Executive Director - Program Director, Head of North America FICC Transformation

Markets Transformation’s mission is to drive impactful transformation across FICC Market Operations in a collaborative, disciplined, and commercial manner. As a global, data-driven team, the FICC Markets Transformation team has a presence across North America, the UK, India, and Southeast Asia, leading strategic programs spanning target operating model optimization, regulatory change, and delivery of high-impact transformation initiatives in close partnership with Sales & Trading, Compliance, Legal, Finance, and Regulatory—supporting the firm’s broader client strategy. The team drives measurable outcomes across the full post-execution trade lifecycle, from product-aligned Middle Office through end-to-end operational processing. 

Our technology agenda accelerates simplification and scale by retiring legacy platforms and delivering next-generation digital tools, with a strong focus on AI, automation/robotics, advanced analytics, and digital asset solutions, alongside thoughtful middleware and vendor strategy. The team is also at the forefront of end-to-end regulatory delivery, governing complex change with strong controls — an area of significant business impact and risk focus, globally.

Job Description: 

As an Executive Director, Program Director for the North Americas Transformation team, you will be responsible for delivering across multiple large and complex projects—including country-specific, EU-wide, and global initiatives. In this role, you will focus on leading the adoption and integration of AI and digital asset technologies across the franchise, driving innovation and transformation.

This role requires excellent leadership skills, proven people management, strong project and product management and delivery skills, the ability to lead solutions to complex issues, and outstanding communication. You will address high-profile, high-impact, cross-line-of-business demands, and prepare and present information to Senior Management (ED and above).

You will partner extensively with the Business, Middle/Back Office, Legal & Compliance, Audit, Technology, Regulatory Reporting, and Controls teams. You should be able to work independently, but as part of a wider cross-location team. You will have extensive exposure across the Business with the opportunity to creatively problem-solve on a broad scale.

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead FICC Markets transformation initiatives, providing thought leadership on AI and digital asset integration.
• Apply combined project and product management expertise to deliver transformation across global lines of business.
• Partner closely with Technology teams to drive issue resolution and deliver innovative AI/digital asset solutions.
• Collaborate with Business & Operations stakeholders to manage information flow and deliver key milestones.
• Run governance and working groups: set agendas, prepare materials, document minutes, track issues, and assign clear action owners.
• Provide consistent stakeholder communications (written and verbal), including maintaining project trackers and weekly scorecards.
• Own risk management by identifying risks early and driving appropriate escalation and mitigation.
• Drive data-driven storytelling to articulate problem statements, challenges, and solutions, and build a storytelling culture.
• Define and communicate the target state vs. current state for digitization, automation, AI adoption, and reducing manual touchpoints.
• Champion diversity and inclusion and build a culture where people can thrive and excel across the global footprint.
• Lead people strategy and development: build effective, diverse teams; coach and mentor; and attract, develop, retain, and recognize top talent.

Required qualifications, capabilities, and skills: 

• 10 years’ experience leading project and product managers in financial services, using recognized project management methodology frameworks.
• Demonstrated leadership of AI and digital asset transformation initiatives within financial services, with a deep understanding of their application in financial operations.
• Strong ability to build relationships quickly and leverage them to influence direction across multiple stakeholder groups.
• Proven track record delivering multiple complex, high-pressure initiatives to firm deadlines, maintaining consistently high-quality outcomes in tight timeframes.
• Experienced leading effectively across regions, time zones, businesses, and functions, with strong communication, negotiation, influencing, and relationship management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with attention to detail and ability to simplify complex issues for audiences at all levels using appropriate presentation materials.
• Agile leader able to pivot quickly in response to evolving internal/external factors impacting project outcomes.
• Strong at interpreting issues, prioritizing, and communicating clear resolution plans and expectations to Senior Management and key stakeholders.
• Logical, structured approach to planning, problem solving, and decision-making, paired with strong organizational and prioritization skills.
• Confident challenging and refining business requirements and technology solutions to ensure fit-for-purpose outcomes.
• Familiarity and practical experience with the OKR framework

Preferred qualifications, capabilities, and skills: 

• prior Investment Banking experience (ideally Middle Office/Projects with derivatives and fixed income products)