Financial Assistance Transformation Director

Purpose of the role

To manage and develop existing and new products and/or services; and where applicable, ownership of related customer and colleague journeys, develops the product strategy, drive change through Barclays execution teams, make key decisions in the product lifecycle and own associated outcomes for customers, colleagues and the bank, achieved through appropriate service level agreements, regulatory compliance, risk management and controls. 

Accountabilities

• Development of customer level strategies & solutions that are tailored to customers' needs.
• Subject Matter Expert in the applicable Product/Proposition team and be able to confidently guide and advise stakeholders at all levels in the Bank on the application of existing and new products/propositions and related customer and colleague journeys.
• Development of product propositions, and/or service strategy, define the priorities for delivering the outcomes needed to deliver the strategy and lead execution of the priorities.
• Development of different commercial and business models through a strong understanding of the financial drivers of the P&L for the relevant segment/ proposition/ journey.
• Evaluation of the technical feasibility, legal compliance, and potential risks associated with the development and launch of the new product.
• Monitoring of market trends and analysis feedback from internal employees and target customers through prototypes, user testing sessions, and beta programs to identify areas for improvement to refine the product / process before launch.
• Management of comprehensive launch plans and technical deployments for products that establish rollout timelines, marketing strategies, training initiatives and communication channels to promote the launch new products effectively.
• Monitoring of key metrics such as adoption rates, usage patterns, customer satisfaction (including complaints), and revenue generation to assess the product's performance against set goals.

Director Expectations

• To manage a business function, providing significant input to function wide strategic initiatives. Contribute to and influence policy and procedures for the function and plan, manage and consult on multiple complex and critical strategic projects, which may be business wide..
• They manage the direction of a large team or sub-function, leading other people managers and embedding a performance culture aligned to the values of the business. Or for an individual contributor, they lead organisation wide projects and act as deep technical expert and thought leader, identifying new ways of working and collaborating cross functionally. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions..
• Provide expert advice to senior functional management and committees to influence decisions made outside of own function, offering significant input to function wide strategic initiatives.
• Manage, coordinate and enable resourcing, budgeting and policy creation for a significant sub-function.
• Escalates breaches of policies / procedure appropriately.
• Foster and guide compliance, ensure regulations are observed that relevant processes in place to facilitate adherence.
• Focus on the external environment, regulators, or advocacy groups to both monitor and influence on behalf of Barclays, when appropriate.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of how the function integrates with the business division / Group to achieve the overall business objectives.
• Maintain broad and comprehensive knowledge of industry theories and practices within own discipline alongside up-to-date relevant sector / functional knowledge, and insight into external market developments / initiatives.
• Use interpretative thinking and advanced analytical skills to solve problems and design solutions in often complex/ sensitive situations.
• Exercise management authority to make significant decisions and certain strategic decisions or recommendations within own area.
• Negotiate with and influence stakeholders at a senior level both internally and externally.
• Act as principal contact point for key clients and counterparts in other functions/ businesses divisions.
• Mandated as a spokesperson for the function and business division.

All Senior Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.

Key Accountabilities

• This role will lead and deliver complex, cross-functional technology change programmes within the Barclays Financial Assistance Strategy team, that drive strategic transformation across the organisation. This role ensures alignment with business goals, regulatory requirements, and customer outcomes, while embedding a culture of innovation, agility, and continuous improvement.
• Strategic Thought Leadership: Define, execute and continually develop  the BFA change strategy in alignment with Barclays' transformation agenda and long-term ambitions
• Team Leadership: Lead and inspire cross-functional teams, ensuring that they are properly resourced and that they have the necessary skills and expertise to deliver on project objectives,  fostering a high-performance culture and developing future leaders.
• Programme Delivery: Oversee the end-to-end delivery of large-scale BFA change initiatives, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and to the expected quality. Including the management of plans that outline the scope, objectives, timelines, and resource requirements for change projects.
• Project Budgets: Management of project budgets, ensuring that projects are delivered within the agreed budget.
• Governance & Risk: Establish and maintain robust governance frameworks, ensuring compliance with internal controls, regulatory standards, and risk management protocols. Management of project risks, ensuring that risk, assumptions, issues and dependencies are identified, assessed, and mitigated as necessary.
• Stakeholder Management up to C-Suite level: Communication with stakeholders, including senior management, project teams, and external partners, to ensure that they are informed about project and BFA Transformation progress and that their needs and expectations are being met.
• Facilitation of change management activities, including training and communication, to ensure that change projects are successfully implemented and embedded in the organisation.
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Champion the adoption of emerging technologies and agile methodologies to enhance delivery and operational effectiveness and customer value.

• Proven track record of delivering complex change programmes in a regulated environment (preferably financial services).
• Experience in Collections and Recoveries for large scale, Financial or Professional services firms is desirable
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and analytical, problem-solving abilities
• Deep understanding of change management, digital transformation, and enterprise architecture.
• Strong leadership and influencing skills, with experience managing senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• Expertise in programme governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance.
• Familiarity with Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid delivery methodologies.