Executive Director - Head Anti-Financial Crime Assurance

About UOB

United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) is a leading bank in Asia with a global network of more than 500 branches and offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. In Asia, we operate through our head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, as well as branches and offices. Our history spans more than 80 years. Over this time, we have been guided by our values – Honorable, Enterprising, United and Committed. This means we always strive to do what is right, build for the future, work as one team and pursue long-term success. It is how we work, consistently, be it towards the company, our colleagues or our customers.

Job Description

• Lead robust Second Line AFC Assurance oversight over First Line activities through dynamic and defensible risk and hotspot analysis, a clear and evolving Assurance plan, and insightful, outcomes focused testing and assurance activities.
• Build strong peer and stakeholder partnerships across First Line, Third Line and key control functions to continuously sense emerging risks, incorporate feedback, and adapt Assurance priorities in a timely and risk responsive manner.
• Own and deliver AFC Assurance’s mandate as a credible authority, articulating priorities, insights and value with clarity and confidence to senior leaders, while leveraging data analytics and technology to enable full portfolio monitoring and hotspot identification.

Job Description

• Serve as a senior Second Line leader and representative for AFC Assurance in internal and external engagements, demonstrating deep subject‑matter expertise, sound judgement and thought leadership with senior business, control and governance stakeholders.
• Establish and maintain strong, constructive engagement with First Line and Third Line counterparts, ensuring effective challenge, alignment of assurance coverage, and clarity on roles, reliance and assurance outcomes.
• Champion stakeholder collaboration with quality control, quality assurance and audit peers, consciously leveraging and relying on First Line work where appropriate, and aligning on standards and measures of control effectiveness, including active participation in industry peer networks.
• Lead as a people manager and talent developer, providing clear direction, coaching and mentorship, building high‑performing teams, enhancing staff visibility and productivity, and fostering a culture of accountability, curiosity and continuous improvement.
• Act as the senior subject‑matter expert on AFC control effectiveness, owning and continuously enhancing the Second Line AFC Assurance methodology, including test approaches, scripts, materiality assessment and issue severity frameworks, benchmarked against industry best practice.
• Demonstrate strong interest or expertise in Behavioural Root Cause Analysis (BRCA), and drive its thoughtful integration into assurance activities to strengthen insight into control failures and sustainability of remediation.
• Drive robust, defensible and dynamic risk and hotspot analysis to inform Assurance planning, drawing on enterprise‑wide risk assessments (e.g. AML EWRA), audit and assurance outcomes, ongoing monitoring, regulatory focus areas, Matters Requiring Attention, and broader external developments.
• Lead the adoption and scaling of artificial intelligence and data analytics (AIDA) within AFC Assurance, delivering demonstrable improvements in coverage, efficiency and insight, and embedding analytics‑led outputs into risk assessment and hotspot identification.
• Engage credibly with senior First Line business and control owners to ensure effective design, prioritisation and execution of remediation plans arising from assurance findings, providing robust challenge and tracking sustainable closure.
• Articulate AFC Assurance insights, themes and emerging risks clearly to senior management and governance forums, translating complex issues into concise, decision‑useful narratives that influence action and strengthen the overall control environment.
• Leverage on Examination Management as inputs for hotspot analysis, control effectiveness review and assurance plan.

Quality/Qualifications Required

• Candidates with demonstratable subject matter expertise in financial crime will have an advantage.
• Candidates with demonstratable subject matter expertise in assurance or audit will have an advantage.
• Candidates with proven track record as senior staff of control functions such as compliance, audit and legal, will have an advantage.
• At least 15 years of experience in financial industry with a focus on financial crime compliance, assurance or audit.
• Good bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or equivalent qualifications.
• Good understanding of industry trends and developments, in the field of financial crime compliance, audit and assurance, or AIDA.
• Ability to present, engage and influence senior leadership in a professional setting.
• Impeccable integrity and proven performance track record to deliver outstanding work.
• Team player who believes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and who possesses drive, initiative, an eye for detail and ability to work independently under pressure.

Additional Requirements

Be a Part of the UOB Family

UOB is an equal opportunity employer. UOB does not discriminate on the basis of a candidate's age, race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or other non-merit factors. All employment decisions at UOB are based on business needs, job requirements and qualifications. If you require any assistance or accommodations to be made for the recruitment process, please inform us when you submit your online application.

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