Transformation Director

Pay.UK is embarking on one of the most significant transformation journeys in the UK payments ecosystem, and we’re seeking a Transformation Director who can not only turn strategic vision into world class delivery, but also guide and inspire others to bring that vision to life. As a senior member of the leadership team, you’ll galvanise and coordinate people around a clear transformation agenda, shape the enterprise-wide roadmap, and embed the frameworks and capabilities that increase pace and precision. You’ll shape decisions at the highest levels to ensure change is connected, scalable and sustainable across the organisation, creating the conditions for teams to thrive. This is a distinctive opportunity to guide vital modernisation at the core of the UK payments system, producing nationwide and industry-wide benefits that endure for years.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop and own Pay.UK’s transformation framework, ensuring a consistent, enterprise-level approach to strategy execution.
• Translate strategic vision into tangible OKRs and actionable transformation roadmaps, balancing long-term goals with short-term delivery milestones.
• Partner with all directorates to ensure transformation activity is joined-up and outcomes-focused.
• Build transformation capability across Pay.UK through tools, training, and coaching, raising the organisation’s maturity in change delivery.
• Provide senior oversight and assurance to business cases, programme designs, and delivery plans.
• Act as a visible leader of change, building engagement across ExCo, Board, colleagues, and external stakeholders.
• Ensure transformation activities are aligned with risk, compliance, and regulatory obligations.
• Responsible for ultimate delivery of the transformation agreeing, tracking and managing plans to deliver the strategic OKRs for the key strategic pillars to agreed quality, costs, risk and standards, continuously assessing ways to enhance productivity and efficiencies.
• Responsible for strategic input and setting of realistic goals and objectives which link to wider Pay.UK vision and strategy and working closely with accountable programme sponsor to shape and lead the programme.
• Define and develop effective programme communication plans (internal and external).
• Provide programme delivery leadership to multidisciplinary matrix teams that will require conveying an engaging vision and encouraging a cooperative, team-focused culture to facilitate smooth programme implementation.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Background in high‑growth or smaller organisations, with the ability to apply enterprise‑level discipline pragmatically.
• Demonstrable leadership in complex, regulated environments with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Solid commercial acumen and financial capability, with experience managing material budgets (£5m+).
• Experience operating at, or working closely with, Executive and Board level.
• Exposure to financial market infrastructure (FMI) environments and understanding of UK financial services regulation.
• Significant internal and external stakeholder management experience, including regulators, customers and industry bodies.
• Broad programme‑level risk management experience and understanding of risk across a complex ecosystem.
• Strategic thinker and practical executor, able to design frameworks and deliver operationally.
• Highly collaborative and persuasive, able to work across functional boundaries and align diverse stakeholders.
• Results-oriented delivery focus - sets pace, clarity and accountability in complex programmes.
• Methodical and problem‑solving mindset, able to turn insight into clear decisions.
• Handles ambiguity and frequent priority changes with poise while managing highly complex environments.
• Effective communicator, able to simplify complex change narratives for Board, regulators, colleagues and partners.
• Operates with integrity and role‑models Pay.UK values and behaviours.

At Pay.UK, we value diversity and inclusivity. Research has shown that candidates from underrepresented groups may hesitate to apply unless they meet all the requirements listed. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of how closely their skills and experience match the requirements. We are committed to supporting accessibility needs and creating a welcoming environment for all employees.

Who we are

Pay.UK maintains and develops the UK retail payment systems and standards that are core to the economy being able to function on a day-to-day basis. From Bacs to Faster Payments and cheques – we act as the single operator for all UK retail payments. We put the needs of consumers and businesses at the heart of everything we do, working in the public interest to ensure that the systems the country relies on for its banking transactions are safe, open, innovative and resilient.

Our payment systems underpin the services that enable funds to be transferred between people and institutions. In 2024, the UK’s retail payment systems processed 11 billion transactions worth over £10 trillion through Bacs Direct Credit, Direct Debit, Faster Payments, and cheques, and our Current Account Switch Service has facilitated over 9 million switches since it’s launch in 2013.

Every day, individuals and businesses use the services we provide to get their salaries, pay their bills and make online and mobile banking payments. Our vision for the future is to enable a vibrant economy, with Pay.UK delivering the best-in-class payment infrastructure and standards for the benefit of consumers and businesses nationwide.

Benefits & Additional Information

• 12% Non-contributory pension.
• Discretionary annual bonus.
• 30 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays).
• Employee assistance programme.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Season ticket loan.
• Annual fitness subsidy of up to £500 per annum.
• Working from home policy - minimum 40% in the office (eg. 2 days in the office over a 5 day working week).

Please note: Some of our benefits are only available to colleagues upon successful completion of the probationary period.