, driving and rolling out appropriate tracking metrics for regular reporting to core stakeholders at a project, initiative and program level. He is also responsible for actively maintaining and updating the established ecosystem.

Main Responsibilities

A. Shareholder & Financial:

- Drive working relationships across all business and support units as well as countries across QNB Group

- Assist VP in identifying, exploring and validating one or several Strategic themes: AI/ ML, API/ Open banking, Platforms and marketplaces, Robotics and automation

- Manage post-mortems on completed innovation initiatives to ensure that they delivered the forecasted value creation to the Group

- Roll out appropriate innovation tracking metrics for regular reporting to core stakeholders at a project, initiative and program level

- Update established performance metrics

- Implements KPI’s and best practices for Senior Manager, Economics.

- Promote cost consciousness and efficiency and enhance productivity, to minimise cost, avoid waste, and optimise benefits for the bank.

- Act within the limits of the powers delegated to the incumbent

B. Customer (Internal & External):

- Support the VP Innovation to successfully run the innovation agenda

- Work with employees to create a bottom-up innovation culture in which participants share ideas to improve existing products/ services

- Ensure the integration of internal and external customer needs and requirements

- Support concerned business and support divisions and lead process improvement projects together with representatives from one or more business and support divisions

- Prepare regular updates to the Executive Management on global innovative trends, status of current QNB innovation initiatives and impact of completed innovation projects

- Supervise relevant stakeholders in the preparation of relevant material for the evaluation phase of the innovation process (e.g., development of subject matter experts (SMEs) substantiation, preparation of regulatory requirements, development of the financial, IT and infrastructure feasibility assessment)

- Support for SMEs in the evaluation stage

- Develop the Innovation Learning and Development resources accessible to the QNB employee base

C. Internal (Processes, Products, Regulatory):

- Obtain mandate, inputs and overall direction from EVP/ SVP/ VP Innovation on specific initiatives

- Supervise the development and preparation of all policies/ processes and procedures as well as standards

- Manage the end-to-end innovation process (e.g., core adjacent, disruptive), including the idea collection process, idea evaluation and idea selection

- Coordinate the innovation execution by managing the portfolio of group-wide innovation initiatives and conducting the post-mortem on completed initiatives

- Be involved and engaged in individual projects on a day-to-day basis to provide assistance to the project teams

- Demonstrate advanced project management skills and implement industry best practices and standards of project portfolio management

- Demonstrate deep understanding of Lean and Process Management to ensure alignment with the work undertaken across the wider Innovation Department

D. Learning & Knowledge:

- Identify related areas for professional self-development

- Possess strong project management fundamentals as well as project portfolio management methodology/ techniques and tools

- Maintain basic knowledge about banking processes, regulations, and generally accepted operating practices. Research industry topics and react by recommending changes to products, services, and systems

- Carry out other similar duties that can be defined within the broad functional job and functional responsibilities outlined above

- Proactively identify areas for professional development of self and undertake development activities

- Seek out opportunities to remain current with all developments in professional field

E. Legal, Regulatory, and Risk Framework Responsibilities:

- Comply with all applicable legal, regulatory and internal compliance requirements including, but not limited to, Group Compliance Policies and Procedures (AML & CTF, Sanctions Policy, Data Protection Policy, Fraud Control Policy, Whistle Blowing Policy, Conflict of Interest and Insider Dealing Policy).

- Understand and effectively perform your role under the Three Lines of Defence principle to identify measure, monitor, manage and report risks.

- Ensure systematic good outcomes for clients in accordance with Conduct Risk policy.

- Support the framework of RCSA, KRI, Incident reporting and remediation, as appropriate, in accordance with the Operational Risk Management requirements.

- Maintain appropriate knowledge to ensure full qualification to undertake the role.

- Complete all mandatory training provided by the Bank, attain, and maintain the required levels of competence.

- Attend mandatory (internal and external) seminars as instructed by the Bank.

F. Other:

- Ensure high standards of data protection and confidentiality to safeguard commercially sensitive information.

- Maintaining utmost confidentiality concerning customer and internal bank information obtained during the course of business and provide such information on a need to know basis only to Senior Management of QNB, Audit and Compliance functions, and relevant Regulators.

- Maintain high professional standards to uphold QNB's reputation and to strengthen its market leadership position.

- All other ad hoc duties/activities related to QNB that management might request from time to time.

Education and Experience Requirements

- Bachelor's degree or higher from Top tier university

- Minimum of 8 years work experience in a change management and senior advisory function within the financial services arena

- Proven track record within the field of innovation preferably from global financial services institution

- Track record as a change leader, motivator, driver for cultural change throughout a large and complex organization

- Substantial management experience and proven track record in driving senior management agenda

- Demonstrated career development, progress, and experience in establishing new functions

- High level knowledge of all major banking related business and support functions