Head of Programme Delivery (2-year Fixed Term)

Financial Conduct Authority; England; Hybrid; GBP 130,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading regulatory authority is seeking a Head of Programme Delivery for its Integrated Regulatory Operations Programme. This pivotal role involves strategic leadership in delivering complex transformation initiatives aimed at enhancing regulatory efficiency and operational capability. Candidates will benefit from exposure to significant projects, leadership duties, and a competitive salary package, promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Benefits

30 days holiday plus bank holidays

Private healthcare with Bupa

Non-contributory pension of at least 8%

Life assurance of eight times your basic salary

Income protection

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading large-scale transformation programmes.
• Proven expertise in delivering change within regulatory environments.
• Ability to manage multi-million-pound budgets.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of a complex transformation programme.
• Develop and manage comprehensive programme plans.
• Drive strategic decision-making and stakeholder engagement.

Skills

Change Management

Strategic Decision-Making

Stakeholder Management

Leadership

Programme Management

Education

Project Management Qualification (APM, MSP)

Job description

Head of Programme Delivery for Integrated Regulatory Operations (2-year Fixed Term)

About the FCA

At the FCA, we’re creating a fair and more resilient financial system. We’re establishing more transparent relationships between financial services and customers, building trust in financial markets and protecting vulnerable consumers.

We’re currently on an exciting journey as we drive forward significant organisational, people, process, and technology transformation to become a more forward-thinking, proactive regulator. We will use data more effectively to drive better regulatory decisions and build greater cohesion across our broad financial services remit.

Significant improvements in digital enablement, business intelligence, market data and information management maturity are all being pursued to maintain our position as a world leader in financial services regulation.

The Role

This position is offered on a fixed-term basis for a period of two years.

The Programme Delivery team sits within the Change Directorate, reporting to the Change Director under the Chief Operating Officer. The team leads the delivery of the Integrated Regulatory Operations (IRO) Programme — a complex, multi-workstream transformation initiative central to the FCA’s Smarter Regulatory Strategy. Key projects within the programme include the Integrated Regulatory Model, Regulatory Case Management Service, and Operational Excellence.

The Head of Programme Delivery is responsible for end-to-end leadership of the IRO Programme, shaping and executing a cohesive strategy to enhance regulatory efficiency, operational capability, and cross-FCA integration. Operating in a dynamic and high-stakes environment, the role requires strong leadership, governance, and stakeholder management skills to deliver impactful, organisation-wide outcomes.

This is a pivotal role in driving transformation within a regulated environment, delivering tangible business benefits through effective programme management and strategic alignment.

What will the candidate get from the role?

• Joining the Senior Leadership Team at the FCA during an exciting and challenging time of great change in financial services and its regulation
• Leading a programme of talented and committed people through significant projects whilst also delivering on business-as-usual objectives
• Exposure to strategic issues and key players in the world of finance, both nationally and internationally

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of a complex, multi-workstream transformation programme, guiding cross-functional teams through all phases of the programme lifecycle — from initiation and design to implementation and review.
• Shape and define new programme activity, establishing clear scope, approach, and strategic justification to ensure alignment with organisational objectives and priorities.
• Develop and manage comprehensive programme plans, identifying interdependencies, controlling changes, and proactively addressing risks and issues to maintain momentum and delivery integrity.
• Oversee resource and budget management, including performance management of team members and effective procurement of consultancy and contract resources to maximise value and efficiency.
• Drive strategic decision-making and stakeholder engagement, ensuring alignment across senior leadership, managing executive-level relationships, and providing accurate, insightful reporting to support governance and oversight.
• Ensure delivery of measurable benefits and outcomes, maintaining product clarity, managing uncertainty, and identifying opportunities to optimise processes, enhance purchasing power, and deliver long-term value to the organisation.
  • Developing and delivering a long-term strategy for the Integrated Regulatory Operations Programme, aligning to broader divisional and organisational strategies
  • Leading on performance, capability and culture within the Integrated Regulatory Operations Programme, with a strong focus on operational excellence
  • Delivering through others by relying on coaching, influencing and negotiating skills with a range of internal and external stakeholders
  • Building a strong and inclusive directorate that attracts and develop diverse talent

Skills/Experience Required

The FCA are a signatory to the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. This means that we will offer an interview to disabled candidates entering under the scheme, should they meet the minimum criteria for a role. A minimum criterion needs to be measurable from reviewing a candidate’s CV. For example, ‘Experience of employment law’ is measurable from looking at someone’s CV but ‘Knowledge of HR practices’ is not.’

