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Director – AI Execution Office

London, United Kingdom

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Date live: 20/08/2026

Business Area: Functions Technology

Area of Expertise: Change

Contract: Permanent

Reference Code: JR-0000125285

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Barclays Change

Change leads and oversees transformational change initiatives at Barclays. Your role will involve managing projects and programs that drive strategic improvements and ensure successful implementation of change across the organization.

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Stakeholder Management and Leadership

The role holder will engage senior stakeholders across Technology, Business, Risk and Control to support delivery of enterprise AI priorities, including:

Senior Executive Engagement
• Act as a trusted execution partner to the AI Office Lead, providing clear visibility of programme health, risks, issues and decisions requiring attention.
• Engage confidently with senior leadership across Technology and Business on AI delivery, governance and escalations.
• Provide a single, reliable view of AI progress so leaders can make timely, informed decisions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Work closely with the CTO organisation on platform delivery timelines, engineering capacity and technical dependencies.
• Partner with Business Unit CIOs to understand demand, align priorities and report on value realisation.
• Maintain an active stakeholder map to ensure key relationships are managed effectively.

Leadership & Influence
• Influence across a complex matrix of Technology, Business, Risk and Control stakeholders without direct authority.
• Promote transparency, pace and outcome orientation, ensuring the AI Execution Office is seen as an enabler of delivery.
• Establish delivery standards, templates and ways of working that drive consistency and professionalism.

Decision-making and Problem Solving

The role holder will balance competing demand and constrained capacity, ensuring delivery decisions support both immediate execution needs and the long-term enterprise AI strategy. They will be required to:

Decision-Making Scope
• Make operational decisions on programme sequencing, enablement squad allocation and escalation routes within the strategic framework set by the Group CIO.
• Determine appropriate governance routes for AI initiatives, balancing speed, risk and compliance requirements.
• Shape reporting cadence, content and format to support senior stakeholder engagement and decision quality.
• Apply judgement on when to resolve issues directly and when material items require senior escalation.

Analytical & Strategic Thinking
• Assess AI portfolio health, investment efficiency and value realisation trends using structured analysis.
• Translate adoption, ROI, cost and usage data into actionable insights for executive audiences.
• Balance near-term delivery pressure with the long-term enterprise AI roadmap.
• Identify where processes, governance or operating model elements need to evolve to support scale.
• Use data-driven insight to inform prioritisation, resourcing and performance improvement.

Risk and Control Objective

Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements, Enterprise-Wide Risk Management Framework and internal Barclays Policies and Policy Standards.

Person Specification

The role holder will need to be a proven technical and execution leader who can demonstrate some or all of the following experience and attributes: 

Essential skills

  • Executive-level written communication, briefing preparation and presentation skills. 
  • Strong planning, governance, delivery tracking and prioritisation capability. 
  • Ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships across business, technology and control functions. 
  • Strong analytical capability, with ability to synthesise complex inputs into clear insights and action plans. 
  • Experience managing dependencies, risks, issues, actions and decisions across multiple workstreams. 
  • Commercial awareness and ability to support value, benefits and investment transparency. 
  • Understanding of responsible technology delivery, risk and control considerations in a regulated environment. 
  • High proficiency in creating senior management materials, dashboards and narrative updates. 

Basic qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience. 
  • Significant experience in enterprise transformation, technology strategy, delivery management, chief of staff, business management or strategic execution roles. 
  • Demonstrable experience engaging with senior executives and cross-functional leadership teams. 
  • Proven ability to operate across global teams and manage multiple priorities concurrently. 
  • Strong understanding of AI, data, digital or technology transformation trends, with willingness to deepen subject matter knowledge quickly. 

Preferred qualifications

  • Financial services or other regulated industry experience. 
  • Experience supporting AI, data, cloud, digital or enterprise technology transformation initiatives. 
  • Experience setting up or running senior governance routines, executive forums or enterprise delivery frameworks. 
  • Relevant change, transformation, agile or delivery certifications would be beneficial. 

Purpose of the role

The Director, AI Execution Office, is responsible for coordinating the delivery, governance and reporting of Group-wide AI initiatives. The role translates the Bank’s AI strategy into clear execution plans, measurable outcomes and senior leadership visibility across Group ExCo, Technology ExCo and COO ExCo. Acting as the central coordination point for enterprise AI delivery, the role brings structure, pace and accountability across workstreams, teams and governance forums.

Accountabilities

  • AI Programme Orchestration & Delivery Tracking
    • Maintain a consolidated view of bank-wide AI technology initiatives, including delivery plans, milestones, dependencies, risks and issues.
    • Track demand, active programmes, enablement squad activity and platform delivery progress across the AI portfolio.
    • Provide transparent reporting on progress, outcomes and value delivered across AI workstreams.
    • Own programme-level RAID management, ensuring material risks, issues and dependencies are escalated and resolved promptly.

    Operating Rhythm & Forum Coordination
    • Run the AI Execution Office cadence, including agendas, action tracking, decision logs and outcomes for AI-related forums such as AI STC, Technology ExCo AI sessions and the Group AI Governance Council.
    • Prepare executive-ready materials, status dashboards and briefing packs for the Group CIO and senior leadership.
    • Maintain forward plans that align governance milestones, delivery priorities and resourcing needs.

