Transformation Manager (UAE National)

About the Role

We’re looking for a Transformation Manager to lead end-to-end transformation initiatives across the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey region. In this role, you will deliver measurable improvements in business performance, customer and colleague experience, operational efficiency, risk and control effectiveness, and productivity. You’ll be responsible for translating strategy into executable change, establishing strong governance and delivery discipline, and leading stakeholders across business, operations, technology, risk, and finance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a portfolio of transformation programmes and projects from initiation through to closure, delivering agreed outcomes on time and within budget.
• Translate strategic priorities into clear roadmaps covering scope, sequencing, resources, milestones, dependencies, and measurable benefits.
• Establish and manage governance arrangements, including steering committees, approval forums, investment cases, key milestone approvals, and post-implementation reviews.
• Provide clear reporting on progress, risks, dependencies, issues, benefits, and decisions required, escalating matters early where appropriate.
• Embed robust risk, control, and audit requirements into transformation delivery, working closely with Risk, Compliance, Legal, Finance, Technology, and Operations.
• Lead process improvement, operating model redesign, digitisation, efficiency, and control enhancement initiatives.
• Define target operating models, build business cases, conduct discovery and root-cause analysis, and make informed trade-offs across time, cost, quality, and risk.
• Track financial and non-financial benefits, taking corrective action where outcomes are at risk.
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, influence without formal authority, and resolve competing priorities.
• Lead cross-functional teams and third parties where required, establishing clear accountability, delivery cadence, and performance expectations.
• Drive adoption and sustainable change through effective communications, training, readiness assessments, and post-implementation support.
• Promote inclusive leadership, constructive challenge, transparent escalation, and continuous improvement.

Experience & Qualifications

• A graduation degree is essential for obtaining a UAE visa and work permit. If your university certificate is from outside the UAE, up-to-date attestations and equivalency are also mandatory (Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications Issued Outside The UAE).
• Strong understanding of banking risk and control expectations, with the confidence to engage effectively with the Second Line of Defence and Internal Audit.
• Proven experience building controls into process and technology change, including change governance, policy adherence, and maintaining robust, audit-ready evidence.
• Demonstrated process improvement capability, such as Lean or Six Sigma, with strong root-cause analysis skills and a simplification mindset.
• Data-led approach to decision-making, with experience using performance measures, management information, and dashboards to define success measures and track outcomes.
• Effective partner to Technology teams, spanning requirements, testing, release planning, and post-implementation stabilisation.
• Strong senior stakeholder management, with clear and concise communication and confidence presenting to governance forums and influencing outcomes.
• Able to operate in ambiguity, manage trade-offs, and drive timely decisions through structured negotiation and prioritisation.

Additional Information We support our staff to adopt flexible and alternative ways of working where possible, including working from home and different hours, subject to approvals. We are committed to building a culture where all employees are valued, respected, and heard. Our workplace fosters continuous professional development, flexible working, and opportunities to grow within an inclusive and diverse environment.