Minimum

• Extensive experience leading large-scale, complex, cross-functional transformation programmes in high-pressure, ambiguous environments.
• Proven expertise in delivering change management, operating model design, and programme execution within public sector or regulatory environments, with a strong understanding of their structures, governance, and operational complexities.
• Proven ability to manage senior teams, oversee multi-million-pound budgets, and drive impactful outcomes.
• Proven ability to manage strategic supplier relationships to drive performance, value, and innovation.

Essential

• Significant experience of managing and influencing key stakeholders, including senior decision makers internally and externally
• Skilled in a range of delivery methods, with the flexibility to adapt as needed.
• Experience of role modelling strong leadership behaviours in line with organisational values
• The ability to inclusively lead a group of talented individuals with a wide variety of professional expertise, experience, and backgrounds
• An open and flexible management style and the ability to communicate effectively to a wide-ranging audience with different skills and perspectives

Desirable

• Hold a project management qualification such as APM, MSP is highly desirable but not essential.

The FCA’s Values & Diversity

Our ambition is to create a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the society we serve, helping us to be a better regulator. We serve the public and our decisions directly affect the wellbeing of people, businesses and the UK economy. So, our values matter. They represent the culture we aspire to every day, guiding our judgements, building trust and helping us to be ‘At our best’.

The FCA is committed to achieving greater diversity across all levels of our organisation. Given this, we particularly welcome applications from women, disabled, and minority ethnic candidates, as under-represented groups.

As an inclusive employer, we are open to considering flexible working arrangements, including job shares. Please inform your recruiter if you wish to apply for this role on a flexible basis.

As part of the FCA’s on-going commitment to develop our national presence, most of our vacancies are now open to working in our Edinburgh, Leeds or London offices. This means that as part of the application process you will be able to select your preference of which office location you would like to work from.

Application Support

We want to remove any possible barriers and are committed to providing a wide range of reasonable adjustments so that you can keep the focus on your conversations and be at your best.

If you have an accessibility requirement, disability, or condition that means you might require changes to the recruitment process, please contact your recruiter to discuss this further. Our aim is to make you application as easy as possible, and your recruiter will be happy to work with you to make any necessary arrangements where possible.

Benefits

Our competitive benefits scheme gives you the opportunity to create a personalised benefits package, tailored to suit your lifecycle. You can this this allowance to purchase additional benefits such as dental or cycle to work, or you have the option to top up your base salary by taking this as cash.

Core benefits that you will receive as standard are:

• 30 days holiday per year plus bank holidays
• Private healthcare with Bupa
• A non-contributory Pension of at least 8% of basic salary each month (there are several contribution levels that increase depending on your age- up to 12% a month once you reach age 35)
• Life assurance of eight times your basic salary
• Income protection

Conflicts of interest

All applicants to the FCA are required to demonstrate that they do not have other interests likely to conflict with their responsibilities as an employee of the FCA. You should declare any potential conflict of interest as early as possible in the selection process, and also disclose information or personal connections that, if appointed, might be open to misperception.

Any potential conflicts of interest will not prevent candidates going forward to interview but may, if appropriate, be explored during the interview to establish how the candidate would address the issue(s) should they be successful in their application.

Useful information

• The closing date for this role is 23:55 on Sunday 6 July 2025
• Selection will be via a two-stage interview and psychometric assessment
• This role is London based in our office in Stratford.
• We operate a hybrid working policy with an expectation that senior leaders spend a minimum of 50% of their working time each month in the office.
• The base salary range for this role is £130k to £175k per annum.
• If successful, you will be required to obtain and retain SC Clearance.

To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter via the FCA careers page (workday). Please note we are unable to accept applications by email.

For further information about the role, please contact Roy Bingcang – Executive Resourcing & Talent – on