UOB (United Overseas Bank) is seeking an AVP, Partnerships & Ecosystem Development to join the UOB Innovation Group. Reporting to the Head of Innovation Strategy & Planning, you will be pivotal in positioning the Innovation Group as an enterprise enabler, developing and managing a region-wide partnership ecosystem to showcase UOB as a forward-looking, innovative institution.

What You'll Do

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.
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.
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.
Help institutionalise learnings from these engagements into internal frameworks, playbooks, or operating models.
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.
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.

What We're Looking For

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.
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.

Nice to Have

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).

Team & Environment

This role reports to the Head of Innovation Strategy & Planning within the UOB Innovation Group, a team guided by the values of Honorable, Enterprising, United and Committed.

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.