CMB UK

Commercial Banking UK (CMB UK) serves over 700,000 active clients, from start-ups through to multinational corporates. A full-service international commercial bank, that is highly connected to the Group network and all lines of business, delivering the Group’s comprehensive product suite to meet the full life cycle needs of clients, internationally and domestically. On 13 Mar 23, HSBC UK announced the acquisition of Silicon Valley Bank UK Limited (SVB UK) for £1 after US regulators shut down its parent company, SVB. During June’s London Tech Week, the rebranding of SVB UK to HSBC Innovation Bank Ltd (HSBC Innovation Banking) was formally announced managing c.3,000 clients.

Job Purpose

Responsible for the development & execution of the people strategy & plan for Commercial Banking (CMB) HSBC UK which sits within the Ring-Fenced Bank (RFB) HSBC UK. The role holder will report to the Head of HR for HSBC UK and will partner with the Head of CMB for HSBC UK and the CMB Executive Committee to drive business performance and organisational change through the development and execution of the People Strategy.

Principal Accountabilities

The new Head of HR, CMB will be an exceptional leader with the presence, intellect, accomplishment and skill to quickly establish rapport and credibility with the CMB management team. They will have a proactive operating style with the energy, passion and drive to help lead CMB UK into the next stage of growth and development. They will be a forward-thinking business leader and be passionate about ensuring HR is an enabler to success.

The Head of HR will have a natural consumer orientation; they will understand the customer and employee mix across the portfolio. In addition, they will bring experience of digital/mobile businesses where seamless customer experience is critical to success. They will be familiar with the ingredients required for a stable financial environment, understanding the role of regulators and the delicate balance between innovation and regulation.

Candidates will have broad-based experience, which will include reward and performance, organisational development, talent management and leadership development. They will be a trusted advisor and partner to the Head of CMB, UK on all aspects of organisational and cultural change. Crucially, they will be able to blend strategic and operational skills and lead from the front – they will be happy to roll their sleeves up and be a visible presence as much on the front lines of the business as at the executive table.

Commercial banking experience is not essential but would be helpful to smooth integration. The new Head of HR will have to navigate the structural and cultural nuances of the ring-fenced bank. Shaping and developing a relevant people agenda and employee value proposition for CMB UK is critical but it must be aligned to CMB as a whole. This will require an appropriate level of corporate and personal sophistication. The ability to build strong relationships across the whole of the bank combined with a skill for influencing and developing others is essential. The role holder will also play a crucial role in the ongoing integration of HSBC Innovation Banking UK into the wider HSBC UK business.

Impact on the Business/Function

Works with the Head of CMB UK and the CMB UK Executive Committee to drive business performance through the execution of the people strategy; delivering alignment between the business strategy and the people strategy.

Demonstrate personal focus on business outcomes; building and maintaining the status and visibility of a trusted adviser, providing expert advice and guidance to senior executives.

Have close attention to organisational design and effectiveness supported by skill in talent development, leadership development and deployment.

Sharp focus on operational and people risk.

Continue to drive quality and increase the sophistication of the HR function as a whole.

Customers / Stakeholders

• Provides relationship management and advice to the Head of CMB UK and senior executives on strategic and operational human capital issues, by leading the alignment of the People Strategy to the Business Strategy and clearly articulating the value to the business.
• Proactively interacts and collaborates with the wider HR team to understand overarching issues, to leverage ideas and ensure consistent services and processes providing a ‘consistent’ employee experience.
• Leads People related aspects of change programmes across the CMB UK Business, enabling others to commit to the journey, mobilising the cross functional resources required and taking responsibility for the change journey from design to delivery.
• Delivers fair outcomes for our customers and ensure own conduct maintains the orderly and transparent operation of financial markets.

