Assurance Strategy & Communication Lead

Join us as an Assurance Strategy & Communication Lead. At Barclays, we are more than a bank we are a force for progress. You will be reporting directly into the Head of Controls Assurance (CAS) and work closely with the CAS Practices Director. You will be responsible for leading specific strategic communication initiatives and providing effective governance, oversight and tracking of the overall book of work, roadmap, budget and supplier management activities. You will be responsible for the ownership of the CAS (Controls Assurance) strategy associated strategic communications, and deliver close strategic, planning and executive messaging support to the Head of CAS (Controls Assurance) and working closely in partnership with the Group Control Communications and Engagement team, Communications team to shape the Colleague Communication experience. You will be collaborating closely with senior leaders, in making informed decisions on the most pressing business challenges and opportunities.

To be successful as an Assurance Strategy & Communication Lead, you should have experience with:

• Excellent ability to understand new topics across a range of subjects, distilling complex information into key messages to deliver excellent verbal and written communication that are tailored appropriately according to audience, including non-specialists.
• Previous experience in Strategic Communications, executive support, or similar role.
• Proven experience of building extensive networks and ‘delivering through others’ via effective interpersonal relationships and coordinating with internal stakeholders, especially at the D and MD level.
• Ability to effectively manage competing and shifting priorities, to deliver to tight deadlines and multi-task in a pressurised environment, maintaining a high quality of work and attention to detail.
• Organised and effective, ensure activities are planned as per upcoming milestones to be reported.
• Proficient levels of competency with Microsoft 365 applications such as SharePoint, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to manage confidential information with discretion.

Some other highly valued skills may include:

• Prior experience with end-to-end design and delivery of communication plans for strategic programmes / projects.
• Prior experience of strategy development.
• Track record of designing engaging and accessible PowerPoint slides for all audiences up to and including Managing Director level.
• Ability to comfortably work with/interrogate data, distilling key insights and presenting them to non-technical audiences in an accessible and compelling way.
• Experience working effectively in a small, cross-skilled, multi-functional team.

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.

This role is for Noida location.

Purpose of the role

To partner with the bank, to provide independent insurance on control processes and advise on improvements to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the bank’s internal controls framework.  

Accountabilities

• Collaboration across the bank to maintain a satisfactory, robust, and efficient control environment through the execution of ad-hoc assessments and testing on the design and operational effectiveness of the internal controls, aligned to control policies and standards.
• Development of detailed test plans and procedures to identify weaknesses in internal controls and other initiatives aligned to the bank’s control framework to mitigate any potential risks and issues, prioritised by its severity to disrupt bank operations, potential losses, and reputational impact.
• Communication of key findings and observations to the relevant stakeholders and business units to improve overall control efficiency and provide corrective actions to senior managers. Collaboration with other control professionals to resolve complex issues and ensure consistent testing methodologies across the bank.
• Development of a knowledge centre containing detailed documentation of control assessments, testing on design and operational effectiveness of procedures, findings, and the distribution of material on internal controls to train and upskill colleagues within the bank.

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.