    Governance & Risk Execution
    • Support Technology’s representation across AI governance forums, ensuring obligations are met on time and to the required standard.
    • Partner with Second Line Functions to ensure governance processes remain effective as AI adoption scales.

    Value Realisation & Performance Reporting
    • Operationalise the enterprise AI value and ROI measurement framework, including collection, validation and reporting of realised benefits.
    • Maintain executive dashboards and scorecards covering programme health, investment efficiency and delivery velocity.

    AI Enablement & Change Coordination
    • Track rollout of the enterprise AI training and capability strategy across Business and Technology populations.
    • Coordinate with HR and Learning teams to deliver AI literacy programmes at pace and scale.
    • Monitor adoption metrics and capability maturity to inform priorities and interventions.

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.

Barclays welcomes applications from all candidates and is committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments (accommodations) are put in place to allow for a fair and inclusive recruitment process. For more information and how to request one, please review Adjustments to the recruitment process.

We’re a global, vital and highly respected financial organisation with an inspiring Purpose. Operating in 39 countries and employing around 100,000 people across the world, we help communities, individuals and businesses thrive. And we’ve created financial solutions and technology that the world now takes for granted. A career with us can offer incredible variety, depth and breadth of experience, and the chance to learn from some of the best minds in technology and finance.

To find out more about Barclays' strategy please click here.

We are an equal opportunity employer and opposed to discrimination on any grounds. It is the policy of Barclays to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, creed, religion, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by law.

Barclays is required by law to confirm that you have the Legal Right to Work in any role that you apply for. If you currently hold a work visa sponsored by Barclays, or you would require sponsorship from Barclays, you must declare this as part of your application. Sponsored visas are role and entity specific and any changes must be reviewed. It is important that you ensure you are working on the correct visa at all times. Failure to accurately disclose your visa status or Legal Right to Work may result in your application or any employment offer being withdrawn at any time.

This role may be subject to enhanced governance arrangements. If successful, you may be required to comply with additional regulatory and compliance obligations, such as disclosure of personal trading activities and external interest/affiliations.

Further information on these requirements will be provided at a later stage of the process.

This is Barclays London

Our global HQ is in Canary Wharf, at the heart of London’s financial district. There are over 10,000 colleagues here – a hugely diverse workforce made up of the world’s best financial and tech talent. If you love the buzz of city life, this is the place to be.

Cycle or run to work? We’ve got everything you need – from cycle hire and parking areas to new showering and changing facilities.

CoSpace is our drop-in co-working space, where networks are built, problems are solved collectively and our community is strengthened.

Our Wellness Suite includes a well-equipped gym and exercise studios, and provides personal training sessions and massage therapy.

Our new trading floors enhance communication, integrate sustainability, and support health and wellbeing through innovative design and British-sourced furniture.

This is Barclays London

Our global HQ is in Canary Wharf, at the heart of London’s financial district. There are over 10,000 colleagues here – a hugely diverse workforce made up of the world’s best financial and tech talent. If you love the buzz of city life, this is the place to be.

Supporting active commuters

Cycle or run to work? We’ve got everything you need – from cycle hire and parking areas to new showering and changing facilities.

Time to connect

CoSpace is our drop-in co-working space, where networks are built, problems are solved collectively and our community is strengthened.

Wellbeing in focus

Our Wellness Suite includes a well-equipped gym and exercise studios, and provides personal training sessions and massage therapy.

Advanced trading floors

Our new trading floors enhance communication, integrate sustainability, and support health and wellbeing through innovative design and British-sourced furniture.

Multicultural ERGs at Barclays

Be you. Be valued. Belong.

We celebrate the unique perspectives and experiences each individual brings, believing our differences make us stronger and drive success.

You can learn more about our commitment to our colleague on our Inclusion and Opportunities page.

Learn more

Application Process

Your application

We’ll ask for information about you, your CV and cover letter.

1

Your assessment

Covering your behaviours and ability at work.

2

Your interview

Exploring your past experiences and skills.

3

Next step

We’ll request additional information so that you can complete our screening process

4
How to ApplyRead our FAQ's
Barclays

Working flexibly

We’re committed to providing a supportive and inclusive culture and environment for you to work in. This environment recognises and supports your personal needs, alongside the professional needs of our business. If you'd like to explore flexible working arrangements, please discuss this with the hiring manager. Your request will be reviewed in-line with the requirements of the role/business needs of the team.

Hybrid working

We have a structured approach to hybrid working, where colleagues work at an onsite location on fixed, ‘anchor’, days, as set by the business area. Please discuss the working pattern requirements for the role you are applying for with the hiring manager. Please note that working arrangements may be subject to change on reasonable notice to ensure we meet the needs of our business.

Barclays is built on an international scale.

Our geographic reach, our wide variety of functions, businesses, roles and locations reflect the rich diversity of our worldwide customer base. All of which means we offer incredible variety, depth and breadth of experience.
And the chance to learn from a globally diverse mix of colleagues, including some of the very best minds in banking, finance, technology and business. Throughout, we’ll encourage you to embrace mobility, exploring every part of our operations as you build your career.

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