Standard Chartered Bank is a leading international banking group with a major global presence, including significant operations in Singapore, one of its most strategically important hubs. The bank operates a structured seniority framework, covering C-Suite, Senior Management Directors (SMD), Managing Directors (MD), Executive Directors (ED), Directors, and various Associate Director levels—each linked to clearly defined grade bands and compensation structures.

The Challenge

Standard Chartered required strategic hiring support across senior leadership and upper-mid management levels in Singapore. These roles spanned multiple seniority bands:

• C-Level (CEO, CIO, etc.)
• Band 1 – SMD (Senior Management Director)
• Band 2 – MD (Managing Director)
• Band 3 – ED (Executive Director)
• Band 4 – Director
• Grade 5 (M23, M22) – Associate Director
• Grade 6 (M21, M20)

Salary expectations varied by grade, with:

• Grade 6 compensation typically ranging from SGD 8,000 to SGD 12,000 per month
• Senior bands commanding significantly higher packages based on leadership scope and regulatory accountability

The challenge lay in navigating:

• A competitive talent market for senior banking leaders
• Strict internal banding requirements
• High governance, compliance, and regulatory expectations
• Precise compensation alignment tied to seniority grade

Space Executive’s Positioning

Space Executive engaged with Standard Chartered Bank to:

• Understand the full seniority structure from C-Suite through to Grade 6
• Align talent mapping with the bank’s banding framework and remuneration policies
• Identify leaders experienced in global banking, risk-managed environments, and regulated financial markets
• Provide clarity on market compensation trends to support internal decision-making
• Prepare targeted senior and mid-senior shortlists matched to the appropriate grade and salary bracket

This ensured full alignment between candidate seniority, organisational structure, and regulatory requirements.

Outcome

• A clear, detailed hiring framework aligned to Standard Chartered’s seniority and grading system
• Market-informed talent insights to support leadership hiring across multiple bands
• Space Executive positioned to activate searches rapidly across C-Level, Director, and Associate Director levels