Head of Global Banking Governance & Controls

Location: London

Function: Treasury / Financial Governance

Seniority: Head of Function

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced senior leader to take responsibility for the governance, oversight and strategic development of our global banking access and account management framework.

This is a key leadership position within the Treasury function, with accountability for ensuring that banking relationships, account authorities, user permissions and associated financial master data are managed securely, consistently and in accordance with the organisation's risk appetite and control standards.

You will establish the strategic direction for banking access governance, ensuring that appropriate frameworks, processes and controls are embedded across a complex international operating environment.

Working closely with Treasury, Technology, Product, Information Security and wider Risk teams, you will lead the development of scalable solutions that strengthen financial controls, improve operational resilience and minimise exposure arising from inappropriate access or authorisation arrangements.

You will also build and lead a specialist team responsible for maintaining effective governance across the organisation's global banking infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities 1. Global Banking Governance & Authority Management

1. Develop and maintain the organisation's global framework for banking mandates, account authorities and delegated approval arrangements.
2. Oversee the governance of corporate banking permissions, authorised signatories and associated legal documentation across an extensive international banking network.
3. Ensure banking authorities and account structures accurately reflect the organisation's legal entities, operating model and internal delegation requirements.
4. Establish consistent standards for the creation, amendment, review and removal of banking authorities.

2. Financial Controls & Access Management

1. Design and oversee a comprehensive control environment covering banking access, payment authorisation and financial approval processes.
2. Establish robust segregation of duties principles to prevent conflicts of interest and inappropriate combinations of access.
3. Work alongside Technology, Product and Information Security teams to embed appropriate identity and access management standards into banking systems and processes.
4. Drive the adoption of scalable approval workflows and control mechanisms across Treasury, Payments and international expansion activities.
5. Ensure that access arrangements remain aligned with recognised industry standards and evolving regulatory expectations.

3. Banking Data & Access Assurance

1. Own the governance framework for banking-related master data, including account information, banking partner records and authorised individuals.
2. Introduce effective oversight and periodic certification processes to validate the accuracy and appropriateness of banking access rights.
3. Ensure changes to personnel, organisational structures and banking relationships are reflected promptly in access permissions and account authorities.
4. Identify weaknesses in existing processes and implement improvements to reduce operational risk and strengthen control effectiveness.

4. Risk Management, Audit & Regulatory Engagement

1. Act as a senior point of accountability for banking access governance and associated operational control risks.
2. Work closely with internal audit, risk management, financial control and SOX stakeholders to maintain a robust and demonstrable control environment.
3. Provide senior management with clear visibility of key risks, control performance, emerging issues and remediation activity.
4. Support regulatory engagements and demonstrate the effectiveness of governance arrangements, policies and operational controls.
5. Drive continuous improvement in the design, implementation and monitoring of financial governance frameworks.

5. Banking Partner & Stakeholder Relationships

1. Develop senior-level relationships with banking partners, engaging with their security, administration and operational leadership teams.
2. Establish consistent expectations around banking access arrangements, account administration and signatory management.
3. Work collaboratively across Treasury, Payments, Legal, Compliance, Technology and Security functions to deliver effective governance outcomes.
4. Influence senior stakeholders and drive alignment across geographically dispersed teams and complex organisational structures.

6. Leadership & Organisational Development

1. Build, develop and lead a high-performing team specialising in banking governance, access management and financial controls.
2. Establish clear accountability, performance expectations and operating standards.
3. Develop the team's capabilities to support an increasingly complex and geographically diverse banking infrastructure.
4. Promote a culture of proactive risk identification, strong ownership and continuous improvement.

Experience & Skills

We are looking for an established leader with substantial experience in banking governance, Treasury operations or financial risk management.

You should be able to demonstrate:

1. Senior Treasury or Banking Experience: At least 10 years' experience in Treasury Operations, banking access governance, payment controls or a closely related discipline, ideally within a multinational financial institution or fintech environment.
2. Financial Governance & Risk: Extensive experience designing and implementing enterprise-wide financial control frameworks, including SOX compliance, operational risk management and segregation of duties.
3. Banking Authority & Legal Documentation: Strong understanding of corporate banking mandates, delegated authorities, powers of attorney, corporate resolutions and complex signatory arrangements.
4. Leadership & Stakeholder Management: A proven ability to build and lead effective international teams, influence senior stakeholders and deliver change across complex, cross-functional environments.
5. Banking Technology & Infrastructure: Practical experience working with major international banking platforms, online banking environments and API-enabled banking infrastructure.
6. Strategic & Analytical Capability: The ability to translate complex governance and control requirements into practical, scalable operating frameworks, supported by effective data analysis and management information.

Desirable Experience

The following would be advantageous:

1. Professional Treasury qualifications, such as ACT or AMCT.
2. Experience using SQL and Python to support risk analysis, control monitoring, data validation and reporting automation.
3. Experience developing automated banking access controls and monitoring solutions.
4. Exposure to large-scale international banking operations and complex multi-entity corporate structures.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will combine deep technical knowledge of banking operations and financial controls with the leadership capability to influence an organisation at a strategic level.

You will be comfortable operating across business, technology and risk functions, translating complex requirements into effective governance solutions.

Above all, you will bring a strong sense of ownership, a proactive approach to risk management and the ability to build a sustainable framework that supports the organisation's continued international growth.