About the job

Job Title: Head of Centre of Excellence (COE)

Industry: Banking & Financial Services

Contract Duration: 12 months (minimum), with potential to extend

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Monthly Rate: AED 70,000 – 75,000 per month

The Role:

• Lead and shape the Centre of Excellence (COE), setting the strategic direction for experience transformation across a leading regional bank
• Own the design, customer experience and innovation agenda, embedding a design-led culture across business and technology teams
• Direct large-scale transformation programmes end-to-end, bringing rigorous governance, delivery discipline and measurable outcomes
• Act as the senior bridge between strategy and delivery, translating an ambitious vision into a practical, sequenced roadmap
• Build, lead and develop a high-performing, multidisciplinary COE team spanning design, research, agile delivery and change
• Partner with senior stakeholders across the bank to prioritise, sequence and govern a portfolio of transformation initiatives
• Bring a strong grounding in banking to ensure solutions are commercially sound and regulatorily aware
• Represent the COE at the most senior levels, championing a customer-centric, innovation-driven operating model

Skills Needed:

• Proven experience leading a Centre of Excellence, Design Studio or Experience Transformation function within banking or financial services
• A strong track record of running large, complex transformation programmes from strategy through to delivery
• Solid understanding of banking products, operations and the regulatory environment
• Experience with Agile/SAFe delivery models and formal programme governance frameworks
• Regional (GCC/Gulf) experience, or strong cultural fluency for operating at senior level in the UAE
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, comfortable engaging C-suite and board-level audiences
• A track record of building and leading multidisciplinary teams across design, CX, delivery and change

Research indicates that men will apply to a role when they meet only 50–60% of the requirements, while women and other underrepresented groups often look for a 90–100% match. If this role excites you but you don't tick every single box, please still apply. We'd love to hear from you.