AVP, Partnerships & Ecosystem Development, Innovation Group

About UOB

United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) is a leading bank in Asia with a global network of more than 500 branches and offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. In Asia, we operate through our head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, as well as branches and offices. Our history spans more than 80 years. Over this time, we have been guided by our values – Honorable, Enterprising, United and Committed. This means we always strive to do what is right, build for the future, work as one team and pursue long-term success. It is how we work, consistently, be it towards the company, our colleagues or our customers.

Job Description

Role Purpose

Reporting to the Head of Innovation Strategy & Planning,  the AVP (Partnerships & Ecosystem Development) supports UOB Innovation Group’s strategic priorities by positioning Innovation Group as an enterprise enabler for the bank. The candidate will lead the development and management of UOB Innovation Group’s external partnership ecosystem across the region. This role is responsible for positioning UOB as a forward‑looking, innovative institution to corporates, media, technology partners, and government agencies, while enabling strategic collaborations in emerging technology domains such as AI, data, blockchain, and quantum technologies. The role requires a strong external orientation, excellent storytelling and positioning skills, and the ability to work seamlessly with internal stakeholders across business units and functions.
Key Responsibilities

Partnership & Ecosystem Leadership

• Translate partnerships into enablement outcomes such as pilots, capability uplift, or scaled programmes
• Lead and grow UOB Innovation Group’s ecosystem of partners, including technology firms, startups, research institutions, corporates, media organisations, and government agencies across the region.
• Identify, structure, and manage strategic partnerships aligned with UOB’s innovation priorities and long‑term business objectives.
• Act as a key interface between UOB and external stakeholders, representing the bank in innovation‑related engagements, forums, and collaborations.

External Positioning & Thought Leadership

• Position UOB Innovation Group as a credible and trusted innovation partner in areas such as AI, data, blockchain, and emerging technologies.
• Support media engagement, corporate storytelling, and thought leadership initiatives in collaboration with Group Strategic Communications and Brand teams.
• Contribute to narratives, briefs, and content that communicate UOB’s innovation agenda to external audiences, including corporates, regulators, and the broader ecosystem.

Government, Industry & Institutional Engagement

• Help institutionalise learnings from these engagements into internal frameworks, playbooks, or operating models.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with government agencies, regulators, industry bodies, and ecosystem enablers in Singapore and the region.
• Support participation in national and regional innovation programmes, grants, pilots, and public‑private initiatives where relevant.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to ensure alignment with compliance, risk, and governance requirements.

Events & Programme Management

• Lead or support the planning and execution of innovation‑related events, including ecosystem forums, roundtables, launches, demo days, and regional engagements.
• Work with internal teams and external partners to ensure high‑quality delivery, strong messaging, and effective stakeholder experience.
• Manage multiple workstreams concurrently, ensuring timelines, stakeholders, and outcomes are well coordinated.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with colleagues across Innovation Group, business units, technology teams, risk, legal, compliance, and communications.
• Bridge internal and external perspectives to translate ecosystem insights into actionable opportunities for UOB.
• Support internal alignment and stakeholder buy‑in for partnership initiatives.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Degree in Business, Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Policy, Technology, or a related field.
• 8–12 years of relevant experience, with exposure to partnerships, ecosystem development, communications, media, marketing, or innovation‑related roles.
• Non‑banking experience is welcomed and valued, particularly from technology, media, consulting, public sector, research, or innovation ecosystems.
• Prior experience engaging corporates, media, and government agencies is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with emerging technology domains such as AI, data, blockchain, and quantum technologies (deep technical expertise not required, but strong conceptual understanding is essential).

Key Skills & Attributes

• Strong external presence with the ability to represent UOB credibly to senior stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, storytelling, and stakeholder management skills.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast‑moving innovation environments.
• Proven ability to work across organisational boundaries and influence without formal authority.
• Strong project and event management capabilities with attention to detail.
• Strategic mindset combined with hands‑on execution 

Additional Requirements

Be a Part of the UOB Family

UOB is an equal opportunity employer. UOB does not discriminate on the basis of a candidate's age, race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or other non-merit factors. All employment decisions at UOB are based on business needs, job requirements and qualifications. If you require any assistance or accommodations to be made for the recruitment process, please inform us when you submit your online application.

Apply now and make a Difference