Assistant Vice President - Innovation

About QNB Group

Established in 1964, QNB Group is the first Qatari-owned commercial bank and has grown to become the largest bank in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. With a presence in over 31 countries across three continents, QNB Group serves approximately 20 million customers through more than 1000 locations and 4,300 ATMs, employing over 28,000 individuals. The bank is recognized for its strong financial performance, consistently receiving high ratings from major credit agencies like Standard & Poor’s (A), Moody’s (Aa3), and Fitch (A+). QNB is also distinguished as the most valuable bank brand in the MEA region, according to Brand Finance Magazine. The Group actively supports its community through various social, educational, and sporting initiatives.

Job Purpose Summary

The Assistant Vice President - Innovation will support the SVP/VP Innovation in fostering a cultural shift towards innovation within the organization, focusing on dedicated strategic innovation themes. This role involves managing and overseeing all innovation initiatives to ensure their timely and budget-compliant implementation, while also developing and maintaining tracking metrics for stakeholder reporting. The incumbent will be responsible for actively managing and updating the established innovation ecosystem.

Responsibilities

• Assist the SVP/VP Innovation in driving cultural change and managing strategic innovation themes.
• Oversee and monitor all innovation initiatives, ensuring they are completed within defined timelines, budgets, and requirements.
• Develop, implement, and manage tracking metrics for regular reporting on project, initiative, and program levels to core stakeholders.
• Actively maintain and update the established innovation ecosystem.
• Foster strong working relationships across business units and international branches of QNB Group.
• Identify, explore, and validate strategic innovation themes such as AI/ML, API/Open Banking, Platforms, Marketplaces, Robotics, and Automation.
• Conduct post-mortems on completed innovation initiatives to assess value creation.
• Assist departments in identifying, analyzing, and monitoring external innovation trends.
• Promote cost consciousness, efficiency, and productivity to minimize waste and optimize benefits for the bank.
• Support the SVP/VP Innovation in executing the innovation agenda and fostering a bottom-up innovation culture.
• Lead process improvement projects in collaboration with business and support divisions.
• Organize and manage innovation-related activities like innovation days, hackathons, and innovation labs.
• Provide regular updates to Executive Management on global innovation trends and the status of QNB's innovation initiatives.
• Act as a coach and content owner for Innovation Learning and Development resources for QNB employees.
• Coordinate the execution of group-wide innovation initiatives and manage the innovation project portfolio.
• Apply advanced project management and portfolio management skills, adhering to industry best practices and standards.
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of Lean and Process Management principles.
• Proactively identify areas for professional development and pursue continuous learning.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from a top-tier university or equivalent qualification.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in change management and senior advisory roles within the financial services sector.
• Demonstrated success in innovation, preferably within a global financial services institution.
• Proven experience as a change leader, motivator, and driver of cultural transformation in large, complex organizations.
• Substantial management experience with a track record of successfully driving senior management agendas.
• Evidence of career progression and experience in establishing new functions.
• Comprehensive knowledge of major banking business and support functions.
• Strong project management fundamentals and expertise in project portfolio management methodologies, techniques, and tools.
• Basic understanding of banking processes, regulations, and operating practices.

Additional Information

Candidates will be required to submit the following documents:

• Resume/CV
• Copy of Passport or QID
• Copy of Highest Education Certificate