Associate Vice President, IT Project Governance/Enablement and Tokyo Head Office Liaison (Bilingual Japanese/English)

Do you want your voice heard and your actions to count?

Discover your opportunity with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), one of the world’s leading financial groups. Across the globe, we’re 150,000 colleagues, striving to make a difference for every client, organization, and community we serve. We stand for our values, building long-term relationships, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world.

With a vision to be the world’s most trusted financial group, it’s part of our culture to put people first, listen to new and diverse ideas and collaborate toward greater innovation, speed and agility. This means investing in talent, technologies, and tools that empower you to own your career.

Join MUFG, where being inspired is expected and making a meaningful impact is rewarded.

The selected colleague will work at an MUFG office or client sites four days per week and work remotely one day. A member of our recruitment team will provide more details.

Overview:

This role plays a critical part in ensuring successful delivery of IT projects by reviewing and validating project funding/drawdown requests, providing strategic guidance to project teams, and safeguarding adherence to corporate governance standards. The position requires a strong ability to assess project feasibility, optimize costs, identify risks, and ensure comprehensive documentation for decision-making.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Funding & Governance:

• Review and validate funding/drawdown requests submitted by project teams for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with corporate governance policies.
• Prepare and package funding requests for expedited approvals, including summarizing key details and updating cost plans.
• Coordinate with Tokyo Home Office and other stakeholders to secure timely approvals.

Project Advisory & Enablement:

• Consult with project teams to recommend effective strategies for project execution, balancing cost, schedule, and scope considerations.
• Provide expert guidance on risk mitigation and resolution of complex project challenges.
• Ensure alignment with organizational standards and regulatory requirements throughout the project lifecycle.

Tools & Methodologies:

• Support teams in leveraging project management tools such as PlanView, MS Project, and other relevant platforms.
• Promote best practices in Waterfall and Agile methodologies, ensuring teams apply the right approach for each initiative.

Risk & Quality Management:

• Identify potential risks early and develop mitigation strategies to safeguard project outcomes.
• Validate that project documentation includes sufficient detail for informed decision-making and audit readiness.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Bilingual (Japanese/English)
• Minimum 3+ years of experience managing IT projects, with a strong understanding of governance and compliance frameworks. Financial industry experience is preferred.
• Proven track record of working in Japanese corporate environments and facilitating collaboration between Japan and U.S. organizations, including effective conflict resolution and stakeholder alignment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead discussions, resolve complex issues, and influence stakeholders across global teams.
• Strong understanding of IT project governance frameworks, financial controls, and compliance requirements.
• Proficiency in project management tools such as PlanView, MS Project and familiarity with portfolio management processes.
• Solid knowledge of Waterfall and Agile methodologies; ability to guide teams in hybrid environments.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills to influence stakeholders and resolve complex issues.
• Ability to work collaboratively across global teams and coordinate with senior leadership for approvals.

Preferred Experience:

• Background in IT project management, PMO, or project governance roles. (PMP holder is preferred.)
• Experience in cost optimization, risk assessment, and project feasibility analysis.
• Exposure to large-scale, multi-region projects and cross-functional coordination.

Other Qualifications:

• As per MUFG’s Return to Office policy, a candidate must work onsite for 4 days and 1 day remotely out of the Jersey City, NJ office.
• The typical base pay range for this role is between $97K - $114K depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience and location. This role may also be eligible for certain discretionary performance-based bonus and/or incentive compensation. Additionally, our Total Rewards program provides colleagues with