Head of Operations - Lending

About the role

Reporting to the General Manager Customer Delivery, Institutional Operations, the Head of Lending Product Operations is accountable for end‑to‑end operational performance, process integrity, fulfilment model and customer delivery outcomes for an assigned Institutional Lending product portfolio. The role owns how work is designed, executed, controlled and fulfilled at scale across the GCC, ensuring product operations are simple, standardised, resilient, efficient and aligned to customer, banker, product, risk, regulatory and financial expectations.

Key responsibilities

• Own end‑to‑end operational performance for the assigned product portfolio, meeting customer, banker, risk, financial and regulatory expectations.
• Define and govern the global fulfilment model across GCC and in‑country teams with clear service standards and escalation pathways.
• Design, maintain and continuously improve operational processes, controls, standards and procedures to ensure consistency and auditability.
• Manage the operating model, including demand, capacity, workforce capability and transparent service performance.
• Drive productivity, efficiency and cost‑to‑serve improvements through simplification, automation and process optimisation.
• Partner with Product, Coverage, Country COOs, Risk, Technology and GCC Operations leaders to resolve issues and deliver sustainable outcomes.

Required profile

• Extensive senior leadership experience in Institutional Banking, Institutional Operations or wholesale banking operations.
• Deep understanding of the lending domain, including customer journeys, operational processes, controls and banker interactions.
• Proven ability to lead large‑scale operational delivery across geographically dispersed teams.
• Strong knowledge of operational risk, financial crime, regulatory obligations and control frameworks in a banking environment.
• Demonstrated track record of delivering simplification, automation, process redesign and operational transformation initiatives.