Head of Digital Systems Assurance & Compliance

Peregrine; Preston; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Peregrine is seeking a Head of Digital Systems Assurance & Compliance to lead the development and ongoing management of a comprehensive assurance framework across a large UK-based organisation.

The role collaborates with technology leadership, cyber security, audit and business stakeholders to embed risk-based governance and drive continuous improvement.

Hybrid working in Preston, permanent role focusing on regulatory, contractual and industry compliance.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading technology assurance, governance or risk management.
• Strong understanding of cyber security assurance and audit processes.
• Experience in highly regulated environments and government/defence compliance.
• Excellent understanding of enterprise technology environments and system development lifecycles.
• Proven ability to implement governance frameworks across large organisations.
• Experience managing stakeholder relationships across technical and business functions.
• Strong leadership and team development experience.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to make strategic decisions in complex environments.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Relevant professional certifications advantageous.
• Experience implementing assurance frameworks across multiple geographies.
• Knowledge of assurance in engineering/manufacturing or highly regulated industries.
• Experience supporting bids, tenders or customer compliance activities.
• Understanding of enterprise architecture, technology strategy and digital transformation.
• Experience working with outsourced technology providers and managed services.
• Relevant certifications in governance, risk, compliance or cyber security.

Responsibilities

• Define, implement and maintain a digital systems assurance and compliance framework across multiple business areas.
• Lead assurance activities across technology and cyber domains, ensuring consistent governance and control standards.
• Establish and oversee a network of system and control owners, ensuring clear accountability.
• Partner with technology, security and business leaders to embed assurance throughout the technology lifecycle.
• Provide expert guidance on regulatory, contractual and industry compliance requirements.
• Lead engagement with internal and external audit teams, coordinating remediation activities and ensuring remediation of findings.
• Develop reporting and escalation processes that provide visibility of compliance performance, risks and improvement initiatives.
• Lead and develop a specialist assurance team, creating a high-performing culture focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Skills

Leadership

Governance

Risk management

Stakeholder engagement

Cyber security assurance

Strategic decision making

Communication

Digital governance

Team development

Regulatory/compliance knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Head of Digital Systems, Assurance & Compliance

Permanent | Hybrid, Preston| Digital Governance | Cyber Assurance

We are seeking a Head of Digital Systems Assurance & Compliance to lead the development, implementation and ongoing management of a comprehensive technology assurance and compliance framework across a large-scale, complex organisation.

In this role, you will establish governance standards, drive assurance activities across digital and technology environments, and ensure compliance with regulatory, contractual and corporate requirements. You will work closely with technology leadership, cyber security teams, service providers, business stakeholders and audit functions to embed a culture of risk-based assurance and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities:

• Define, implement and maintain a digital systems assurance and compliance framework across multiple business areas.
• Lead assurance activities across technology and cyber domains, ensuring consistent governance and control standards.
• Establish and oversee a network of system and control owners, ensuring clear accountability across the organisation.
• Partner with technology, security and business leaders to embed assurance and compliance throughout the technology lifecycle.
• Provide expert guidance on regulatory, contractual and industry compliance requirements.
• Lead engagement with internal and external audit teams, coordinating remediation activities and ensuring successful resolution of findings.
• Develop reporting and escalation processes that provide visibility of compliance performance, risks and improvement initiatives.
• Lead and develop a specialist assurance team, creating a high-performing culture focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Skills & Experience:

• Extensive experience leading technology assurance, governance, compliance or risk management functions within complex organisations.
• Strong understanding of cyber security assurance, technology governance frameworks and audit processes.
• Experience working with highly regulated environments and government or defence-related compliance requirements.
• Excellent understanding of technology infrastructure, systems development lifecycles and enterprise technology environments.
• Proven ability to develop and implement governance frameworks across large organisations.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships across technical and business functions.
• Strong leadership experience, including building, developing and managing specialist teams.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to make strategic decisions in complex and ambiguous environments.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Relevant professional certifications or postgraduate qualifications would be advantageous.
• Experience implementing assurance frameworks across multiple business units or geographies.
• Knowledge of technology assurance within engineering, manufacturing or highly regulated industries.
• Experience supporting bids, tenders or customer compliance activities.
• Understanding of enterprise architecture, technology strategy and digital transformation programmes.
• Experience working with outsourced technology providers and managed service environments.
• Relevant industry certifications in governance, risk, compliance or cyber security.

This role is responsible for leading technology assurance, governance and compliance activities across a complex digital environment, ensuring systems, controls and processes meet regulatory, contractual and organisational requirements. Working across cyber security, audit, risk management and enterprise technology functions, you will develop and maintain scalable assurance frameworks, oversee compliance reporting and drive continuous improvement in governance practices. Success in the role will be demonstrated through the adoption of a robust assurance framework, improved compliance outcomes, clear accountability for technology controls, reduced cyber and technology risks, successful audit delivery and remediation of findings, and the establishment of a high-performing assurance team that provides trusted guidance to senior stakeholders.

About Peregrine

We build workforces that deliver tech and change programmes at leading UK organisations. By combining data science from Peregrine Intelligence, our industry-accredited Peregrine Academy, and market-leading attraction and diversity initiatives, we bridge capability gaps at all levels in public and private sector organisations. We work closely with our clients to understand their challenges and deliver flexible, long-term solutions that make a real difference. When you join Peregrine, you become part of a team that’s focused on growth, both yours, our clients’, and the sectors we support. You'll also get access to a full range of benefits alongside your salary.

How Specialist Talent Works

As a permanent employee at Peregrine, you'll be part of our Specialist Talent team. That means you'll work on-site or remotely with our clients, supporting them on complex, high-impact projects in Data, Digital and Business Transformation. You'll get the variety and challenge of consultancy work, with the stability and support of a permanent role. You're not a contractor - you're a valued member of our team, with access to all the same benefits, learning opportunities, and community.

Our Culture

We're curious, open, and always learning. We believe in doing great work and doing it with integrity. We support each other, share ideas freely, and celebrate progress big and small. And we care about the impact we make, whether that’s helping clients solve tough problems or creating opportunities for people from all walks of life.

Diversity and Inclusion

We're proud to be a diverse team, with 20+ nationalities represented across Peregrine. We welcome people from all backgrounds and experiences, and we're committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. Through our partnerships and internal initiatives, we're working to improve social mobility, reduce our environmental impact, and help our clients build more inclusive teams too.

Find out more: peregrine.global or check out our LinkedIn page: peregrine-resourcing