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Head of National Payments Vision Programme

London, United Kingdom

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Date live: 02/10/2025

Business Area: Global Payment Services

Area of Expertise: Change

Contract: Permanent

Reference Code: JR-0000074814

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.

Job functional knowledge

  • Role holder requires 15+ years of experience in financial services, with significant exposure to regulatory change, compliance, risk management, and transformation.
  • A proven track record of leading large-scale, cross-functional change programs and deep knowledge of global financial regulations and supervisory expectations.
  • Having a deep understanding of payment systems will be a distinct advantage, including;
  • clearing & settlement (domestic and international), ISO 20022 migrations, Open Banking, and account-to-account innovation.
  • Awareness of resilience, operational risk, and systemic importance of payments infrastructure.
  • Strong grasp of blockchain, distributed ledger technology (DLT), tokenisation, stablecoins, and central bank digital currency (CBDC) design considerations.
  • Experience developing / piloting digital asset ecosystems.
  • Deep knowledge of UK regulatory environment (FCA, PSR, Bank of England, HM Treasury).

Business expertise

  • Role holder will ensure a proactive and forward-looking approach to managing change across global jurisdictions.
  • Define and implement programme structures to ensure successful delivery of client propositions across; technology, business operations, products, services, and supporting functions.
  • Oversee the design and delivery of end-to-end change programs from initial strategy and impact analysis to implementation and post-implementation reviews.
  • Partnering with Business functions,  Legal, Compliance, Risk, Technology, and Operations to drive timely and compliant change execution.

Problem-solving

  • Role holder will have an ability to deliver within a changing landscape and show an ability to navigate complex, high impact challenges, requiring a blend of strategic insight, data driven analysis, and sound judgement.
  • The role holder will need to proactively identify issues, assess risks, and anticipate developments to deliver sustainable enterprise wide solutions.
  • This will require influencing of MD stakeholders, including Group Exco members, with diverse interests to reach consensus across multiple Business Units.

Leadership

  • Role holder will be responsible for leading the strategic management and execution of change initiatives across the bank. Including both direct reports and a large virtual diverse team spanning multiple countries / locations.
  • This will include direct execution accountability for multi-million pound change budgets.

Area of impact

  • Role holder will chair MD -level committees and steering groups (e.g. Group Exco level Programme Steering Committees), ensure strong governance and controls are in place for all change programmes, and represent the bank in discussions and updates with regulators, industry bodies, and forums.

Interpersonal skills

  • Role requires the ability to build strong relationships with internal stakeholders across all levels of the organisation. To serve as a trusted advisor to senior management on change impacts and make recommendations on the best execution approach, providing clear, concise updates to Group, BU and COO Executive committees on a regular basis.
  • In leading the team the role holder will be able to demonstrate an ability to develop future leaders by mentoring high potential talent and building a high performing team.

Purpose of the role

To drive the design, coordination, and delivery of Barclays response to the UK’s National Payments Vision, including the integration of digital assets / next-generation payments infrastructure, and to establish and lead the Delivery Committee that aligns government, regulators, industry, and consumer needs.

Accountabilities

  • Support to change delivery managers, ensuring their programme is compliant with the Barclays Control Framework, including oversight of controls and governance standards.
  • Creation and implementation of standardised PMO processes and methodologies that are aligned with controls and governance standards and that support the delivery of successful projects.  .
  • Monitoring of project performance, including tracking of project progress, identification of risks assumptions, issues and dependencies, and creation of report on project status to senior management.
  • Support of project documentation, including maintenance of project plans, schedules, and budgets, and ensuring that project documentation is up-to-date and accurate.
  • Facilitation of project governance, including ensuring that projects are aligned with the organisation's strategic objectives, and that project risks assumptions, issues and dependencies are managed effectively.
  • Provision of change management framework training to project managers and other stakeholders, ensuring that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver successful projects.  .
  • Continuous improvement of project management practices, including identification of areas for improvement and implementation of changes to improve project delivery.

Managing Director Expectations

  • To manage a large, complex or diverse function and take accountability for the strategic direction of the function to significantly strengthen successful and efficient businesses and contribute to the strategic initiatives of the Barclays Group
  • Lead and mentor high performing teams and embed a performance culture aligned to the values of the business. Or for an individual contributor, they lead organisation wide projects, act as a profound technical expert and thought leader, Identifying new and innovative/ground breaking ways of working. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions.
  • Drive and achieve overall success and / or competitiveness of a business division by influencing senior leaders and committees.
  • Strategically assess and manage risks to protect the business division / function and growth.
  • Influence company policy and develop functional procedures in conjunction with senior leaders / strategic positions across the business.
  • Demonstrate interpretative thinking for innovative solutions in complex situations and conceptual thinking in completely new situations.
  • Exercise management authority to make significant / complex business and strategic decisions that impact the Barclays Group, business division or function.
  • Negotiate with and influence stakeholders at a senior level both internally and externally and foster growth for Barclays business.
  • Mandated as the business division/ functional spokesperson or representative to external bodies and shapes the public image of Barclays.
  • Demonstrate exceptional knowledge of how business divisions and functions integrate with the Group to achieve the overall business objectives alongside industry theories and practices within own discipline.
  • Maintain broad and comprehensive functional expertise and significant product knowledge.
  • Accountable for the control and governance agenda of the business division / function.
  • Focus on the external environment, regulators, or advocacy groups to both monitor and influence on behalf of Barclays.

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 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
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.

Find more information

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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