Director of Operational Excellence Business Systems & Enablement

Job Overview

The Director of Operational Excellence Business Systems & Enablement is a strategic leadership role responsible for the vision, governance, and delivery of enterprise platforms and data supporting Procure-to-Pay (P2P), Third-Party Risk Management, Procurement, Non-Employee Lifecycle Management, Travel & Expense, Data Warehouses and related operational ecosystems.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy & Transformation

• Define and execute the systems and data strategy across P2P, procurement, third-party risk, travel & expense, and non-employee platforms.
• Lead enterprise-wide transformation initiatives to simplify, standardize, and automate business processes.
• Drive adoption of agile methodologies to accelerate delivery and continuously improve capabilities.
• Identify opportunities to leverage emerging technologies (AI, automation, analytics) to enhance efficiency and user experience.

• Systems Leadership

• Own the roadmap, governance, and performance of core enterprise platforms (e.g., procurement systems, third party risk tools, expense management systems).
• Ensure system scalability, stability, and alignment with business and regulatory requirements.
• Lead a team of system business leads responsible for functional ownership and delivery of platform enhancements.
• Establish best practices for agile, release management, and change governance.
• Manage team of primary business owners (PBIO’s)

• Data Management & Governance

• Develop and oversee a cohesive data governance strategy across systems, ensuring data integrity, consistency, and accessibility and alignment to Citi Policies and Standards.
• Oversee data ownership and stewardship model and partner with business stakeholders and technology teams to assign data owners and stewards, clarifying accountability for critical data assets.
• Drive cross-platform data integration and standardization; align data definitions, metadata, and taxonomies to enable seamless data flow and interoperability across platforms.
• Lead data governance forums and stakeholder engagement; facilitate governance forums, align business priorities, and drive adoption of governance practices across teams.
• Monitor and report governance metrics; establish KPIs and dashboards to track data governance effectiveness, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Drive culture of data accountability and literacy; Promote training, communication, and change management to embed governance practices across the organization.

• Business Partnership

• Partner with global process owners to align systems capabilities with evolving business needs.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on system strategy, investment prioritization, and risk management.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration between operations, technology, finance, and risk teams.

• Operational Excellence

• Drive continuous improvement across system-enabled processes, focusing on efficiency, compliance, and user experience.
• Ensure alignment with regulatory requirements, internal controls, and third-party risk standards.
• Optimize end-to-end workflows spanning procurement, vendor lifecycle, expense reporting, and contingent workforce management.

• People Leadership

• Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing team of system business leads and analysts.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Build capabilities in agile delivery, product ownership, and digital transformation.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of relevant experience, with 10+ years of experience in enterprise systems, operations, or digital transformation roles.
• Proven leadership experience managing teams and complex, cross-functional initiatives.
• Deep expertise in Procure-to-Pay (P2P), procurement systems, and related domains (TPRM, expenses, travel, non-employee management).
• Strong understanding of system architecture, integrations, and data management.
• Demonstrated experience leading agile transformation and large-scale system implementations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive communication skills.

Preferred

• Experience with leading platforms (e.g., Oracle, GEP, SAP, Ariba, Coupa, Concur, ServiceNow, Aravo, Fieldglass or similar).
• Background in financial services or highly regulated industries.
• Experience with automation tools (RPA, workflow platforms) and analytics solutions.
• MBA or advanced degree in business, technology, or related field.