Vice President-Trade Operations (FEMA)

COMPANY OVERVIEW

SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group. Headquartered in Tokyo and with a 400-year history, SMBC Group offers a diverse range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has more than 150 offices and 86,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG's shares trade on the Tokyo and Nagoya stock exchanges, and its ADRs trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: SMFG).

OUR VALUES

Integrity || Customer First || Proactive & Innovative || Speed & Quality || Team SMBC Group

Americas: https://www.smbcgroup.com/

EMEA: https://www.smbcgroup.com/emea/

APAC: https://www.smbc.co.jp/asia/

Tokyo: https://www.smfg.co.jp/english/

SECTION: PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

Lead key governance, regulatory compliance and transformation priorities for Trade Operations, with accountability for FEMA compliance on new deals, reduction of outstanding EDPMS/IDPMS entries, support for SWIFT releases relating to cross-border transactions, and delivery of regulatory and automation projects.

SECTION: JOB RESPONSIBILTIES:

Primary Responsibilities

(These are the key work activities to achieve the position objective. Limit this section to essential responsibilities.)

• Lead FEMA and regulatory compliance review for new trade and cross-border deals by partnering with Product and Sales teams, identifying operational and regulatory requirements, and ensuring that agreed controls and documentation are embedded before implementation.
• Drive reduction of outstanding EDPMS and IDPMS entries through ageing analysis, prioritised action plans, ownership tracking, escalation and close coordination with business teams and clients for document collection and closure.
• Support SWIFT release implementation for cross-border transactions by assessing operational impact, defining business requirements, coordinating testing and readiness, and supporting controlled production rollout and post-release stabilization.
• Lead regulatory change projects for Trade Operations, translating requirements into process, control and system changes; coordinating stakeholders; tracking dependencies and risks; and ensuring timely, audit-ready implementation.
• Drive automation and process-improvement initiatives across Trade Operations by identifying opportunities, defining target processes and control requirements, supporting solution design and testing, and monitoring realized outcomes.
• Strengthen the Trade Operations risk and control environment through periodic reviews, management information, issue remediation, procedure updates, staff guidance and timely escalation of material exceptions or delays.

Secondary Responsibilities

• Provide subject-matter input for policies, procedures, audits, regulatory reviews and management updates relating to Trade Operations.
• Represent Trade Operations in cross-functional working groups and support training / knowledge-sharing on regulatory, SWIFT and operational change topics.
• Support resolution of complex transaction or client escalations where regulatory interpretation, operational coordination or system change is required.

SECTION: KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong working knowledge of FEMA and the regulatory framework applicable to trade finance and cross-border transactions in India.
• Sound understanding of export / import transaction monitoring and closure processes, including EDPMS and IDPMS.
• Practical knowledge of SWIFT messages and release-change impacts relevant to cross-border trade transactions.
• Demonstrated experience in Trade Operations, regulatory implementation, process governance and operational risk / control management.
• Ability to assess new products or deal structures, identify operational and regulatory implications, and convert them into clear requirements and controls.
• Experience in business requirements, UAT, implementation readiness, issue management and stabilization for technology or automation projects.
• Strong stakeholder management, client coordination, analytical, problem-solving, written communication and escalation skills.
• Graduate degree in Finance, Commerce, Economics, Business or a related discipline. Relevant banking, trade finance or compliance qualification is desirable