Communications Surveillance Operational Lead

We are seeking a dynamic Vice President, Communications Surveillance Operations & Targeted Surveillance Unit (TSU) to lead our Glasgow-based team at the forefront of conduct risk management. This pivotal leadership role will drive operational excellence, embed enhanced surveillance processes, and foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and collaboration.

The VP will oversee end-to-end surveillance activities, including intelligence-led investigations and TSU reviews, ensuring risks are identified, escalated, and remediated effectively. With responsibility for integrating advanced analytics and AI-enabled detection, the role requires strong analytical acumen, proven change leadership, and the ability to deliver in a complex, global matrix environment.

This is an opportunity to shape the future of surveillance capabilities, partner with global stakeholders, and represent the Glasgow team in governance forums—making a tangible impact on the firm’s transformation journey.

To be successful as VP CRMS Market Surveillance Lead, the ideal candidate must have:

• Strong experience in communications or trade surveillance, investigations, or conduct risk management within a global financial institution.

• Deep understanding of FCA Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) and equivalent global regulatory frameworks.

• Excellent investigative and analytical skills, with attention to detail and ability to synthesise complex data sets.

• Experience managing teams through transformation, including technology or process change.

• Strong proficiency with surveillance platforms, case management systems, and analytical tools.

• Tech-savvy mindset with an interest in applying AI, machine learning, and automation to surveillance operations.

• Demonstrated ability to operate in a matrix environment, influencing across global teams and multiple stakeholder groups.

Some other highly valued skills are:

• Experience in targeted or thematic surveillance, or investigative roles within Compliance or Risk.

• Knowledge of investment banking products and trading practices.

• Experience with market conduct surveillance systems and data analytics tools

This role is based in Glasgow with 3 anchor days in the office Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

You may be assessed on key critical skills relevant for success in role, such as risk and controls, change and transformation, business acumen, strategic thinking and digital and technology, as well as job-specific technical skills.

Purpose of the role

To monitor and analyse market activity for potential signs of abuse or manipulation, verifying that there is adherence to regulatory requirements and internal policies and taking action to mitigate market misconduct. 

Accountabilities

• Monitoring market activities continuously, including order flows, prices, trading volumes and communications to identify potential irregularities or market misconduct.
• Conducting in-depth investigations to gather evidence and assess the risk of market manipulation, insider trading, or other misconduct.
• Business support in projects related to the firm’s market surveillance framework.
• Regulatory query and internal/external audit support.
• Provision of accurate and timely reports to regulatory authorities, internal stakeholders, and management regarding market surveillance activities, incidents, and trends.
• Execution of appropriate controls aligned to the Barclays control framework and related firm-wide standards.
• Control environment support in relation to data quality, model effectiveness and efficiency.

Vice President Expectations

• To contribute or set strategy, drive requirements and make recommendations for change. Plan resources, budgets, and policies; manage and maintain policies/ processes; deliver continuous improvements and escalate breaches of policies/procedures..
• If managing a team, they define jobs and responsibilities, planning for the department’s future needs and operations, counselling employees on performance and contributing to employee pay decisions/changes. They may also lead a number of specialists to influence the operations of a department, in alignment with strategic as well as tactical priorities, while balancing short and long term goals and ensuring that budgets and schedules meet corporate requirements..
• If the position has leadership responsibilities, People 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..
• OR for an individual contributor, they will be a subject matter expert within own discipline and will guide technical direction. They will lead collaborative, multi-year assignments and guide team members through structured assignments, identify the need for the inclusion of other areas of specialisation to complete assignments. They will train, guide and coach less experienced specialists and provide information affecting long term profits, organisational risks and strategic decisions..
• Advise key stakeholders, including functional leadership teams and senior management on functional and cross functional areas of impact and alignment.
• Manage and mitigate risks through assessment, in support of the control and governance agenda.
• Demonstrate leadership and accountability for managing risk and strengthening controls in relation to the work your team does.
• Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the organisation functions to contribute to achieving the goals of the business.
• Collaborate with other areas of work, for business aligned support areas to keep up to speed with business activity and the business strategies.
• Create solutions based on sophisticated analytical thought comparing and selecting complex alternatives. In-depth analysis with interpretative thinking will be required to define problems and develop innovative solutions.
• Adopt and include the outcomes of extensive research in problem solving processes.
• Seek out, build and maintain trusting relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders in order to accomplish key business objectives, using influencing and negotiating skills to achieve outcomes.

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.