Global Head of Surveillance Technology

Job Description

Purpose of the role

This role will be responsible for the technology strategy, development, execution and delivery covering Compliance Technology solutions, tools and services. Own and drive the product, data, and AI strategy for Compliance Technology platforms, ensuring alignment with evolving regulatory expectations and measurable business outcomes. Establish and lead a product-centric operating model, shifting from project-based delivery to outcome-driven platform ownership.

Accountabilities

• Strategy, Product & Platform Delivery

• Lead the strategy, design and delivery of Compliance Technology platforms across Surveillance, Governance, Risk & Control, Data, Employee and Banking Compliance.
• Define and execute the product, data and AI roadmap, aligned to regulatory expectations, business outcomes and enterprise priorities.
   

• Innovation, Data & Engineering Excellence

• Drive AI-enabled detection, automation and real-time data capabilities to improve monitoring, signal quality and operational effectiveness.
• Embed modern engineering practices including DevSecOps, CI/CD, automated testing, observability, SRE and secure-by-design principles.
   

• Governance, Risk & Resilience Execution

• Ensure critical compliance platforms meet high standards for availability, resilience, disaster recovery, cyber security and regulatory control.
• Lead the technology response to regulatory incidents, surveillance breaches and audit findings, ensuring timely root cause analysis, remediation and prevention.
   

• Stakeholder, Industry & Executive Engagement

• Own senior stakeholder relationships across Compliance and Technology, aligning priorities, dependencies and outcomes.
• Provide clear communications and executive-level updates for senior management, regulators, auditors and wider stakeholders.
• Represent Compliance Technology in industry forums, regulatory discussions and benchmarking activities to help shape future technology direction.
   

• People, Capability & Resource Leadership

• Manage people, financial and vendor resources to deliver commitments within agreed time, budget and quality objectives.
• Build future-ready capability across AI, data, cloud, engineering and advanced analytics, addressing talent gaps and aligning to the people strategy.
• Create a high-performing, accountable and inclusive team environment that recognises strong performance and promotes knowledge sharing.

Director Expectations

• 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.

Stakeholder Management and Leadership

The role holder will engage senior stakeholders across Technology, Operations and Compliance to align strategy, influence priorities and drive delivery of key initiatives.

• Partner with MD / CxO-level stakeholders across Technology, Operations and Compliance.
• Act as a strategic advisor on AI adoption, data strategy and platform transformation.
• Influence firmwide digital, data and regulatory transformation priorities.
• Represent Compliance Technology in senior management, transformation, programme and project forums.

Decision-making and Problem Solving
The role holder will balance significant demand with constrained supply, making risk-informed decisions that prioritise delivery, resilience and long-term strategic outcomes.

• Make sound decisions using analysis, experience and judgement to deliver measurable outcomes.
• Balance programme delivery, budget constraints and resource availability through practical problem solving.
• Anticipate future risks, trends and regulatory expectations, incorporating them into strategic plans.
• Balance innovation with regulatory compliance, auditability, operational resilience and ethical AI use.
• Build consensus across teams, enforce accountability and create the conditions for people to succeed.

Risk and Control Objective

Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements, Enterprise-Wide Risk Management Framework and internal Barclays Policies and Policy Standards.

Person Specification

The role holder will need to demonstrate the following capabilities, skills and experience:

Essential senior leadership capabilities:

• Senior leadership experience setting technology strategy, leading large-scale transformation and influencing senior stakeholders to deliver measurable business outcomes.
• Ability to lead modern engineering organisations and establish resilient, secure and observable platforms using contemporary delivery practices.
• Experience shaping data, AI and product-led platform strategies that improve operational performance, risk management and value delivery.
• Ability to balance innovation with regulatory expectations, cyber requirements, auditability and operational resilience.
• Proven ability to lead diverse teams through change, build high-performing cultures and communicate with impact across all levels.

Basic skills:

• Degree-level education in science, technology or a related discipline, or equivalent senior leadership experience.
• Surveillance technology knowledge, including trade surveillance, control room, electronic communications, anti-financial crime or related compliance platforms.
• Strong understanding of modern engineering practices, including DevSecOps, SRE, automated testing, secure-by-design delivery and platform observability.
• Experience applying data, automation and AI-enabled capabilities to improve delivery, operational efficiency and control outcomes.
• Ability to operate effectively in a highly regulated environment with strong control, resilience and stakeholder management discipline.

Additional preferred skills:

• Financial services experience, particularly in compliance, regulatory, legal, Markets or Investment Banking environments.
• Experience designing or delivering surveillance, control room, electronic communications, anti-financial crime or other compliance technology platforms.
• Experience engaging with regulators, internal or external auditors and legal counsel.
• Architecture experience across data, AI, cloud or compliance platforms.

Whippany

Salary / Rate Minimum: $220,000

Salary / Rate Maximum: $300,000

The minimum and maximum salary/rate information above includes only base salary or base hourly rate. It does not include any another type of compensation or benefits that may be available.

Barclays employees are eligible for a suite of a competitive and generous employee benefits, including medical, dental and vision coverage, 401(k), life insurance, and other paid leave for qualifying circumstances.

This position is eligible for an incentive award.