Head of Engineering Digital Solutions Team / IT Retail Banking Modernization Program Director

As an IT Retail Banking Modernization Program Director at Garanti BBVA International (GBI), you will play a pivotal role in transforming our Retail and SME banking landscape through the delivery of a modern, cloud-native, and future-ready banking platform.

Your expertise in digital banking, technology transformation, enterprise architecture, and programme delivery will be instrumental in driving innovation, enhancing customer experiences, and ensuring operational excellence across our banking ecosystem. Working closely with business stakeholders, Garanti BBVA Technology, strategic partners, and executive leadership, you will help shape the next generation of digital banking services.

This is a unique opportunity to lead one of GBI's most strategic technology initiatives, make a lasting impact on the future of banking, and join an international, collaborative, and forward-thinking organisation committed to innovation and continuous improvement.

Your role:

As IT Retail Banking Modernization Program Director, you will be responsible for leading the end-to-end technology transformation of GBI's Retail Banking Modernization Programme. You will define and execute the technology strategy, roadmap, governance framework, and delivery model required to successfully implement a scalable and future-ready banking platform for Retail and SME customers.

You will oversee the delivery and operational stability of key digital banking capabilities, including mobile banking, internet banking, customer onboarding, self-service solutions, digital servicing journeys, payments, APIs, core banking integrations, data platforms, and security services. Acting as a strategic technology leader, you will ensure that all solutions are secure, resilient, compliant, and aligned with GBI's long-term business and technology objectives.

Working in close partnership with business leaders, architects, delivery teams, vendors, and international stakeholders, you will drive programme execution, manage strategic partnerships, oversee technology governance, and ensure successful delivery across scope, budget, quality, and timelines. Your leadership will be critical in enabling innovation, fostering operational excellence, and establishing a modern technology operating model that supports GBI's growth ambitions and delivers exceptional experiences for customers and employees alike.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the end-to-end technology delivery of the Retail Banking Modernization Program, ensuring successful implementation of a scalable, cloud-native, and future-ready retail banking platform for Retail and SME customers.

• Own the strategy, roadmap, governance, delivery, and operational stability of Digital Channels across Retail and Corporate Banking, including mobile banking, internet banking, employee portals, customer onboarding, self-service capabilities, and digital servicing journeys.

• Define and oversee the target technology architecture, ensuring seamless integration across Core Banking, Payments, API & Orchestration, Digital Channels, Data, KYC/AML, Fraud, Security, and Reporting platforms.

• Lead cross-functional technology delivery in collaboration with Garanti BBVA Technology, business stakeholders, delivery partners, and other strategic technology partners, ensuring alignment on scope, quality, timelines, and budget.

• Establish and govern the technology delivery model by managing program planning, dependencies, risks, release planning, executive reporting, and decision-making processes while ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture and business priorities.

• Chair and contribute to technology governance forums, architecture boards, vendor governance meetings, go-live readiness reviews, and executive steering committees, providing technology recommendations and driving strategic decisions.

• Manage strategic technology vendors and delivery partners by validating solution designs, monitoring delivery performance, ensuring contractual compliance, and promoting knowledge transfer to strengthen internal capabilities.

• Ensure technology solutions are secure, resilient, scalable, and compliant with enterprise architecture principles and regulatory requirements, embedding Secure-by-Design and Privacy-by-Design practices throughout the delivery lifecycle.

• Lead data migration, data quality, reconciliation, reporting, and operational data flow activities, ensuring reliable migration strategies and high-quality data availability across business and regulatory platforms.

• Own the end-to-end testing, release management, production readiness, go-live planning, and post-implementation stabilization activities.

• Define the future IT operating model, establish governance for Digital Channels and Retail Banking platforms, build internal technology capabilities, and implement DevSecOps, Service Management, Release Management, and Operational Excellence practices.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for an experienced technology leader who thrives in complex transformation environments and can translate strategic business objectives into successful technology delivery. You are passionate about digital banking, customer experience, and building modern technology platforms. You have strong leadership and stakeholder management skills, enjoy working with multidisciplinary teams, and can confidently drive executive-level decisions while balancing innovation, operational excellence, security, and regulatory compliance.

You are open-minded, naturally curious, and genuinely passionate about learning and making a positive impact. You enjoy taking ownership, embrace new challenges, and can balance multiple priorities while remaining calm under pressure.

You think proactively and are always one step ahead, looking for opportunities to improve the way things are done. Rather than focusing on problems, you look for solutions and enjoy working together with both colleagues and stakeholders to achieve shared goals.

You are empathetic, approachable, and customer-focused. You take the time to understand different perspectives, listen actively, and build strong relationships based on trust and respect. You believe that the best outcomes are achieved through collaboration and by putting the customer at the heart of every decision.

You are not afraid to question the status quo. You naturally think outside the box, ask "how" and "why," and enjoy navigating a fast-changing and complex environment with curiosity, adaptability, and resilience.

