Head of Transfer Agency NFR

Some careers have more impact than others.

If you’re looking for a career where you can make a real impression, join HSBC and discover how valued you’ll be. Whether you want a career that could take you to the top, or simply take you in an exciting new direction, HSBC offers opportunities, support and rewards that will take you further.

Global Markets is part of our HSBC Corporate and Institutional Banking division, a markets-led, financing-focused business that provides investment and financial solutions. Our Markets business is one of the largest of its kind in the world. It combines sophisticated 24-hour global coverage with a detailed knowledge of local markets. Our services are offered both online and offline in 58 countries and territories. We specialise in foreign exchange, credits and rates, structured derivatives, equities and debt, equity and equity-linked capital markets.

We are currently seeking a high calibre professional to join our Hong Kong business as Head of Transfer Agency NFR.

HSBC Market & Securities Services (MSS) provides integrated trading, financing, securities services and research, acting as a trusted partner to help clients navigate challenges whilst anticipating growth and innovation opportunities.  Our deep insights and expertise enable Institutional, Corporate and Wealth clients to act decisively in global markets.

MSS Operations plays a vital role in supporting the entire life cycle of financial transactions.  Our services encompass trade capture, confirmation, settlement, asset servicing, collateral management and regulatory reporting across all asset classes in MSS.  Committed to ensuring accuracy, timeliness and compliance in all operational activities, we enable the business to function effectively and efficiently, maintaining control and resilience as we scale our operations.  Our focus on operational excellence helps drive success across the organization.  Embedded in and aligned to the business, MSS Operations is a 7000+ workforce with a presence across 41 markets.

Role Purpose:

This role will be accountable for the leadership, management and delivery of the Non Financial Risk capability supporting Securities Services Transfer Agency Operations globally, including risk strategy & culture. The role holder will be responsible for implementing strong risk management processes and frameworks, proactively supporting the Operations business line within risk appetite.

The role holder will lead their global function delivering exceptional overall governance, mobilization and management of a robust and effective control framework across a diverse Operations team, with a global footprint.  Working within the governance framework the role holder must support their business line to provide clear sight of emerging risks and incident trends across their function, resulting in proactive and timely responses.

The role holder will work closely with MSS Operations SLT, Securities Services business and colleagues in the MSS NFR team to maintain a forward-looking function and will support their business line across various front-to -back risk governance forums. 

The role-holder will need to be deeply connected with the teams, understanding the challenges across the SSV Operations function and will strongly lead improvements to the global process environment in an ambitious and agile manner, ensuring progression to a more standard, sustainable and optimized way of delivering operational processes.  They will strengthen controls and HSBC’s ability to achieve cost efficiencies in line with market, client demand and service expectations.

The role holder will proactively engage with the 2LoD and 3LoD teams, acting as the key interface to SSV Operations with respect to their product remit, and will support Operations management in setting strategy and direction for remediation of high-risk findings to ensure similar risk issues are proactively mitigated.

The ability to influence senior stakeholders and challenge processes and polices within their business line is critical for this role, along with role model leadership skills to support and enhance the speak up culture.

Governance and Committee Memberships (membership of ExCos, Risk Management Meeting)

The successful role holder will also occupy a seat at both the MSS Ops NFR Leadership team and be part of the various Senior Leadership Governance forums. In this role they will be expected to work with colleagues across the NFR teams [Front Office, PC, Risk, IT] to drive consistent risk management across the whole of MSS.

Accountabilities for Business, Customers and Stakeholders

Management of Risk (Operational Risk / FIM requirements)

• All activities to be undertaken in accordance with the Operational Risk Management Framework (ORMF).
• The jobholder will continually reassess the operational risks associated with the MSS businesses, taking account of changing economic or market conditions, legal and regulatory requirements, operating procedures and practices, management restructuring, and the impact of new technology. This will be achieved by ensuring all actions take account of the likelihood of operational risk occurring and addressing any areas of concern with the appropriate persons and/or department in line with risk appetite.

