VP, Strategic Initiatives

About the Role

Join Barclays as a VP, Strategic Initiatives, where you will leverage your growth mindset and creative problem-solving skills to drive activities that span strategy, risk, and operations for the Total GAP portfolio. Your work will position the program to realize its vision of delivering high-performing financial services for GAP’s most loyal customers through easy, rewarding, and culturally relevant payment experiences and products.

In this role, you will guide a prioritized list of portfolio-wide strategic efforts and support the annual strategic planning process by examining the internal environment and the innovative landscape, including AI and machine learning solutions. You will also support mechanisms to deliver strategy, monitor progress (monthly business reviews and budget coordination), and improve operational excellence (CX listening sessions and action planning).

You’ll be part of a team of VPs responsible for managing and sequencing the delivery of business intent (including Barclays-wide programs that impact the portfolio), building business requirements, and developing financial business cases to execute the overall program strategy.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic advice to Group Executives to support decision-making for business challenges and opportunities.
• Develop and implement strategic advisory incentives to grow and optimize the bank’s operations through market research and analysis.
• Collaborate with various stakeholder groups to identify the appropriate strategic direction to meet the needs of Barclays clients and investors.
• Develop financial models to support strategic recommendations and transactions through financial data analysis and impact assessment.
• Manage transactions, negotiations, transaction structure development, and post-transaction integration.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to maintain and develop client relationships, identifying new opportunities.
• