Head, API & Embedded Finance Platforms

JOB SUMMARY The role of Head of API & Embedded Finance Platforms, CIB is a senior-level leader who is experienced in envisioning, strategizing, creating and delivering digital products and in specific modular API capabilities servicing corporate & institutional client’s Cash Management, Trade Finance, FSS, Markets and Global Banking needs. The ecosystem strategy of how API capabilities are distributed through strategic platform partnerships and other third-party channels are critical to success, and the execution will be delivered in close partnership with the respective business. As APIs are the foundation for AI Agents and enabling a complete paradigm shift in the customer experience, this role will be expected to drive and evolve the CIB API stack to serve scenarios like Agentic commerce, procurement and beyond. This leader is passionate about driving seamless and intuitive product experiences for our clients with a focus of deepening & widening of relationships. You are well-versed in strategy, planning, commercialising and scaling complex, innovative digital platforms & products. You need to be able to lead a global product management team that will deliver, operate & commercialise 24/7 digital platforms critical to our client’s business models particularly in a B2B2C context. You have strong business & technical acumen and can influence and prioritize ruthlessly to balance risk with business growth and in the right sequence. You will influence and inspire direct and indirect teams to deliver positive outcomes with executional excellence. If you are a creative problem solver, love tackling complex challenges and building things from 0 to 1 and beyond, this role is for you. • The role includes strategy, product development, governance, and commercialization activities to support the Embedded Finance & API goals of the business and build readiness for scale. • The role requires constant innovation and improvement specifically to drive the underlying API capability to serve the Agentic era. • The person will have strong thought leadership skills with gravitas and the ability to influence different types of people both internally and externally. • This role reports to the Global Head of API & Digital Assets Platforms CIB Other things about you: You enjoy tackling complex problems hands on and are eager to find solutions that don’t exist yet • You are comfortable with ambiguity and can “figure things out”. • You are resourceful and results oriented. You find a way to get things done without sacrificing quality and integrity. • You have a strong growth mindset and operate with an open mind. You constantly think about how things can improve. You are a radical collaborator and put the success of the team before your own. You are on the side of inclusion and transparent communication. Responsibilities • Design & deliver cross-product platforms providing CIB business units the ability to distribute products and services as APIs to clients in a seamless and simplified manner. • Understand the key distribution models such as B2B, B2B2C and new digital banking models such as embedded finance and BaaS and how these are best leveraged to maximise upside for the bank. • Develop and deliver detailed API product roadmaps in conjunction with the transaction banking, FSS and Markets businesses. • Own and maintain existing APIs and ensure the highest level of service quality and end to end compliance. • Actively commercialise existing API offerings through supporting front line colleagues and new market / flow activations. Own all metrics related to commercialisation which drive solid business outcomes. • Identify new opportunities for bespoke client and partner digital solutions. • Own the Open Banking marketplace strategy, roadmap, product development and constant creation of new content. This facilitates a seamless user experience across discovery, experimentation, testing and go live. • Own the third-party platform ecosystem, define the strategy with the relevant business, onboard and operationalise platforms, develop tooling and strategies to accelerate time to market and reduce integration effort. Commercialise in partnership with the business. • Ensure full compliance with open banking regulatory schemes mandated by regulators in the bank’s footprint. Develop novel ways of delivering the same functionality but with nuance in the country specific open banking models. Reduce the cost of compliance. • Meet with internal and external clients regularly to understand their needs and assist sales with pitch preparation and presentations. • Continuously evaluate the API capabilities to identify and prioritise opportunities to grow volumes and revenue. • Organisational readiness for new service rollout including training, process guides and securing necessary stakeholder approvals. • Launch key enhancements, including post implementation tracking of anticipated benefits. • Contribute to industry forums representing the Bank professionally and effectively. • Managing risks and regulatory issues associated with flows in API platforms. • Product capabilities information to be kept up-to-date and professionally documented for both internal and external audience, thus ensuring the available features and services are correctly commercialised. • Provide continuous feedback to business development teams of emerging trends in the market and client needs for product evolution • Conduct regular business review meetings with business development team periodically to ensure on-going product satisfaction and usage, introduce new features, cross-sell capabilities, and build client loyalty • Understanding of digital channels, API solutions, mobile technology including the features / benefits of the products and services offered, and how those features benefit customer • Understanding of Agentic architecture and how APIs fuel this revolution of the customer experience. • Comfortable operating in ambiguity, managing through change and making decisions. • Experienced in conceptualising and articulating sustainable and cost-efficient business solutions. Analytical, critical, and creative problem-solving skills with an in-depth understanding of utilizing digital solutions to meet business goals in better ways. • Effective and persuasive communication with experience in presenting to clients, delivering training courses, co-creation sessions, and to senior stakeholders. • Able to produce quality documentation which may include management reporting, client-facing materials and business requirements requiring attention to detail and ability to articulate without ambiguity. Regulatory & Business Conduct • Display exemplary conduct and live by the Group’s Values and Code of Conduct. • Take personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct, across Standard Chartered Bank. This includes understanding and ensuring compliance with, in letter and spirit, all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and the Group Code of Conduct. • Lead to achieve the outcomes set out in the Bank’s Conduct Principles • Effectively and collaboratively identify, escalate, mitigate and resolve risk, conduct and compliance matters. Key Stakeholders • Head of Cash Product / Cash product owners • Head of FSS Product / FSS product owners • Head of Markets Product / Markets product owners • Head of Trade Finance Product / Trade Finance product owners • Head of Digital Assets CoE and other CoE members • ICS, Compliance , Legal and Risk • Head of API Partner Enablement • Other CPO’s • Regional DCS and other relevant market leaders Our Ideal Candidate Master’s degree or equivalent. 15+ years of experience across Digital Assets, FX, Payments, Trade Finance, Custody and API product management expertise to bring underlying business knowledge to the embedded banking ecosystem. Experience working on the edge of business & technology and creating leading edge products & solutions. Techno-functional expertise preferred. Deep understanding of Embedded Banking/Finance, CIB client use cases and models – B2B, B2B2C. Expert in API product development, obsessed about best practices/standards, and understands the simplicity of clean, well-documented APIs and how this influences client’s platform and ultimately banking relationship decisions. Experienced in global platform development across multiple markets – how to rationalise, simplify and build experiences which global clients can deal with in a uniform manner. Strong stakeholder management and inter-personal skills to actively engage with cross-cultural teams across the globe. People Management skills as this role will be managing a team of senior product owners. Proven track record in building professional relationships across and outside a complex matrixed organisation. Role Specific Technical Competencies API product management – Detailed understanding of Digital Assets ecosystem and regulatory requirements across the major financial centres. Aware of all global initiatives in digital assets and the emerging standards. Delivery management – Experienced in delivering complex software products requiring multiple systems and teams to achieve and end to end customer journey and/or outcome. Corporate Banking – core knowledge in corporate & institutional banking business and core product capabilities across cash management, trade, and financial markets. Payments Standards – Deep understanding of the payments industry, digitization trends and standards which are driving innovation and change. Agile Product Management – Experienced in agile product management and working methods. Distributed Ledger Technology – Technically competent in DLT terminology, taxonomy and associated technology, industry standards and trends. People leader – Experienced in leading teams of senior product owners responsible for delivering components of the portfo