Observation of Internal Controls (Compliance Policy / FIM requirements)

• The role holder will adhere to, and be able to demonstrate adherence to, internal controls and will implement the Group compliance policy by adhering to all relevant processes/procedures
• The jobholder will implement the Group compliance policy by adhering to all relevant processes/procedures. The term ‘compliance’ embraces all relevant financial services laws, rules and codes with which the business has to comply. This will be achieved by adherence to all relevant procedures, keeping appropriate records and, where appropriate, by the timely implementation of internal and external audit points, including issues raised by external regulators. Through the implementation the Global AML, Sanctions and ABC Policies, supporting Guidance, and Line of Business Procedures the jobholder will make informed decisions in accordance with the core principles of HSBC's Financial Crime Risk Appetite

Operational Effectiveness & Control

Risk and control framework ownership

• Own and continuously improve the Operations control environment: control design, control execution quality, control testing/assurance readiness, and evidence standards.
• Drive consistent application of risk and control assessments (e.g., RCSA/ICAs where applicable), ensuring risks are identified, assessed, and treated within appetite.
• Ensure issues are logged, prioritised, remediated and validated with clear ownership, timelines, and sustainable fixes.
• All activities to be undertaken in accordance with, and with demonstrable adherence to, the HSBC Risk Management Framework (RMF), internal controls Group policies.

Typical Targets and Measures

• RCSA completion: 100% of in-scope assessments completed by deadline
• Control coverage: 100% of critical processes mapped to key risks and key controls
• Control failures: Reduce repeat control failures by ≥20% YoY; 0 repeat failures for the same root cause without documented design change.
• Thematic control uplift: Deliver 2–4 thematic control improvements per year (e.g., reconciliations, access, maker-checker, exception management) with measured reduction in incidents/defects.

Issue management and remediation delivery

• Lead end‑to‑end management of NFR issues (audit, regulatory, internal assurance, control failures), including root cause analysis and remediation plans.
• Establish strong governance for tracking, reporting, and escalation; ensure timely closure and prevention of recurrence.
• Challenge remediation quality and ensure outcomes are measurable and embedded into BAU.
• Strengthen operational resilience across MSS Operations: mapping critical services/processes, identifying vulnerabilities, and improving recovery capabilities.
• Oversee business continuity planning, scenario testing, and lessons‑learned actions in partnership with relevant resilience teams.

Typical Targets and Measures

• 0 overdue high/critical issues (or ≤ agreed tolerance with CRO sign-off).
• 100% of issues closed by original due date
• Time to remediate: Median time from issue identification to closure reduced by ≥15% YoY.
• Root cause quality: 100% of high/critical issues have documented RCA using an agreed methodology (5 Whys/Fishbone) and include preventive controls.
• Validation quality: ≥ 95% first-time pass rate on validation/closure testing (audit/2LoD/QA).
• Repeat findings: 0 repeat audit findings in the same theme within 12 months (or reduce repeats by ≥50% YoY if starting point is high).
• Scenario testing: Minimum 2 resilience exercises per year (incl. one cross-location), with 100% of lessons learned tracked and ≥ 90% closed within 60 days.
• BCP compliance: 100% of BCPs reviewed/attested annually; ≥95% of teams complete required BCP tests on schedule.
• Disruption outcomes: Reduce severity-1/2 operational disruptions impacting clients/markets by ≥10–20% YoY (or maintain at “low” with no material client harm).

Data, MI and reporting

• Build and maintain high‑quality NFR MI: KRIs/KPIs, control performance, issue ageing, thematic insights, and forward‑looking risk indicators.
• Provide clear, concise reporting to MSS Operations leadership, risk forums, and governance committees; drive action from insights.

