Strategy and Governance Director

Job Description Purpose of the role

To enable the success of senior executives by helping navigate complex challenges, make informed decisions and deliver against their strategic objectives.

• Strategic support to senior executives, such as the CEO or other top-level leaders including assistance in the development and execution of in-year and multi-year business strategy, research, and analysis to support decision-making and acting as a delegate for the senior executive in specific situations.
• Management of colleague engagement planning in line with the strategic direction, managing communication channels and ensuring effective coordination across different departments and teams.
• Management of key projects and strategic initiatives on behalf of senior executives, ensuring strategic projects are on track, monitoring progress, and providing regular updates to the executive team.
• Improvement of operational efficiency, alongside functional partners, within the organisation including the identification of areas for improvement, streamlining of processes, and implementation of consistently excellent best practices to enhance productivity and effectiveness.
• Development of performance reporting for key metrics that reinforce the strategic objectives of the division and support external commitments made.
• Analyse and draw insights to drive performance.
• Involvement in aspects of financial analysis and budget management, including assistance in financial planning, forecasting, cost management and monitoring of financial performance against targets.
• Support to senior leadership to ensure appropriate resourcing across the business/function, including planning and forecasting, partnering with HR to drive talent development and succession planning, identification of high-potential employees, provision of mentorship and guidance, and support to leadership development and diversity initiatives.
• Support to the senior executive with risk and control oversight, escalation, crisis management and risk mitigation, support the development of contingency plans, coordination of responses to emergencies, and ensure business continuity.
• Implementation of a robust governance framework which supports the board of directors, executive forums and governance committees through the preparation of board materials, organisation of meetings, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

To manage a business function, providing significant input to function-wide strategic initiatives.

Contribute to and influence policy and procedures for the function and plan, manage and consult on multiple complex and critical strategic projects, which may be business-wide.

They manage the direction of a large team or sub-function, leading other people managers and embedding a performance culture aligned to the values of the business.

Or for an individual contributor, they lead organisation-wide projects and act as a deep technical expert and thought leader, identifying new ways of working and collaborating cross-functionally.

They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long-term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions.

Provide expert advice to senior functional management and committees to influence decisions made outside of own function, offering significant input to function-wide strategic initiatives.

Manage, coordinate and enable resourcing, budgeting and policy creation for a significant sub-function.

Escalate breaches of policies/procedures appropriately.

Foster and guide compliance, ensure regulations are observed and relevant processes are in place to facilitate adherence.

Focus on the external environment, regulators, or advocacy groups to monitor and influence on behalf of the company where appropriate.

Demonstrate extensive knowledge of how the function integrates with the business division/Group to achieve overall business objectives.

Maintain broad and comprehensive knowledge of industry theories and practices within own discipline, alongside up-to-date relevant sector/functional knowledge, and insight into external market developments and…