Leadership & Teamwork

• Sets expectations, shares best practice, coaches and develops HR Consultants as they are deploying initiatives into CMB, HSBC UK.
• Leads and encourages constructive teamwork by demonstrating collaboration and matrix management in action and taking prompt action to address any activities and behaviours that are not consistent with HSBC's diversity policy and/or the best interests of the business and its customers.
• As a member of HR leadership team, makes active contributions to the broader HR & business strategy
  Operational Effectiveness & Control
• Leads the continuing development, implementation and improvement of the processes, structures, capabilities, capacity and infrastructure needed to deliver agreed plans and targets, collaborating with colleagues to maximise end to end integration, effectiveness and efficiency.
• Establishes and maintains a robust and efficient control environment across HR to ensure good operational, financial and project management and compliance with HSBC policy and procedures, together with early identification and effective resolution or escalation of issues that arise.
• Leads the development, implementation and maintenance of a appropriate HR management information that supports and informs timely and effective business management and decision making.
• Leads the implementation and oversight of HR policy and governance frameworks, procedures, practices and standards to ensure quality, effective risk management and regulatory compliance.

Management of Risk

The jobholder will ensure the fair treatment of our customers is at the heart of everything we do, both personally and as an organisation.

This will be achieved by consistently displaying the behaviours that form part of the HSBC Values and culture and adhering to HSBC risk policies and procedures, including notification and escalation of any concerns and taking required action in relation to points raised by audit and/or external regulators.

The jobholder is responsible for managing and mitigating operational risks in their day to day operations. In executing these responsibilities, the Group has adopted risk management and internal control structure referred to as the ‘Three Lines of Defence’. The jobholder should ensure they understand their position within the Three Lines of Defence, and act accordingly in line with operational risk policy, escalating in a timely manner where they are unsure of actions required.

Through the implementation the Global AML, Sanctions and ABC Policies, supporting Guidance, and Line of Business Procedures the jobholder will make informed decisions in accordance with the core principles of HSBC's Financial Crime Risk Appetite.

The following statement is only for roles with core responsibilities in Operational Risk Management (Risk Owner, Control Owner, Risk Steward, BRCM, and Operational Risk Function

The jobholder has responsibility for overseeing and ensuring that Operational risks are managed in accordance with the Group Standards Manual, Risk FIM, & relevant guidelines & standards. The jobholder should comply with the detailed expectations and responsibilities for their core role in operational risk management through ensuring all actions take account of operational risks, and through using the Operational Risk Management Framework appropriately to manage those risks.

This will be achieved by:

• Continuously reassessing risks associated with the role and inherent in the business, taking account of changing economic or market conditions, legal and regulatory requirements, operating procedures and practices, management restructurings, and the impact of new technology.
• Ensuring all actions take account of the likelihood of operational risk occurring, addressing areas of concern in conjunction with Risk and relevant line colleagues, and also by ensuring that actions resulting from points raised by internal or external audits, and external regulators, are correctly implemented in a timely fashion.

Observation of Internal Controls

The jobholder will adhere to, and be able to demonstrate adherence to, internal controls and will implement the Group compliance policy by adhering to all relevant processes/procedures.

The term ‘compliance’ embraces all relevant financial services laws, rules and codes with which the business has to comply. This will be achieved by adherence to all relevant procedures, keeping appropriate records and, where appropriate, by the timely implementation of internal and external audit points, including issues raised by external regulators.

The following statement is only for roles with managerial or specific Compliance responsibilities

The jobholder will implement measures to contain compliance risk across the business area. This will be achieved by liaising with Compliance department about business initiatives at the earliest opportunity. Also and when applicable, by ensuring adequate resources are in place and training is provided, fostering a compliance culture and optimising relations with regulators.

Experience & Knowledge

• Experience of working at a strategic level in large scale corporate, matrixed environments
• Strong track record of translating business objectives and needs into coherent strategy and people solutions in a highly commercial manner, through appropriately setting objectives, targets, deadlines, cost management, quality and project management best practices

Skills & Capabilities

• Exceptional People Leadership skills
• Drives Future Focused People Strategy
• Delivery Focused
• Change Management
• Financial and Operational Management
• Balances Growth and Risk
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Capability in Commercial Banking, Leadership and / or Organisation Effectiveness preferable but not mandatory