Typical Targets and Measures

• MI timeliness: 100% of agreed MI packs delivered on schedule (e.g., monthly by BD+3); 0 late submissions without escalation.
• KRI effectiveness: Maintain a KRI suite with thresholds and owners; KRIs have defined triggers and action playbooks; 100% of breaches have action plans

Customer / Stakeholders

Client outcomes, service quality and harm prevention

• Ensure MSS Operations NFR activity measurably improves customer outcomes by preventing client harm, reducing service disruption, and strengthening end-to-end controls that protect clients, markets integrity and the bank’s reputation.
• Embed “customer impact” into risk decisions, issue prioritisation, and change governance

Targets

• Client-impacting incidents: Reduce client-impacting operational incidents (e.g., failed/late processing, incorrect processing, breaks causing client impact) by ≥15% YoY (or agree a baseline-to-target trajectory).
• 100% of complaints/escalations with an Operations root cause have RCA completed within 10 business days.
• Implement fixes for top themes, delivering ≥20% YoY reduction in repeat complaint drivers (Ops-attributable).
• Customer impact assessment in governance: 100% of high/critical issues and all material changes include a documented customer impact assessment (who is impacted, how, severity, mitigations) before approval/closure.
• Proactive customer protection: Deliver 2–3 customer-outcome-focused control enhancements per year (e.g., strengthened exception handling, improved reconciliations, better cut-off controls), with measured reduction in client-impacting errors/incidents.

Strategy & Transformation

• Third party and change risk oversight
• Provide NFR oversight for vendor/third party arrangements impacting Operations, ensuring appropriate due diligence, ongoing monitoring, and control coverage.
• Embed NFR into change delivery (process, technology, location strategy), ensuring risks are assessed early and controls are designed into solutions (“secure and controlled by design”).

Targets

• Third‑party reviews: 100% of in-scope vendors have completed due diligence/periodic reviews on time; 0 critical vendors with expired risk assessments.
• Third‑party issues: 100% of vendor-related issues closed by due date
• Change gating: 100% of material changes (process/tech/location) complete NFR assessment and control sign-off before go-live; 0 go-lives with unresolved “must-fix” NFR items.
• Loss/incident reduction from change: Reduce change-related incidents by ≥15% YoY (or maintain below agreed threshold).

Leadership & Teamwork 

Principal Accountabilities:  Key activities and decision making areas

NFR strategy, governance and leadership

• Act as a senior NFR leader for Operations, partnering with 1LoD/2LoD stakeholders to drive consistent risk outcomes across regions.
• Provide leadership, coaching and performance management for a globally distributed team; build succession and capability plans.

Typical Targets and Measures

• Governance cadence: 100% of planned monthly/quarterly NFR forums delivered
• Action closure discipline: actions closed by due date; 0 actions > 30 days overdue without documented escalation/extension.
• Risk appetite alignment: material risks have documented linkage to appetite/standards and agreed treatment plan; High/Very High risks have an approved remediation path and owner.
• Leadership effectiveness: Annual engagement score for the NFR team at/above function benchmark; regretted attrition <5% (or agreed threshold).
• Capability uplift: 100% of team completes agreed annual learning plan; succession cover identified for 100% of critical roles.

Culture, conduct and capability

• Promote a strong risk culture: speak up, learning from incidents, and accountability for controls.

• Drive training and capability uplift across Operations (control owners, process owners, change teams), improving first time right execution and communication across MSS, CIB, and other group functions

Typical Targets and Measures

• Mandatory training: 100% completion on time for mandatory risk/compliance training across the NFR team; ≥ 98% across supported Ops population (or agreed target).
• Control owner enablement: Deliver training/clinics for control owners; ≥ 80% attendance for targeted populations; measurable improvement in evidence quality/first-time pass rate.
• Speak-up and learning: 100% of material incidents have lessons learned shared within 10 business days of closure; track adoption
• Conduct outcomes: 0 substantiated conduct breaches within the NFR team; prompt escalation and documented management actions for any concerns.
• Talent progression: internal mobility/promotion readiness for identified successors; development plans in place for 100% of direct reports.

Functional Knowledge

Success measures (what “good” looks like)

• Improved control effectiveness and reduced repeat issues; sustained closure of high‑severity findings across the global Securities Services Operations footprint in scope.
• Strong audit and assurance outcomes; demonstrable readiness and evidence quality with reduced adverse findings and improved first-time validation/closure rates.
• Timely, high‑quality remediation delivery with clear root cause elimination and sustained BAU embedment evidenced through control performance and incident reduction.
• Mature, consistent NFR governance and MI across regions; proactive risk identification with clear risk appetite alignment, early warning indicators, and effective escalation/decisioning.
• Improved resilience outcomes (testing results, recovery readiness, reduced disruption impact) for critical services, including demonstrable improvements in recoverability and client/market impact reduction.
• High engagement and capability growth within the NFR team and broader Operations community including succession planning, talent development, and measurable uplift in risk capability.

