The Operational Risk team owns and manages Barclays' Operational Risk Framework (ORF), which sets out how operational risks are identified, assessed and managed across the Group. Operational Risk includes potential or actual impacts to the Group resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people, systems, or from an external event. The impacts to the Group can be financial, including losses or an unexpected financial gain, as well as non-financial such as reputational or regulatory consequences.

The Barclays three lines of defence operating model establishes an appropriate segregation of risk management related roles and responsibilities within the firm.  UKCB Operational Risk is a team within the second line of defence that provides the business within the first line of defence with a Framework and tools to effectively and optimally manage Operational Risk.  The team provides independent oversight, review and challenge on the outputs of the Operational Risk framework and the associated management of Operational Risk, with stakeholder engagement across all three lines of defence. This role will have specific focus on build out of the BPL entity, assessing both execution and change risk along with BAU business oversight.

Essential Skills

Operational Risk: Experience in identifying, assessing and managing operational risk. Controls experience would be beneficial.

Stakeholder Management: Excellent skills in engaging and working effectively with stakeholders across all 3LoD

Communication: Ability to negotiate, influence and provide a robust challenge to senior stakeholders in the Business

Analytical: Ability to analyse data to identify trends, patterns, and emerging risks 

Desired Skills

Business Expertise: Experience within merchant acquiring, fintech or payments acquiring.

Adaptable: Focus on excellence and execution, being resilient and able to work with many and varied deliverables

Presentation: Experience and confidence presenting in large forums, such as Risk/Control Committees or other senior forums

Barclays’ payments acceptance business provides critical infrastructure to the UK economy, processing billions of pounds of payments annually for both small businesses and domestic and international corporate clients.

In April 2025, we announced a long-term partnership with Brookfield Asset Management to grow and transform the payments acceptance business by broadening the range of services offered, enhancing the experience for both existing and prospective clients. Leveraging extensive client relationships and deep experience of UK payments, we will create an environment of continuous innovation - activated by Brookfield’s global private equity expertise in payments, technology, operational transformation and corporate carve-outs - to ensure the business is strategically positioned for long-term growth.

Barclays will invest approximately £400m in the new business, the majority of which will be incurred during the first three years. Performance-linked incentives will drive greater alignment between the partners, underpinning the long-term commitment to the transformation. Barclays and Brookfield will work to create a standalone entity over time, continuing to use the Barclaycard Payments (BPL) brand and acting as the sole payments acceptance services provider to Barclays’ clients for a minimum of ten years. 

For more information on our partnership with Brookfield, please visit Barclays.com.

Purpose of the role

To provide independent review and challenge of the Operational Risk elements of particular risk categories across the bank. Ensuring they are carried out in accordance with Barclays Operational Risk Framework, Policies, and Standards

Accountabilities

Risk identification and proactive risk management, identifying interconnected, horizon and emerging risks to assist the business in understanding, managing and mitigating the right risks in line with their business strategy and objectives.Analysis of operational risk data to identify trends, patterns, and emerging risks.Risk-based analysis of business processes, systems, and controls to assess the likelihood and impact of identified risks.Ongoing research and monitoring of internal and external sources to identify potential Operational Risks.Oversight, review and challenge of 1st Line activities including - Risk Control Self Assessments (RCSAs), Risk Events, Issues and attendance at key Risk and Control meetings (with associated reporting) ensuring they accurately reflect the business risk position,.Stakeholder management, engaging and working effectively with First and Second Line management.Risk based 2nd Line input into 1st Line Projects, Initiatives and Strategic decision making.

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.