Head of IT Application Management

About the role

The Head of Application Management owns the stability, evolution and overall performance of the bank’s application portfolio, ensuring reliable support for Retail, Corporate, Private Banking and Treasury operations.

Key responsibilities

• Own and manage the full application portfolio, including core‑banking, private banking, payment and compliance systems.
• Ensure 24/7 availability, lead incident, problem and change management, and drive root‑cause analysis.
• Oversee system enhancements, upgrades and releases in close partnership with business units.
• Manage integration of backend systems with digital channels, APIs and middleware to guarantee data consistency.
• Lead vendor relationships, negotiate contracts and ensure SLA compliance.
• Maintain regulatory compliance, access controls and audit readiness.
• Contribute to IT and digital transformation road‑maps, evaluating emerging technologies.
• Build and lead a high‑performing team, set KPIs and foster continuous improvement.

Required profile

• 15–20 years of banking IT experience, primarily on core banking platforms.
• Proven leadership of large, mission‑critical application teams.
• Strong knowledge of Islamic banking products is a plus.

Required skills

• Finastra Equation (AS400) or similar core‑banking platform.
• AS400 environment expertise.
• API design and middleware integration.
• Incident, problem and change management processes.
• Vendor and SLA management.