People leadership responsibilities

• Lead a globally distributed team; set clear objectives, role clarity, and development plans aligned to the MSS Operations and NFR strategy.
• Build an inclusive, high‑performance culture aligned to HSBC values (“We Value Difference”, “We Succeed Together”, “We Take Responsibility”, “We Get It Done”) and role model speak-up, constructive challenge, and ethical decision-making.
• Ensure effective location strategy and coverage model across time zones; manage capacity and prioritisation to deliver against agreed risk priorities, regulatory commitments, and assurance plans.
• Set the operating model for the NFR capability (ways of working, governance cadence, standards, and quality controls) and hold teams accountable for consistent execution.

Essential experience and capabilities

• Significant leadership experience in Operations NFR/Operational Risk/Controls within a large financial institution with accountability for global frameworks, governance, and outcomes.
• Strong understanding of risk and control frameworks, issue management, and assurance/audit practices including risk appetite, control design standards, and assurance/validation methodologies.
• Proven ability to lead global teams and influence senior stakeholders in a matrix environment including ExCo/MD-level stakeholders where required, and to drive decisions through governance forums.
• Track record of delivering sustainable remediation and control uplift at pace across complex, multi-site operations with material regulatory and client impact.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to translate complex risk topics into clear executive actions and strategic priorities, balancing risk reduction, client outcomes, and cost efficiency.
• Experience partnering with 2LoD and Internal Audit; confident in challenge and constructive escalation including leading responses to high-severity findings and ensuring timely, sustainable closure.
• Demonstrated ability to set strategy/roadmap for remit, define priorities, and secure resources to deliver outcomes.

Desirable experience

• Experience in MSS, specifically Transfer Agency or similar high‑volume, time‑critical operational environments.
• Exposure to operational resilience programmes and third‑party/outsourcing risk.
• Experience supporting regulatory engagements and responding to supervisory feedback including leading end-to-end coordination of responses, commitments, and ongoing supervisory action tracking.
• Familiarity with process re‑engineering, automation, and embedding controls into change, including influencing change portfolios to embed “controls by design”.

Qualifications

• Relevant degree or equivalent experience.
• Professional risk qualifications desirable.

Working pattern and travel

• Based in Hong Kong with regular engagement across global time zones.
• Occasional travel may be required depending on stakeholder needs

Role Attributes

Experience

Broad and comprehensive understanding of concepts and principles within multiple disciplines or a fast changing discipline.

Business / Commercial knowledge

The role requires a comprehensive understanding of several value units / products / regions / legal entities, alongside an advanced understanding of the industry and the relative positioning of the HSBC's products and services.

Leadership

Management responsibility of multiple teams, through subordinate managers, with accountability for independent budgets

Problem Solving

Covers a wide range of activities that require complex judgements based on advanced analytical thought. Problems often require an innovative approach, based on extensive research

Innovation

Develops new and adapts existing processes for increased quality and efficiency whilst encouraging others to seek new ideas/solutions to day to day problems.

Accountability / decision making

Latitude to make decisions outside of established procedures but within a policy framework.  Broad guidelines are available.  Role implements strategy set by others.

Strategic Responsibility

Creates business plans for own teams and expected to contribute into value unit / region / product / legal entity strategy.

Communication

The role holder must possess a high level of sensitivity to the audience, be able to modify the beliefs and opinions of others, and negotiate with significant latitude for the final outcome.

The role requires the ability to negotiate and influence within their team with a high level of influence.

Opening up a world of opportunity
http://www.hsbc.com/careers

HSBC is committed to building a culture where all employees are valued, respected and opinions count. We take pride in providing a workplace that fosters continuous professional development, flexible working and opportunities to grow within an inclusive and diverse environment. Personal data held by the Bank relating to employment applications will be used in accordance with our Privacy Statement, which is available on our website.

Issued by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited