Vice President, HR Risk & Compliance

Headquartered in Tokyo, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) is a leading global financial institution and a core member of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMBC Group). Built upon our rich Japanese heritage since 1876, we put our customers first and provide seamless access to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. SMBC is one of the largest Japanese banks by assets and maintain strong credit ratings across our global integrated network. We work closely as one SMBC Group to offer personal, corporate and investment banking services to meet the needs of our customers.

With sustainability embedded within our strategy and operations, we are committed to creating a society in which today’s generation can enjoy economic prosperity and well-being, and pass it on to future generations.

Job Summary

This is a key role within the HR function, responsible for managing the APAC HR Risk and Compliance agenda. This includes governance, control assurance, regulatory compliance, audit readiness, business continuity planning, risk reporting, and incident remediation . The role will manage for Singapore and provide oversight across APAC, partner with senior HR stakeholders, strengthen HR risk controls, and drive sustainable improvements in HR risk and compliance practices.

This role will reports into the Executive Director, Head of HR Operations, Change & Risk Management, APAC.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the APAC HR Risk & Compliance framework, setting direction across risk identification, control design, monitoring, mitigation, reporting, and assurance activities.
• Own and drive the HR risk register and related action plans, ensuring key risks are clearly articulated, tracked, escalated, and remediated in a timely manner.
• Provide oversight of governance and compliance assurance activities across HR, including legal, regulatory, statutory, and internal policy obligations.
• Manage for Singapore and provide oversight across APAC on HR incident management, audit, inspection, and remediation activities, including audit preparation, evidence coordination, quality assurance over corrective actions, and control enhancements.
• Partner with country HR teams, Compliance, Legal, Risk and Internal Audit, to ensure consistent risk and compliance practices across APAC.
• Lead the development of HR compliance communications, training, and awareness initiatives to strengthen risk culture within HR.
• Lead HR business continuity planning and operational resilience activities, including coordination of BCP documentation, testing, scenario planning, issue remediation, and alignment with regional and local requirements.
• Drive process standardisation, control uplift, and continuous improvement across HR risk and compliance activities.
• Work with Compliance and Control Functions on Risk, Compliance & Conduct Incidences (RCCI) framework and reporting to stakeholders.

Job Requirements & Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in HR, HR Risk & Compliance, HR Operations, governance, audit, regulatory compliance, or operational risk management.
• Strong understanding of HR regulatory and compliance obligations, preferably within banking or financial services. Ability to interpret the relevant regulatory, operational and risk requirements into sustainable HR processes and controls.
• Experience managing regional or cross-country risk, compliance, governance, or control-related initiatives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex issues clearly to employees at all levels.
• Proven track record in driving continuous improvement, standardisation, and sustainable control enhancements.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement to influence decision making across Head of Departments within the APAC region.
• High attention to detail, sound judgment, and ability to operate effectively in a matrix organisation.