Director – Finance Transformation, Cost FTC

Location: Chennai/ Gurgaon

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Director to join Barclays Finance in India, focused on shaping and driving the transformation agenda for the Cost Finance Transaction Cycle. The Cost FTC is evolving to become a strategically anchored, Group-wide authority on cost, underpinned by standardised processes, stronger governance, automation, improved data and self-serve insight. This role will work closely with Finance subject matter experts, senior Cost leadership, Transformation partners and Technology counterparts to translate strategic priorities into executable change, ensuring delivery is commercially focused, well controlled and aligned to the broader Finance transformation agenda.

The successful candidate will bring senior transformation leadership, strong Finance domain understanding and the ability to operate across business, data, technology and control agendas. They will be expected to shape direction, influence senior stakeholders, simplify complexity and deliver sustainable outcomes that improve the way Cost Finance operates.

Accountabilities

• Lead the design and delivery of a strategic transformation roadmap for the Cost FTC, aligned to Barclays Finance priorities and the wider transformation agenda.
• Partner with Finance SMEs, process owners, Transformation teams and Technology counterparts to shape problem statements, define requirements, assess solution options and deliver fit-for-purpose outcomes.
• Identify and drive opportunities to simplify, standardise, automate and strengthen end-to-end Cost FTC processes, reducing manual effort and improving quality, control, transparency and timeliness.
• Translate business strategy into clear business design, target operating model changes, process documentation, control requirements, delivery plans and measurable success outcomes.
• Provide senior leadership across cross-functional workstreams, ensuring priorities, scope, milestones, dependencies, risks, issues and decisions are actively managed.
• Establish and support robust governance over the transformation book of work, including prioritisation, delivery tracking, benefits management, escalation and executive reporting.
• Work with data and technology partners to ensure transformation outcomes support strategic architecture, governed data, automation, scalability and long-term sustainability.
• Influence and align senior stakeholders across Finance, Transformation and Technology, bringing together diverse perspectives and constructively challenging to reach the right outcomes.
• Embed transformed ways of working into BAU teams through clear ownership, colleague engagement, knowledge transfer, documentation and sustainable control frameworks.

• Provide visible senior leadership for a complex, multi-year Finance transformation agenda, setting direction and creating clarity across teams.
• Operate as a trusted advisor to senior Cost FTC stakeholders, bringing a strong blend of Finance, transformation, technology, data and control expertise.
• Take accountability for outcomes while empowering teams and partners to own delivery, resolve blockers and maintain pace.
• Demonstrate enterprise thinking by aligning delivery to Barclays strategy, Finance priorities and sustainable long-term value, ahead of functional or local interests.
• Communicate with clarity and impact, converting complex process, data, technology and control issues into clear recommendations and decision points for senior forums.
• Create an inclusive and collaborative environment where colleagues feel able to challenge, contribute ideas, speak up and work across organisational boundaries.
• Role model strong risk and control management, ensuring transformation activity is delivered responsibly and with appropriate oversight.
• Develop capability across the team by coaching colleagues, sharing expertise and building transformation skills that support the future Finance operating model.

Candidate Profile

Skills, Experience and Qualifications

• Extensive experience operating at Director level or equivalent, leading complex Finance transformation, business change, operating model or technology-enabled change in a large global organisation.
• Strong Finance background with a practical understanding of cost management, planning, forecasting, reporting, controls, data and performance management.
• Proven track record of working with senior business SMEs and Technology teams to shape transformation requirements, challenge solution design and deliver business outcomes.
• Experience delivering simplification, standardisation, automation, process re-engineering or digital enablement across end-to-end Finance processes.
• Strong senior stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across functions, geographies and levels of seniority.
• Excellent strategic thinking and problem-solving capability, with the ability to manage ambiguity, structure complex issues and make practical recommendations.
• Robust delivery discipline, including experience managing governance, milestones, dependencies, risks, issues, benefits, executive updates and implementation plans.
• Strong commercial judgement and control mindset, with a focus on delivering sustainable benefits, improved service quality, capacity creation and operational resilience.
• Confident communicator with the ability to produce clear executive-level materials and engage effectively in senior decision-making forums.
• Demonstrated people leadership capability, including coaching, developing talent, building capability and creating an environment where colleagues can thrive.
• Professional qualifications in Finance, Change, Transformation, Data, Technology, Project or Programme Management would be advantageous, although equivalent senior experience will be equally valued.

Purpose of the role

To ensure the financial health and success of the company by the development and implementation of the overall financial strategy.  

Accountabilities

• Development of overall strategic direction for finance, including the implementation of up-to-date methodologies and processes.
• Management of the finance department, including oversight of finance colleagues and their performance, implementation of departmental goals and objectives, oversight of financial planning, budgeting and forecasting.
• Relationship management of finance stakeholders, including identifying relevant stakeholders, and representation of the bank’s financial position and performance.  .
• Identification of opportunities and implementation of financial process improvements that streamline financial operations, in partnership with the transformation function.
• Management of finance risk, including identification, assessment, and mitigation of financial risks, and maintenance of alignment between the bank’s finance and compliance functions.
• Monitoring the accuracy and timeliness of financial reporting and oversight of the preparation and filing of financial reports with regulatory bodies and investors.
• Monitoring the financial performance of the department, including revenue, profitability, and cost control.

Director Expectations

• 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 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.
• Escalates breaches of policies / procedure appropriately.
• Foster and guide compliance, ensure regulations are observed that relevant processes in place to facilitate adherence.
• Focus on the external environment, regulators, or advocacy groups to both monitor and influence on behalf of Barclays, when appropriate.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of how the function integrates with the business division / Group to achieve the 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 / initiatives.
• Use interpretative thinking and advanced analytical skills to solve problems and design solutions in often complex/ sensitive situations.
• Exercise management authority to make significant decisions and certain strategic decisions or recommendations within own area.
• Negotiate with and influence stakeholders at a senior level both internally and externally.
• Act as principal contact point for key clients and counterparts in other functions/ businesses divisions.
• Mandated as a spokesperson for the function and business division.

All Senior Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.