Dir, Senior Program Manager/Change Lead, Quantitative Strategies & Data Group

Job Description:

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced program manager to join the Quantitative Strategies and Data Group (QSDG) at Bank of America, reporting directly to the group’s COO. This is a senior change role within a market leading global team of 400+ quants, strats and data scientists who provide analytics and models to the Sales and Trading divisions of the bank across all asset classes.

The QSDG COO team leads the execution of projects to deliver new products and capabilities for Global Markets, and is central to numerous complex, business critical deliveries spanning Trading, Finance and Risk. These include regulatory programs such as FRTB, Benchmark Rate reform and Full Revaluation VaR; business transformation programs such as the newly initiated Strategic Risk and PnL program which aims to completely replace Global Markets’ current Risk and PnL infrastructure; and desk facing projects in areas such as electronic trading, curve marking, hardware optimization and emerging AI/ML technologies. An experienced program manager is required to provide additional capacity to support this growing book of work.

This is a hands on, multi-disciplinary role that will require the successful candidate to take on numerous diverse responsibilities including:

• Leading the execution of high priority/value/complexity projects, focused on cross-LOB and cross-function programs, from problem definition through to implementation and realization of benefits.
• Defining the strategic vision for new products and business capabilities.
• Documenting business requirements and leading creation of project plans.
• Operating as an agent for change, identifying opportunities to improve existing products and processes.
• Seeking opportunities to maximize value of deliveries through prioritization of requirements and management of project risks.
• Ownership of business issues, coordinating with partners including Trading, Risk, Risk Quants, Technology, Model Risk Management and Operations to drive resolution.
• Management of regulatory exams and issues, audit engagements, and compliance with regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Leading management routines and liaise with executive stakeholders across functions.
• Articulating QSDG strategy in management presentations, offsites, townhalls and regulatory communications.
• Deputizing for the QSDG COO and Co-Heads of QSDG when required, such as to chair Steering Committees and lead regulatory exams.
• Ability to serve as both delivery lead and business sponsor for Global Markets on cross-functional programs.

The position is aimed at someone with a strong business focused project or change management background, ideally in the areas of risk or capital, but may also suit someone with a more analytical or technical background and experience in delivering large scale technology projects.

The person taking on this role will be a self-starter, capable of working independently with minimal supervision. This is a hands-on role and the ability to bridge the gap between business requirements and technical delivery is vital, as is the ability to manage a diverse and senior group of stakeholders.

Essential skills

• Proven track record leading large-scale business change and/or technology programs.
• Experience leading audit and regulatory engagements.
• Experience in strategic planning and execution, including creation of multi-year, cross-functional project plans and development of business requirement documents.
• The ability to communicate effectively within a multi-disciplined team, across multiple locations and time zones, and to interact with demanding individuals.
• Experience in the financial services industry, working closely with quants, traders and risk managers.
• Experience driving conversations between executive level stakeholders.
• A flexible, hardworking and "can do" attitude, comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with frequent deliveries and rapidly changing priorities.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to present complex ideas clearly.

Desirable skills

• Capital, Market Risk, Counterparty Credit Risk, and/or CVA knowledge.
• Strong financial markets product knowledge (any asset class).
• Exposure to financial / product control functions within a bank.
• Experience with model risk management processes.
• Practical experience of testing and quality assurance.
• Exposure to Agile methodologies; experience in an Agile Project Management / Scrum Master role and of coaching Agile teams.
• Excellent Excel skills including basic VBA.
• Experience of analysing and validating large volumes of numerical data.
• Degree in Fin