Executive Director - Strategic Client Engagement

The Opportunity:

The Executive Director, Strategic Client Engagement provides senior executive engagement and regional sponsorship for Rimes' most complex and strategically significant client transformation programmes in APAC. Working alongside the accountable Delivery Director and the Global Programme Director, the role strengthens executive relationships, supports strategic alignment, and helps ensure that the onsite delivery team can rapidly access the expertise, decisions, and organisational support required for successful outcomes.

The role will provide sustained senior executive presence on strategically important client relationships in Singapore and help develop a repeatable executive engagement model for future strategic programmes across Rimes' largest APAC clients. It is intended to complement, rather than duplicate or supersede, established programme and delivery accountabilities.

The Strategic Client Delivery Partner will work directly with client executives, programme sponsors, and Rimes senior leadership, while partnering closely with the accountable Delivery Director, Global Programme Director, and teams across Product, Technology, Data, Professional Services, Operations, and Client Experience. The role is accountable for strengthening executive confidence, facilitating strategic alignment, supporting sensitive escalations, and removing organisational barriers. It does not own day-to-day delivery, the integrated programme plan, detailed workstream execution, or line management of the local delivery team.

Key Responsibilities:  

Strategic Client Leadership 

• Provide visible, senior executive sponsorship for strategic client programmes in APAC, in partnership with the accountable Delivery Director and Global Programme Director.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with client executive sponsors and senior stakeholders, while reinforcing the Delivery Director as the accountable leader for local delivery and the day-to-day client relationship.
• Participate in and, where agreed, facilitate executive governance forums, strategic reviews, and sensitive stakeholder discussions without displacing established programme governance ownership.
• Provide senior-level support for sensitive escalations and help mobilise timely decisions, expertise, and organisational support.
• Support alignment between client business objectives, programme outcomes, and Rimes leadership priorities.

Strategic Delivery Enablement

• Provide an independent executive perspective on programme health and client confidence, without assuming ownership of individual workstreams or the integrated programme plan.
• Partner with the Global Programme Director, accountable Delivery Director, and workstream leads to identify and remove cross-functional barriers to delivery.
• Support the accountable programme and delivery leaders in securing timely decisions and organisational commitments against agreed objectives, milestones, dependencies, risks, and success measures.
• Constructively challenge strategic assumptions and surface risks that could affect client confidence or business outcomes.
• Maintain an executive view of programme health and sponsor timely intervention through the established governance structure where required.

Executive Communication & Sponsorship

• Support concise, consistent executive communication to client and Rimes leadership, aligned with the accountable programme and delivery leaders.
• Reinforce established programme governance and support executive escalations, risk reviews, and steering discussions where senior regional sponsorship adds value.
• Promote transparency of programme performance, delivery risks, financial implications, and dependencies through the agreed governance and reporting model.
• Help codify effective executive engagement practices for future strategic client programmes in APAC.

Commercial & Relationship Management

• Protect and strengthen strategic client relationships during complex transformation initiatives, in partnership with Client Experience and the accountable Delivery Director.
• Partner with Client Experience, Sales, Executive Leadership, and delivery leadership to maximise long-term client value.
• Support executive discussions relating to strategic priorities, funding, commercial considerations, and future opportunities. Scope, dates, and solution commitments remain subject to the established programme governance and accountable owners.
• Act as a senior regional sponsor for escalated relationship or organisational concerns, working with the accountable Delivery Director and Global Programme Director.

Global Organisational Alignment

• Facilitate effective engagement between the Singapore-based delivery organisation and globally distributed teams across multiple regions and time zones.
• Help the accountable delivery and programme leaders secure alignment, expertise, and decisions across Product Engineering, Data Management, Operations, Professional Services, and Client Experience.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and delivery excellence while respecting established functional and programme accountabilities.
• Support development of a repeatable executive engagement and regional sponsorship model for strategic client programmes across the Rimes portfolio.

Core Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Technology, Engineering, or a related field.
• 15+ years' experience in senior client, programme, transformation, or executive sponsorship roles within complex global environments.
• Significant experience delivering large-scale technology, data, or operating model change programmes within Capital Markets, Asset Management, Wealth Management, or Financial Services.
• Proven track record managing executive stakeholder relationships within Tier 1 financial institutions.
• Experience engaging credibly with executive stakeholders on high-value programmes involving multiple delivery streams, while operating effectively within clearly defined programme and delivery accountabilities.
• Strong understanding of data management, enterprise data platforms, market data operations, investment management, and financial technology environments.
• Exceptional executive communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated success influencing globally distributed teams and navigating complex multi-vendor environments without relying solely on direct line authority.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to balance client outcomes with business objectives.

Preferred Experience: 

• Experience working directly with sovereign wealth funds, global asset managers, pension funds, custodians, or investment service providers.
• Knowledge of Databricks, cloud-based data architectures, and enterprise data transformation programmes.
• Experience working within and strengthening governance for large-scale technology modernisation initiatives.
• Formal programme management qualifications (PMP, MSP, PMP, Prince2, or equivalent).