Above all, you believe that people are our greatest asset and actively contribute to maintaining and strengthening the unique culture of Garanti BBVA International. You embrace the richness of our multicultural environment, value diverse perspectives and backgrounds, and help create an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, supported, and empowered to grow. Through collaboration, trust, empathy, and a shared commitment to excellence, you help ensure that our unique blend of cultures remains one of our greatest strengths and enables us to succeed together as One Team.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Minimum 15 years of experience in Banking Technology, Digital Banking, Core Banking Transformation, Payments, or large-scale Financial Services Technology Delivery.

• Proven experience leading enterprise-wide technology transformation programs involving multiple internal and external delivery teams.

• Strong experience managing Digital Channels across Retail and/or Corporate Banking.

• Solid understanding of Core Banking platforms, Mobile & Internet Banking, Payments, API & Integration Architecture, Data Platforms, KYC/AML, Fraud Management, and Customer Onboarding solutions.

• Experience with Cloud-native architectures, SaaS banking platforms, microservices, APIs, and orchestration solutions.

• Strong knowledge of European Banking regulations, including DORA, GDPR, PSD2/PSD3, AML/CTF, Outsourcing, and Operational Resilience requirements.

• Strong knowledge of Enterprise Architecture, Technology Governance, Cyber Security, Operational Resilience, and IT Risk Management.

• Experience with Agile delivery methodologies, DevSecOps, Release Management, Service Transition, and IT Operating Models.

• Proven experience managing executive stakeholders, technology vendors, outsourcing partners, and strategic technology alliances.

• Experience working with international organizations and distributed technology teams is highly preferred.

• Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, decision-making, and stakeholder management skills.

• Fluent in English.

Education:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline

What we offer.

At Garanti BBVA International, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while working in a diverse and international environment that values innovation, collaboration, and professional growth. We believe that our people are our greatest asset, and we are committed to supporting their wellbeing, development, and long-term success.

As part of our team, you can expect:

• A unique opportunity to work in an international banking environment alongside talented professionals from diverse backgrounds.

• 30 vacation days to support a healthy work-life balance.

• A 13th-month salary as part of our attractive compensation package.

• 8% holiday allowance paid annually.

• A company laptop and mobile phone to support flexible and efficient working.

• An annual appreciation payment recognising your contribution and commitment.

• A competitive defined contribution pension plan to help secure your future.

• Access to collective health insurance benefits, including discounts on additional health insurance coverage.

• A dedicated learning and development budget, together with unlimited access to Coursera's extensive learning platform, helping you continuously expand your knowledge and skills.

• The opportunity to contribute to exciting transformation initiatives while accelerating your professional and personal growth.

Our organization:

Work at Garanti BBVA International
Garanti BBVA International (“GBI”) is a mid-sized European bank established in Amsterdam, the Netherlands since 1990 and serves to corporate and institutional and retail clientele. GBI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Turkiye Garanti Bankasi A.S. (Garanti) and has presence in Germany, Switzerland and Turkey. Our ultimate parent is BBVA. Aa dynamic “global boutique” bank, Garanti BBVA International offers fast, accurate, innovative, tailor-made and country-specific financial solutions in selected business lines though highly skilled and diverse talent management. We embrace creativity, are centered towards teamwork and oriented to create multicultural environment as we believe this to be a crucial element. Our vision is future-oriented and as a one big team GBI strives for corporate excellence and goal achievement. By joining our organization, you will find yourself constantly challenged and must be prone to apply out-of-the box thinking.

Life at Garanti BBVA International

GBI is a place for people who dream big and make their dream their goal. We look for people who will challenge the status quo in order to grow. We stand as one team, one family and together we are empowered to create our unique path, be agile, be curious and innovative. Strong partnerships ensure our success. Strong teams hold our foundation. We believe that diversity drives innovation and fosters personal development. We aim to create a working environment where employees are able to learn through support and coaching while contributing visibly to the success of bank.

Our Core Values

GBI is part of BBVA, an integrated and innovative financial institution that looks to the future, created with the mission of financing people’s dreams. That spirit continues to inspire us today and encourages us to transform people’s lives by helping them make the best decisions to fulfil their dreams. This mission is underpinned by our Purpose: “Support your drive to go further”. We live these values, which make us strong and allow us to achieve our purpose so we can keep creating opportunities.

Customer Comes First
We see our work from the customer's perspective, as we incorporate their point of view in every decision we make and always put their interests first. We meet our customer's needs in an agile way, overcoming any difficulties that arise.

Think Big
We want to amaze our customers with the best solutions to generate unique experiences. To achieve this, we set ambitious and inspirational challenges for ourselves, while questioning everything we do and posing new ways of doing things.

One Team
We are committed both to our individual role and the company's objectives as our own. We work as one team, trust our colleagues and break silos between units and hierarchical barriers.

Application:

If you are ready to join our team and contribute to the success of company, we encourage you to apply by submitting your resume and a cover letter. 

Online Application: Click on the link below to access our online application portal and submit your application.

We appreciate your interest in our organization and look forward to reviewing your application. Should you have any questions or require further information, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Please note that we do not appreciate any acquisition efforts for this vacancy by recruitment agencies.