Head of Customer Protection Thematic

Unlock Your Potential: A Deep Dive into a Senior Compliance & Regulatory Leadership Opportunity at Barclays

This detailed job description outlines a pivotal senior role within Barclays, a global universal bank. It represents an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned compliance professional to make a significant impact on the organisation's adherence to its legal, regulatory, and ethical responsibilities. This review aims to dissect the core elements of the role, highlighting its advantages and key considerations for ambitious candidates looking to advance their career in a complex and dynamic financial landscape.

Advantages for Candidates: Elevate Your Compliance Career

• Strategic Influence and Impact: This role is designed for leaders who want to shape the future of compliance. You will provide significant input to function-wide strategic initiatives, influence policy and procedures, and manage critical, complex strategic projects. Your expertise will directly inform long-term profits, organisational risks, and strategic decisions, offering a true seat at the executive table.
• Global Exposure within a Universal Bank: Operating within a global, universal bank context, you will gain unparalleled exposure to diverse regulatory frameworks across multiple jurisdictions. This provides a rich learning environment and the opportunity to build a truly international perspective on compliance and risk management.
• Broad and Deep Compliance Responsibilities: The accountabilities span the entire spectrum of compliance, from identifying and assessing risks through thorough reviews, to investigating potential market abuse and financial crime (including Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing), and ensuring the robust implementation of policies. This breadth ensures continuous challenge and professional growth.
• Leadership and Mentorship Opportunities: For those on a leadership trajectory, the role involves managing a large team or sub-function, leading other people managers, and embedding a performance culture. Individual contributors will act as deep technical experts and thought leaders, identifying new ways of working and collaborating cross-functionally, while training, guiding, and coaching less experienced specialists.
• High-Level Stakeholder Engagement: You will regularly partner, influence, and collaborate with senior stakeholders, peers, first-line business functions, Legal, and other risk management teams. The role also mandates acting as a principal contact point for key clients and external counterparts, offering extensive networking and influence opportunities within and outside the organisation.
• Commitment to Values and Development: Barclays emphasizes a strong cultural foundation, underpinned by its LEAD behaviours (Listen, Energise, Align, Develop), core values (Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence, Stewardship), and Mindset (Empower, Challenge, Drive). This indicates an environment that values professional growth, ethical conduct, and collaborative leadership.

Key Considerations for Aspiring Leaders: Navigating the Opportunity

• Experienced Professional Required: This is not an entry-level or mid-career role. The expectation for "comprehensive experience in the industry and of the regulatory environment," "thought leadership," and experience working with "senior stakeholders" indicates a requirement for a highly seasoned compliance professional with a proven track record.
• Mastery of Complex Regulatory Landscape: A strong understanding of the global regulatory framework, Customer Protection risks, and the wider regulatory landscape is paramount. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to not only understand but also interpret and apply complex legal and regulatory matters to dynamic business and client scenarios.
• Demanding and High-Impact Environment: The role's focus on identifying and investigating critical issues like market abuse and financial crime, coupled with the responsibility for strategic decision-making and risk oversight, points to a high-pressure, high-stakes environment where precision, proactive engagement, and sound judgment are crucial.
• Exceptional Communication and Analytical Acumen: Strong written and oral communication skills, particularly concerning law and regulation, are essential. Furthermore, the ability to use interpretive thinking and advanced analytical skills to solve complex and sensitive problems will be frequently tested and expected at a high level.
• Cultural Alignment is Key: Beyond technical skills, candidates must resonate with Barclays' stated leadership behaviours, values, and mindset. Demonstrating how you embody Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence, and Stewardship, and how you Empower, Challenge, and Drive will be crucial for success and integration into the organisational culture.

Who Should Consider This Opportunity?

This role is ideally suited for an accomplished compliance professional with a demonstrable track record in a global financial institution, looking to step into a position of significant strategic influence and leadership. If you thrive on complex regulatory challenges, possess a natural aptitude for thought leadership, and are passionate about upholding the highest standards of integrity and compliance, this could be your next pivotal career move.

In summary, this senior position at Barclays offers an exceptional platform for an experienced compliance leader to drive significant change and impact within a world-class financial institution. It promises a challenging yet highly rewarding environment where your expertise will be valued, and your contributions will play a critical role in ensuring the organisation's continued success and ethical operation in a complex global market.