Head of Risk And Control Partnering - Assurance - 12 month FTC

at  Nationwide

As Head of Risk and Assurance – Outcome Testing (Quality Assurance), you’ll be responsible for evolving and optimising our approach to outcome testing across our retail products and services to ensure our customers receive fair and consistent outcomes; continually improving our testing and feedback approaches and supporting the Senior Leadership Team in identifying root causes and actions to drive sustainable improvements to customer outcomes.
We’re looking for a talented individual to provide strategic leadership of our outcome testing agenda, working closely with the Risk Director, Senior Leadership Team, as well as partners across the Society’s 3 Lines of Defence and UK Regulators.
A strategic forward thinking outcome testing leader, working within a fast-paced environment, this role would suit someone who can balance a focus on people and development of team members with the delivery of results against a backdrop of ever evolving regulatory and customer expectations. With a proven track record in engaging well with Senior stakeholders, developing teams and enhancing quality assurance/outcome testing processes.
At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.
For this job you’ll spend two days a week minimum based at our Swindon, Nationwide House office. If your application is successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this works. You can also find out more about our approach to hybrid working here.
Please note, you may be required to be onsite more than two days per week depending on the business need.
If we receive a high volume of relevant applications, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so please apply as soon as you can.

ABOUT YOU

As a minimum you will need:

• Proven, outstanding leadership skills and experience with the ability to gain the trust of and manage the performance of individuals at a range of levels (influencing up to Executive level), including the ability to coach and give effective development feedback.
• Strong desire and ability to drive the team to produce work to the highest standards that can withstand robust challenge where appropriate.
• A thorough understanding of the Society’s overall business and strategy and comprehensive knowledge of how to design and implement effective and proportionate outcome testing (quality assurance) strategies and frameworks, coupled with practical experience of implementing and continuously improving outcomes testing processes.
• In-depth knowledge of relevant retail product sales and service regulation (and codes).
• Significant experience of having worked in a regulated environment within Financial Services in outcome testing
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal including proven negotiating, facilitation and influencing skills.

Our Customer First behaviours are all about putting customers and members at the heart of how we work together. You can strengthen your application by showing the behaviours that resonate with you, and how you might have already demonstrated these.

• Say it straight - This is about being honest and direct with good intent and saying what needs to be said in the room. It’s also about being clear, precise, and using language that we and, importantly, our customers and members can understand.
• Push for better - This is about aiming high and constantly looking for better in how we work together and serve our customers and members.
• Get it done - This is about prioritising what will have the greatest impact, being decisive and taking accountability for delivering on the end-to-end outcome.

We know applying for jobs can sometimes feel like you’re sending an application into a black hole. We review each application individually. So, it’s a good idea to call out your most relevant experience on your application to give yourself the best chance.

Reporting into the Risk Director within Retail Risk, in this role you will lead and inspire a diverse team of quality assurance colleagues, creating a compelling vision and developing a short- and long-term colleague strategy that uplifts performance and maximises potential. You will also create a sustainable and open culture where people act objectively and maintain independence.
You will be accountable for the design, implementation and management of the business unit outcome testing (quality assurance) frameworks, evolving best practice in line with central guardrails and guidelines. You will play a key role in ensuring our customers receive fair and consistent outcomes across all key customer harm risks.
You will work closely with partners across the lines of defence to develop and embed consistent standards of outcome testing (quality assurance).
You will drive continuous improvement of our testing and feedback approaches to improve efficiency and effectiveness within the team and across the wider business unit. You will also support leadership team members in identifying root causes and actions to drive sustainable improvements to customer outcomes.
You will be accountable for the evolution of our outcome testing approach to an industry leading model, meeting our internal guardrails and external regulatory standards.