Role Summary:

A senior leadership role responsible for managing and transforming Structured Finance, Loan Operations, and Finance Operations for a leading European banks offshore centre in India. The role incumbent will oversee large-scale operations, technology, and transformation initiatives to ensure operational & delivery excellence, strong risk management, regulatory compliance, and process reimagination enabled by technology.

The ideal candidate brings 20+ years of experience in Structured Finance and Loan Operations, with a proven track record in leading large-scale teams, driving automation and process excellence, and partnering with global stakeholders. Deep domain expertise in the loan lifecycle, structured finance products, and financing operationsalong with knowledge of regulatory frameworks across regionsis essential. This role is pivotal in driving operational efficiency, reducing risk, and enabling digital transformation across a 350-member back-office function.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Strategic & Operational Leadership

- Lead and oversee Structured Finance and Loan Operations by designing and steering KPIs & KRIs across the loan lifecycle (origination, booking, servicing, settlements, reconciliations).

- Develop strategies for operational efficiency, service quality, and delivery aligned with global objectives, leveraging Lean Six Sigma & continuous improvement.

- Manage operational risk in loan/finance processes by establishing effective controls to reduce incidents and operational losses.

2. Transformational Leadership

- Reimagine loan and finance operations through process reengineering and automation.

- Drive digitization and straight-through processing using AI/ML, workflow automation, and advanced data solutions.

- Oversee execution of cloud/data strategies, simplifying system landscapes and enhancing re-use.

3. Risk Management Leadership

- Anticipate points of failure in loan operations and ensure strong control environments.

- Maintain audit readiness and lead regulatory interactions.

- Manage IT risks including cyber security, obsolescence, and resiliency.

4. Client Centricity

- Enhance client satisfaction across Structured Finance and Loan Operations by digitizing touchpoints and embedding client-focused KPIs.

- Collaborate with client experience teams to strengthen service delivery and NPS.

5. People Leadership & Development

- Lead and mentor a cross-functional team of ~350 FTEs.

- Build a high-performance culture of accountability, continuous learning, and career growth.

- Drive succession planning and retention in a competitive talent market.

6. Stakeholder & Relationship Management

- Act as the India-based representative for global loan/finance operations and technology teams.

- Build strong partnerships with senior stakeholders across businesses, compliance, and technology functions.

- Manage governance, performance reviews, and transformation reporting.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

Experience:

- 20+ years of experience in Structured Finance, Loan Operations, and Finance Operations leadership roles.

- Proven ability to lead large-scale global teams in shared services or captive banking environments.

- Strong experience in driving both operations and technology change in a regulated environment.

- Exposure to European or global regulatory frameworks relevant to structured finance and lending operations.

Education:

- Postgraduate degree in Finance, Business Administration, or Technology (MBA, CA, CFA, or Engineering preferred).

Core Competencies:

- Deep domain knowledge across Structured Finance, Loan Operations, and the full Loan Lifecycle.

- Strong understanding of technology platforms supporting loan and structured finance operations.

- Leadership, strategic thinking, and transformation expertise.

- Excellent stakeholder management, risk management, and change leadership capabilities.

- Familiarity with ESG-linked financing, loan analytics, and digital lending platforms is a plus.