Treasury Governance

This is a high-impact, strategically critical role that will shape the future of the bank’s Treasury function as we prepare for growth beyond $100 billion in assets. Reporting directly to the Treasurer, this role will formalize the creation of a 1.5line in Treasury, own the bank’s Resolution Plan submission, project manage the change agenda for Treasury’s strategic plan to be Cat IV ready, oversee key regulatory and governance initiatives, and work with subject matter experts to develop innovative solutions to complex challenges spanning capital, liquidity, and risk management. This position offers opportunities for senior leadership engagement, cross-functional collaboration, and professional development in a dynamic and evolving financial institution.

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise, strategic vision, and a results-oriented mindset to help Treasury achieve best-in-class governance, operational efficiency, and regulatory alignment as we navigate this exciting phase in our continued growth and evolution.

As a senior leader, you will work directly with C-suite executives and other high-performing teams to shape the Treasury function into a model of excellence.  We are seeking a proven leader who thrives in dynamic environments, excels at building cross-functional consensus, and brings a bold, strategic vision to drive Treasury’s evolution. 

This role will initially join with 1 direct report, with the intention to build a small, flexible team over the next several quarters to deliver on this ambitious agenda. 

The Head of Treasury Governance will lead the development and execution of a forward-looking, best-in-class governance framework for Treasury. This new leadership role will serve as a central architect and owner of Treasury’s governance agenda, driving accountability, transparency, and coordination across all key Treasury functions. The position plays a critical role in the execution of the Treasury 2028 build-out and supports East West Bank’s preparation to meet Category IV standards. The ideal candidate brings a proactive approach to governance, exceptional cross-functional engagement skills, and strong project execution capabilities.

1. Treasury Governance Framework Ownership

• Establish and maintain a comprehensive, forward-looking Treasury governance framework that sets the agenda, defines roles and responsibilities, and ensures accountability across Treasury’s activities.
• Take full ownership of Treasury’s governance structure and routines, proactively identifying areas for improvement and driving execution of enhancements.
• Ensure the governance framework supports strong risk management and strategic execution across liquidity, capital, interest rate risk, funding, and investment activities.
• Build out Treasury’s policy framework in close collaboration with subject matter experts to ensure alignment across separately governed Liquidity, Capital, Market, Credit and Operational risks.  

2. Internal and External Engagement

• Act as the primary Treasury liaison to second-line (Risk) and third-line (Internal Audit) partners, ensuring alignment on policies, controls, and governance outcomes.
• Lead Treasury’s engagement with external regulators, including preparation for examinations, horizontal reviews, and ongoing inquiries.
• Coordinate governance and oversight routines that ensure Treasury’s activities are well-integrated with enterprise risk, compliance, and audit expectations.

3. IDI Resolution and Contingency Planning

• Lead Treasury’s contributions to the bank’s resolution and recovery planning efforts, including both IDI and parent-level deliverables.
• Oversee liquidity- and funding-related components of regulatory submissions and internal contingency planning exercises.
• Ensure resolution plans reflect the operational capabilities and resiliency of Treasury processes and systems.

4. Committee Leadership and Subject Matter Expert Coordination

• Own and drive the Treasury governance agenda across all key committees, including ALCO, Liquidity Governance, FTP Committee, and Model Governance forums.
• Act as a strategic coordinator, ensuring that subject matter experts in liquidity, capital, interest rate risk management, investment portfolios, and funding are actively engaged to inform and elevate committee outcomes.
• Design and enforce effective committee structures, meeting cadences, materials, and escalation protocols to support decision-making and regulatory expectations.

5. Strategic Project Management – Treasury 2028 Change Agenda

• Work directly with the Treasurer to serve as the primary coordinator and a key contributor to the Treasury 2028 strategic transformation, managing initiatives that expand Treasury’s structure, capabilities, and effectiveness as the bank grows into Category IV supervision.
• Lead cross-functional workstreams and ensure progress is tracked, risks are managed, and senior stakeholders are informed.
• Support the Treasurer in aligning strategic project execution with broader enterprise initiatives and regulatory milestones.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Financial Services Consulting, or related field; advanced degree or professional certification (CFA, CPA, FRM) preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in Treasury, Risk, Audit, Regulatory Affairs, or Governance functions in a regulated financial institution, or as part of a regulatory agency.
• Demonstrated success building or managing governance structures and engaging with both internal oversight partners and regulators.

Preferred Skills

• Deep understanding of Treasury operations, regulatory frameworks (including Category IV standards), and enterprise risk management.
• Experience managing across second-line and third-line interfaces and regulatory touchpoints.
• Exceptional project management skills with a proven ability to drive execution across multiple priorities.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills; able to align diverse stakeholders and present effectively to senior management and regulators.
• Comfort operating in dynamic or rapidly evolving organizations, with the ability to design structure and build teams as needed.