VP - Back End Engineering (Bangalore/Chennai/Tianjin/Kuala Lumpur)

Job Summary: Lead a team of software engineers in the development of Java-based backend systems, overseeing technical standards, code quality, and team performance.

This role is based in India, China, or Malaysia, and the selected candidate will be responsible for managing a team of software engineers in the development of Java-based backend systems. The Chapter Lead Backend Development will oversee technical standards, code quality, and team performance, ensuring that the team delivers high-quality software solutions.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee the execution of functional standards and best practices, providing technical assistance to team members.
• Responsible for the quality of the code repository, maintaining exemplary coding standards within the team.
• Maintain a dual focus on leadership and hands-on development, committing code while steering the chapter's technical direction.
• Oversee Java backend development standards within the chapter, ensuring uniform excellence and adherence to best coding practices.
• Harmonize Java development methodologies across the squad, guiding the integration of innovative practices that align with the bank's engineering strategies.
• Advocate for the adoption of cutting-edge Java technologies and frameworks, driving the evolution of backend practices to meet future challenges.
• Act as a conduit for the wider domain strategy, ensuring technical standards are met.
• Prioritize and make available capacity for technical debt.
• This role is focused on capability building, not owning applications or delivery.
• Actively shape and drive towards the Bank-Wide engineering strategy and programmes to uplift standards and steer the technological direction towards excellence.
• Act as a custodian for Java backend expertise, providing strategic leadership to enhance skill sets and ensure the delivery of high-performance banking solutions.

Business:

• Experienced practitioner and hands-on contribution to the squad delivery for their craft (e.g., Engineering).
• Responsible for balancing skills and capabilities across teams (squads) and hives in partnership with the Chief Product Owner & Hive Leadership, and in alignment with the fixed capacity model.
• Responsible to evolve the craft towards improving automation, simplification, and innovative use of latest market trends.
• Collaborate with product owners and other tech leads to ensure applications meet functional requirements and strategic objectives.

Processes:

• Promote a feedback-rich environment, utilizing internal and external insights to continuously improve chapter operations.
• Adopt and embed the Change Delivery Standards throughout the lifecycle of the product/service.
• Ensure role, job descriptions, and expectations are clearly set and periodic feedback provided to the entire team.
• Follow the chapter operating model to ensure a system exists to continue to build capability and performance of the chapter.

People & Talent:

• Accountable for people management and capability development of their Chapter members.
• Reviews metrics on capabilities and performance across their area, has improvement backlog for their Chapters, and drives continual improvement of their chapter.
• Focuses on the development of people and capabilities as the highest priority.
• Responsible for effective capacity risk management across the Chapter with regards to attrition and leave plans.
• Ensures the chapter follows the standards with respect to risk management as applicable to their chapter domain.
• Adheres to common practices to mitigate risk in their respective domain.
• Design and uphold a robust risk management plan, with contingencies for succession and role continuity, especially in critical positions.

Governance:

• Ensure all artefacts and assurance deliverables are as per the required standards and policies (e.g., SCB Governance Standards, ESDLC etc.).

Regulatory & Business Conduct:

• Ensure a comprehensive understanding of and adherence to local banking laws, anti-money laundering regulations, and other compliance mandates.
• Conduct business activities with a commitment to legal and regulatory compliance, fostering an environment of trust and respect.

Key Stakeholders:

• Sub-domain Tech Lead
• Domain Architect
• Business Leads / Product owners

Other Responsibilities:

• Champion the company's broader mission and values, integrating them into daily operations and team ethos.
• Undertake additional responsibilities as necessary, ensuring they contribute to the organisation's strategic aims and adhere to Group and other Relevant policies.

Qualification:

Requirements & Skills:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field, with preference given to advanced degrees.
• 10 years of professional Java development experience, including a proven record in backend system architecture and API design.
• At least 5 years in a leadership role managing diverse development teams and spearheading complex Java projects.
• Proficiency in a range of Java frameworks such as Spring, Spring Boot, and Hibernate, and an understanding of Apache Struts.
• Proficient in Java, with solid expertise in core concepts like object-oriented programming, data structures, and complex algorithms.
• Knowledgeable in web technologies, able to work with RESTful APIs, JSON, and XML.
• Expert knowledge of relational databases such as Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and experience with NoSQL databases like MongoDB, Cassandra is a plus.
• Familiarity with DevOps tools and practices, including CI/CD pipeline deployment, containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes, and cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• Strong version control skills using tools like Git/Bitbucket with a commitment to maintaining high standards of code quality through reviews and automated tests.
• Exceptional communication and team-building skills, with the capacity to mentor developers, facilitate technical skill growth, and align team efforts with strategic objectives.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Role Specific Technical Competencies:

• Leadership in System Architecture
• CI/CD

About Standard Chartered:

We're an international bank, nimble enough to act, big enough for impact. For more than 170 years, we've worked to make a positive difference for our clients, communities, and each other. We question the status quo, love a challenge, and enjoy finding new opportunities to grow and do better than before.

Our purpose, to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, together with our brand promise, to be here for good, are achieved by how we each live our valued behaviours. When you work with us, you'll see how we value difference and advocate inclusion.

Together we:

• Do the right thing and are assertive, challenge one another, and live with integrity, while putting the client at the heart of what we do.
• Never settle, continuously striving to improve and innovate, keeping things simple and learning from doing well, and not so well.
• Are better together, we can be ourselves, be inclusive, see more good in others, and work collectively to build for the long term.

What we offer:

In line with our Fair Pay Charter, we offer a competitive salary and benefits to support your mental, physical, financial, and social wellbeing.

• Core bank funding for retirement savings, medical, and life insurance, with flexible and voluntary benefits available in some locations.
• Time-off, including annual leave, parental/maternity (20 weeks), sabbatical (12 months maximum), and volunteering leave (3 days), along with minimum global standards for annual and public holiday, which is combined to 30 days minimum.
• Flexible working options based around home and office locations, with flexible working patterns.
• Proactive wellbeing support through Unmind, a market-leading digital wellbeing platform, development courses for resilience and other human skills, global Employee Assistance Programme, sick leave, mental health first-aiders, and all sorts of self-help toolkits.
• A continuous learning culture to support your growth, with opportunities to reskill and upskill and access to physical, virtual, and digital learning.
• Being part of an inclusive and values-driven organisation, one that embraces and celebrates our unique diversity, across our teams, business functions, and geographies - everyone feels respected and can realise their full potential.