Head of Operational Excellence

Royal Bank of Canada • Jersey City, NJ

2d

About The Position

What is the opportunity? The Head of LF&P Operational Excellence is accountable for owning and delivering rapid, high-impact execution across LF&P's most critical operational, liquidity, risk, and control challenges with the primary mandate around Risk, Incident Response & Operational Optimization. The office exists to stabilize incidents, execute fixes, automate root causes, and enforce governance, then transition outcomes back into the operating model. Functional Coverage: Liquidity & Funding Operations Collateral Management Payments and Clearing Nostro Reconciliations & Controls

Requirements

• A successful Head of LF&P : Thinks like a risk manager, executes like an operator, and communicates like a senior leader
• Anticipates regulatory and liquidity impacts before they materialize
• Balances standardization with regulatory nuance
• Drives automation without losing control discipline
• Commands credibility across Front Office, Risk, and regulators
• Minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience in Finance, Engineering, Science, Math or relevant work experience

Nice To Haves

• Strong knowledge of supporting systems used within Operations.
• Project management expertise

Responsibilities

• Own the execution governance framework for material operational and risk events
• Define and enforce activation criteria, severity classification, and escalation protocols
• Serve as the central intake point for cross-pillar execution issues involving liquidity or capital exposure, client or settlement risk, and regulatory or reputational sensitivity
• Establish clear decision rights, accountability, and execution ownership
• Maintain audit-ready documentation for all engagements
• Monitor live KPI dashboard across all pillars with real-time visibility
• Facilitate daily standup with all pillar leads to identify risks early
• Identify threshold breaches before they become crises
• Track escalations (P1–P4) and SLA compliance to ensure accountability
• Lead rapid response to high-severity incidents, including intraday liquidity stress, funding disruptions, collateral shortfalls, margin disputes, payments failures, settlement breaks, and control breaches
• Coordinate containment actions to protect clients, balance sheet, and liquidity buffers
• Perform rapid root cause analysis across process, data, systems, and governance
• Provide Crisis Mode execution: rapid incident response, pillar coordination, and escalation management
• Design and implement preventive and detective controls as part of remediation
• Partner with Operational Risk, Compliance, and Internal Audit to ensure accurate issue capture and severity assessment
• Assist in the execution of audit, MRA, MRAI, and regulatory remediation commitments
• Coordinate month-end GL close and manage regulatory filing calendar
• Conduct monthly stress testing and scenario planning to anticipate risks
• Maintain prioritized execution backlog aligned to risk-weighted impact
• Identify systemic execution weaknesses requiring structural change
• Identify recurring execution failures driven by manual, fragmented, or spreadsheet-based processes
• Own delivery of automation and digitization solutions including cash positioning, reconciliation workflows, collateral processing, and incident tracking dashboards
• Ensure automation solutions are scalable, controlled, auditable, and strategically aligned
• Quantify benefits in terms of risk reduction, capital efficiency, and cost savings
• Mobilize temporary execution teams across Operations, Technology, Risk, Finance, and Front Office
• Resolve ownership gaps and competing priorities during execution events
• Serve as the execution bridge between strategy, technology delivery, and operations
• Ensure clean handoff back to BAU with sustained ownership and controls
• Provide concise, decision-oriented updates to senior leadership
• Reduce recurring incidents through disciplined governance and automation

Benefits

• We thrive on the challenge to be our best, progressive thinking to keep growing, and working together to deliver trusted advice to help our clients thrive and communities prosper.
• We care about each other, reaching our potential, making a difference to our communities, and achieving success that is mutual.
• A comprehensive Total Rewards Program include competitive compensation and flexible benefits, such as 401(k) program with company-matching contributions, health, dental, vision, life, disability insurance, and paid-time off.
• Leaders who support your development through coaching and managing opportunities.
• Ability to make a difference and lasting impact.
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team.
• Opportunities to do challenging work.
• Opportunities to build close relationships with clients.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level