Head of change (Ref: 197741)

Forsyth Barnes; Leeds; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Forsyth Barnes’ Leeds-based client seeks a Head of Change to provide enterprise leadership across the organisation’s change agenda, connecting executive priorities with practical delivery across business and technology functions, and creating a transparent view of capacity, dependencies, risks, investment and expected benefits.

The role requires senior experience in governance, portfolio management and regulatory delivery, with the ability to influence executives and drive delivery across a

Qualifications

• Extensive senior experience leading enterprise change, transformation or programme delivery.
• Experience managing complex, interdependent portfolios within regulated financial services.

Responsibilities

• Set the enterprise change strategy and translate organisational priorities into an integrated portfolio of initiatives.
• Direct the planning, prioritisation and sequencing of business and technology change across the organisation.
• Lead, coach and develop the change function with clear accountability and high professional standards.
• Chair or contribute to governance forums, presenting concise analysis and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Maintain oversight of portfolio capacity, funding, dependencies, delivery risk, issues and benefits realisation.
• Strengthen change frameworks, controls, reporting and assurance in line with regulatory expectations.
• Build relationships with executives, business leaders, technology teams, risk functions and external partners.
• Challenge proposals where scope or value do not support strategic objectives.
• Promote consistent impact assessment, readiness, adoption and post-implementation review.
• Provide timely intervention when delivery performance deteriorates, ensuring recovery actions.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Portfolio management

Governance & regulatory

Stakeholder management

Change leadership

Job description

About Us

Operating in investment banking, our client supports the movement, management and growth of capital through sophisticated financial services and market activity. The organisation is strengthening its enterprise capabilities to support sustainable development, improve operational effectiveness and deliver dependable outcomes for clients in a complex, regulated environment. Its Leeds-based operation combines commercial ambition with disciplined governance and a clear focus on executing strategic priorities.

With change central to its future direction, this organisation is investing in the leadership, portfolio discipline and delivery capability required to translate strategy into measurable business value. The successful candidate will work within an environment where senior stakeholders recognise the importance of well-governed transformation and informed decision-making.

Job Description

The Head of Change will provide enterprise leadership across the organisation’s change agenda, ensuring strategic initiatives are selected, sequenced and delivered with appropriate control. Based in Leeds, the role will connect executive priorities with practical delivery across business and technology functions, creating a transparent view of capacity, dependencies, risks, investment and expected benefits.

Success will involve making change easier to govern, more consistent to execute and more closely aligned to business outcomes. You will lead an established change capability, advise senior decision-makers, challenge competing demands and ensure delivery teams have the direction, resources and standards required to achieve meaningful results.

As a senior contributor to change governance, you will bring clarity to complex decisions and maintain momentum across a varied portfolio. The position requires a balanced approach: strategic enough to shape the future operating environment, and sufficiently engaged in delivery detail to identify issues early, protect value and maintain confidence among stakeholders.

This is an influential leadership appointment for an experienced transformation professional who can mature an existing model while preserving its strengths. You will help establish the conditions for sustainable change across a regulated investment banking business, with visible impact on organisational performance, client service and strategic execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the enterprise change strategy and translate organisational priorities into an integrated portfolio of initiatives.
• Direct the planning, prioritisation and sequencing of business and technology change across the organisation.
• Lead, coach and develop the change function, establishing clear accountability and high professional standards.
• Chair or contribute to relevant governance forums, presenting concise analysis and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Maintain oversight of portfolio capacity, funding, dependencies, delivery risk, issues and benefits realisation.
• Strengthen change frameworks, controls, reporting and assurance practices in line with regulatory and business expectations.
• Build effective relationships with executives, business leaders, technology teams, risk functions and external delivery partners.
• Challenge proposals where scope, sequencing, resourcing or expected value do not support the organisation’s strategic objectives.
• Promote consistent approaches to impact assessment, stakeholder engagement, readiness, adoption and post-implementation review.
• Provide timely intervention when delivery performance deteriorates, ensuring recovery actions are agreed and tracked.

Requirements

• Extensive senior experience leading enterprise change, transformation, portfolio management or a comparable strategic delivery function.
• Evidence of managing complex, interdependent portfolios within a financial services, investment banking or similarly regulated setting.
• Strong understanding of governance, risk, control, regulatory obligations and executive-level decision-making.
• Demonstrable success overseeing both business-led and technology-enabled change from strategic definition through implementation and benefits review.
• Experience developing an established change, transformation or programme management capability and improving its operating model.
• Confidence presenting portfolio insight, investment cases, risks and delivery recommendations to executive committees or boards.
• Ability to balance long-term strategic planning with active oversight of delivery quality, dependencies and emerging problems.
• Commercial judgement, including the ability to evaluate investment, articulate benefits and protect value throughout delivery.
• Highly developed influencing, facilitation, negotiation and communication skills across technical, operational and executive audiences.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and retain high-performing professionals through changing priorities and demanding delivery conditions.
• Methodical attention to detail, supported by strong analytical capability and experience using data to inform prioritisation and assurance.
• Credibility to challenge constructively, make difficult decisions and maintain professional independence when required.
• Adaptability, resilience and sound judgement when managing ambiguity, competing demands and critical deadlines.
• Relevant professional qualifications in change, programme management, project management or business transformation would be advantageous.

Benefits

• A senior leadership remit with direct influence over enterprise priorities, investment decisions and strategic execution.
• The opportunity to shape and mature a change capability that is central to the organisation’s next phase of development.
• Broad exposure to executive stakeholders and varied business and technology initiatives within investment banking.
• A role where effective portfolio leadership can produce measurable improvements in operational performance, client outcomes and organisational resilience.
• Access to professional development aligned with leadership, transformation and regulated financial services delivery.
• A Leeds-based position within a structured, governance-focused environment that values informed challenge and continuous improvement.