Are you looking for a career move that will put you at the heart of a global financial institution?
Citi is seeking a highly experienced, innovative and driven Director to lead our Global Core Trade Modernisation strategy.
Operating a global business across a diverse range of regulations, inconsistent standards, complex ecosystems and cross-border barriers, this critical role will lead the design and own the underlying operating model to achieve global scale, accelerated digitization, enhanced ease of use, and effective segmentation.
Leading a team of product specialists, the successful candidate will drive strategic initiatives, lead product engagement in technical developments and foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the team. Responsible for all aspects of product visioning, product design, channel alignment, and client experience.
This role is critical for modernising our systems, enhancing efficiency, improving scalability, and ensuring robust support for our global trade finance operations.
Team/Role Overview
The successful candidate will be part of the leadership team overseeing the overall Core Trade business and will report into the global head of Citi Core Trade. You will lead a team of product specialists and collaborate extensively across a wide range of stakeholders across product, sales, technology, compliance, risk and operations partners to transform our operating model.
What You’ll do
Strategic Leadership & Planning
- Take ownership of the vision, strategy and design for the end to end Core Trade operating infrastructure, aligning with overall business objectives and technology roadmap to deliver on strategic imperatives such as global scale, digitization, ease of use and robust product segmentation.
- Develop and mature the roadmap for infrastructure transformation, identifying key projects, milestones and resource requirements with a strong emphasis on integrating design excellence from conception, leveraging and ensuring alignment with the broader Citi and Services business strategy
- Collaborate with product & sales partners, operations and technology teams to understand business needs, determine commercial viability and ensure early architectural decisions align with the operating model's goals for global consistency and ease of adoption.
- Beyond technology, ensure functions, policies, operations remains cutting-edge, secure, and efficient, always with an eye towards commercial outcomes, future business landscape, ease of deployment and scalability across diverse regions.
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of 5-7 specialists, fostering a high-performance culture focused on innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
- Conduct performance reviews, provide regular feedback, and support career development for team members.
- Allocate resources effectively, managing workloads and ensuring optimal team productivity.
- Promote best practices in product development continuing application of DfX principles across all team activities and embedding the new operating model's principles.
- Drive product development and commercialsation As a global leader and partner as a member of the Core Trade leadership team and the wider Trade and Working Capital business.
- Develop and empower interdisciplinary squads bringing together product managers, designers, engineers, operational users and risk/compliance/functional experts to collaborate in close-knit teams
Stakeholder Management & Resource Stewardship
- Provide strong program leadership and mentorship across diverse project teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and high performance within the modernisation ecosystem.
- Own the investment plan for the business in technology and operations, balancing and prioritising resource allocation and investments.
- Establish and manage the overall program budget, resource allocation, and financial oversight for the platform modernisation, ensuring fiscal discipline, value realization, and adherence to investment guidelines.
- Develop and implement comprehensive stakeholder engagement and communication strategies, ensuring transparent reporting to senior leadership, effective alignment across all program constituents, and robust change management.
- Effectively influence and align stakeholders across different functions and departments to achieve program objectives.
Risk Management & Compliance Governance
- Establish and enforce program-level risk management frameworks across the risk stripes, ensuring adherence to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations related to payments and data privacy.
- Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate program risks associated with the large-scale transformations, safeguarding Citi, its clients, and assets through structured risk management processes.
- Promote a strong culture of compliance, ethical conduct, and operational excellence within the entire program.
What we’ll need from you
- Deep commercial mindset and experience in product management/development, with a track record establishing and leading large-scale, complex programs.
- Proven success in transforming high volume transactional businesses from physical to digital and hybrid models while building resilience for future threats, opportunities and disruption
- Demonstrated expertise in establishing and operating program governance frameworks for multi-year, multi-project initiatives.
- Track record of innovation across a global platform in a regulated environment
- Experience with AI and ML technologies and their integration into program strategies
- Demonstrated ability to lead and manage diverse teams through organisational and cultural change inherent in large-scale programs.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of an organisation and manage complex stakeholder environments.
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; master’s degree is preferred.
What we can offer you
We work hard to have a positive financial and social impact on the communities we serve. In turn, we put our employees first and provide the best-in-class benefits they need to be well, live well and save well.
By joining Citi London, you will not only be part of a business casual workplace with a hybrid working model (up to 2 days working at home per week), but also receive a competitive base salary (which is annually reviewed), and enjoy a whole host of additional benefits such as:
- Generous holiday allowance starting at 27 days plus bank holidays; increasing with tenure
- A discretional annual performance related bonus
- Private medical insurance packages to suit your personal circumstances
- Employee Assistance Program
- Pension Plan
- Paid Parental Leave
- Special discounts for employees, family, and friends
- Access to an array of learning and development resources
Alongside these benefits Citi is committed to ensuring our workplace is where everyone feels comfortable coming to work as their whole self every day. We want the best talent around the world to be energized to join us, motivated to stay, and empowered to thrive.
Sounds like Citi has everything you need? Then apply to discover the true extent of your capabilities.
Job Family Group
Product Management and Development
Job Family
Product Management
Time Type
Full time
Most Relevant Skills
Please see the requirements listed above.
Other Relevant Skills
For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.
Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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