Nationwide Building Society
International Trade Operations Manager
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The Role
The International Trade Operations Manager is responsible for supporting the Senior Manager in the leadership of the Trade Operations function, ensuring the effective delivery of trade finance services and maintaining high standards of operational performance.
The role provides technical expertise across complex trade finance transactions, trade documentation, and ICC rules, acting as a key escalation point for technical and operational matters and ensuring consistent, high-quality decision-making across the function.
A core responsibility is maintaining a robust governance and control environment through oversight of operational performance, management information, audit readiness, and regulatory compliance. The role works closely with Financial Crime and Risk teams to ensure trade-based financial crime, sanctions, and anti-money laundering risks are effectively identified, assessed, and managed.
The role also leads operational improvement activity, identifying opportunities to simplify processes, strengthen controls, and improve efficiency. This includes supporting automation initiatives, embedding new technologies, and helping to implement new systems and ways of working that enhance operational resilience and reduce risk.
In addition, the role supports the development of capability across the International Trade Operations team by providing technical leadership, coaching, and guidance to colleagues. Through strong stakeholder management and collaboration, the role helps create a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and operational excellence across the function.
The International Trade Operations Manager sits within Business Banking Financial Risk Solutions, leading the delivery of trade finance services that support customers engaged in domestic and international trade. The role combines operational leadership, technical expertise, and risk oversight to ensure trade finance transactions are delivered accurately, efficiently, and in line with regulatory requirements.
Working across Operations, Financial Crime, Risk, Product, and Relationship teams, the role helps maintain a resilient and well-controlled trade finance service while supporting the function's ongoing development through governance enhancements, operational improvements, and technology adoption.
The role has a direct impact on customers and members by ensuring businesses can rely on secure, accurate, and timely trade finance services, while protecting Nationwide through effective management of financial crime, regulatory, and operational risks.
We are happy to consider flexible working approaches to help you perform at your best.
The working hours (per week) for this role can be between 28 and 35 hours.
At Nationwide, we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK-wide estate while also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.
For this job, you'll spend at least two days per week, or if part-time, you'll spend 40% of your working time, based at either our Glasgow office. If you're based at our Glasgow office, this will apply from 1 April 2027, and ahead of that, there will be a need to regularly connect with colleagues for collaboration events. If your application is successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this works. You can also find out more about our approach to hybrid working here.
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Virgin Money is now part of Nationwide
Nationwide acquired Virgin Money in October 2024. Virgin Money continues to serve customers on the high street, and there will be a phased and considered integration over the coming years.
You’ll be employed by Nationwide from day one, delivering real impact and benefitting from a highly competitive range of benefits. We’re a workplace where you’re rewarded, recognised, and celebrated.
If we receive a high volume of relevant applications, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so please apply as soon as you can.
What You’ll Be Doing
You will support the International Trade Operations Senior Manager in overseeing the end-to-end trade finance lifecycle, ensuring transactions are processed accurately, efficiently, and in line with agreed service, risk, and control standards.
As a subject matter expert, you will provide guidance on complex trade finance transactions, trade documentation, and the application of ICC rules, acting as a point of escalation for technical and operational issues.
You will maintain a strong governance and control environment through effective oversight of operational performance, risk management, audit readiness, management information, and regulatory compliance. Working closely with Financial Crime, Risk, and Business Banking stakeholders, you will help ensure trade-based financial crime, sanctions, and AML risks are appropriately identified and managed.
A key element of the role will be driving operational excellence through process simplification, automation, and technology adoption. You will lead initiatives that improve efficiency, strengthen controls, reduce operational risk, and support the successful implementation of new systems and ways of working.
You will also play an important role in developing capability across the Trade Operations function, providing technical leadership, coaching, and support to colleagues while helping to deliver excellent customer outcomes and a culture of continuous improvement.
About You
- Significant experience in International Trade Operations with strong technical knowledge of trade finance products such as Letters of Credit, Documentary Collections, Guarantees, Bonds, and Trade Loans.
- Understanding of trade-based financial crime risk, sanctions compliance, AML requirements, and the associated regulatory obligations.
- Knowledge of trade regulations, with the ability to resolve complex technical queries and transaction escalations.
- Proven experience implementing and operating governance, risk, and control frameworks within a regulated operational environment.
- Demonstrable experience delivering process automation, operational improvement, or technology-enabled transformation initiatives.
- Leadership, stakeholder management, and influencing skills, with the ability to build capability and drive change across teams.
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Our Customer-First Behaviours
Our customer-first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:
- Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers’ shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind.
- Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think – we’re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand.
- Push for better - We don’t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development.
- Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes.
You can strengthen your application by showing how our customer-first behaviours resonate with you, and where you may have already demonstrated these.
The Extras You’ll Get
There are all sorts of employee benefits available at Nationwide, including:
- 25 days holiday, pro rata
- Private medical insurance
- A highly competitive pension to help you build a strong foundation for retirement
- Access to an annual performance-related bonus
- Training and development to help you progress your career
- A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme
- Life assurance to provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones in the event of your death
- Wellhub – access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness
- Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year
Banking – But Fairer, More Rewarding, and for the Good of Society
We forge our own path at Nationwide.
As a mutual, we’re owned by our members - those customers who bank, save, or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.
If you’re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, you’re one of us.
At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community, we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society.
We are purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.
What to Do Next
If this role is for you, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button. You’ll need to attach your up-to-date CV and answer a few quick questions for us.
We respond to everyone, so we will be in contact shortly after the closing date to let you know the outcome of your application.
Please note that should you be successful in securing this role, the job title on our internal systems will be ITO Manager.
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