Senior Manager - International Operations

Introduction

Since 1973, East West Bank has served as a pathway to success. With over 110 locations across the U.S. and Asia, we are the premier financial bridge between the East and West. Our teams of experienced, multi-cultural professionals help guide businesses and community members on both sides of the Pacific looking to explore new markets and create new opportunities, and our sustained growth and expertise in industries like real estate, entertainment and media, private equity and venture capital, and high-tech help build sustainable businesses and expand our associates’ potential for career advancement. 

Headquartered in California, East West Bank (Nasdaq: EWBC) is a top-performing commercial bank with a strong foundation, an enterprising spirit and a commitment to absolute integrity. East West Bank gives people the confidence to reach further.

Overview

The Senior Manager, International Operations is responsible for the strategic leadership, management, and oversight of the International Operations function, including Documentary Letters of Credit, Standby Letters of Credit, Documentary Collections, Financial Institutions, Supply Chain Finance, Trade Finance Credit Facilities, BSA-related requirements, and other international trade finance products.

This role is accountable for developing and executing operational strategies that support the Bank's international business objectives while ensuring operational excellence, regulatory compliance, sound risk management, and exceptional customer service. The Senior Manager serves as a key partner to Commercial Banking, International Banking, Relationship Managers, Credit Administration, Compliance, Risk Management, and executive leadership to support business growth and deliver effective trade finance solutions.

The position requires extensive expertise in international trade finance operations, transaction structuring, trade finance credit facilities, operational risk management, and regulatory requirements. The Senior Manager provides leadership in evaluating complex trade transactions, managing operational risks, identifying potential credit-related risks and exceptions within trade transactions for appropriate escalation and review, implementing strategic initiatives, and driving process improvements that enhance efficiency, scalability, and customer experience.

The successful candidate will possess strong leadership, strategic thinking, and decision-making capabilities, with the ability to influence stakeholders across multiple business functions and organizational levels while fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, operational excellence, and talent development.

Responsibilities

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the International Operations department, ensuring the accurate, timely, and efficient processing of international trade finance transactions and related operational activities.
• Lead, mentor, and develop managers, supervisors, and operational staff responsible for trade finance products, fostering a high-performing team focused on service excellence, operational integrity, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee the processing and administration of trade finance products, including import and export letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and related international banking services.
• Monitor departmental performance against established service level agreements (SLAs), key performance indicators (KPIs), productivity goals, and quality standards, implementing corrective actions as needed.
• Partner closely with Relationship Managers, Credit Supervision, Treasury Department, Compliance, Risk Management, and other internal stakeholders to support customer needs and facilitate the effective delivery of trade finance solutions.
• Review and approve trade finance transactions within delegated authority limits, ensuring compliance with customer agreements, approved credit facilities, Bank policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate complex transaction structures and documentation, providing guidance and recommendations to staff and business partners to ensure operational feasibility, risk mitigation, and adherence to established procedures.
• Serve as an escalation point for operational issues, transaction exceptions, documentation discrepancies, customer inquiries, and regulatory concerns requiring management review and resolution.
• Monitor trade transactions are processed in accordance with approved credit structures and risk parameters.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, Bank policies, and industry standards governing international trade finance activities, including UCP 600, ISP98, URC 522, and other relevant trade finance rules and practices.
• Maintain oversight of BSA/AML, OFAC sanctions screening, anti-boycott requirements, suspicious activity reporting, and other regulatory controls applicable to international trade transactions.
• Coordinate and support internal audits, regulatory examinations, compliance reviews, and risk assessments by providing documentation, responding to inquiries, and implementing corrective action plans when required.
• Identify operational risks, control gaps, and process inefficiencies, and implement enhancements to strengthen controls, improve operational effectiveness, and support scalable growth.
• Lead departmental process improvement initiatives, workflow automation efforts, system enhancements, and operational projects designed to improve transaction quality, efficiency, and customer experience.
• Develop, maintain, and update operational procedures, job aids, and training materials to ensure consistency, compliance, and adherence to established standards.
• Support workforce planning activities, including staffing, onboarding, employee development, succession planning, and performance management, to ensure adequate operational coverage and organizational readiness.
• Prepare and present departmental reports, operational metrics, risk indicators, and performance updates to senior management, highlighting trends, issues, and recommended actions.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, customer service, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and sound risk management throughout the department.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, International Business, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• CDCS (Certified Documentary Credit Specialist) certification preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of international trade finance, Cross-Border Banking, or trade operations experience.
• Minimum 5 years of progressive management experience leading trade finance or international operations teams.
• Extensive knowledge of international trade finance products, transaction structuring, trade processing, and operational risk management.
• Strong understanding of trade finance credit facilities, credit approval processes, collateral requirements, borrowing base methodologies, credit documentation, and trade-related lending structures.
• Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with Credit Administration, Relationship Management, and business units to evaluate, structure, approve, and administer complex trade finance transactions within approved credit facilities and risk parameters.
• Strong understanding of credit risk mitigation techniques related to international trade finance, including country risk, bank risk, counterparty risk, documentary risk, collateral management, and transaction risk assessment.
• Expert knowledge of ICC rules and international trade standards, including UCP 600, ISP98, URC 522, URDG 758, and other applicable trade finance practices.
• Thorough knowledge of U.S. banking regulations, BSA/AML requirements, OFAC regulations, anti-boycott requirements, and other compliance standards governing international banking and trade finance operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading strategic initiatives, process improvement programs, technology implementations, and organizational change efforts.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with the ability to manage complex operational, credit, and regulatory issues.
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership, communication, and organizational skills with the ability to effectively influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Bilingual English and Mandarin preferred.

Applicants must have legal authorization to work in the United States.  We do not offer visa sponsorship at this time.  

Compensation

The base pay range for this position is USD $150,000.00/Yr. - USD $180,000.00/Yr. Exact offers will be determined based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location.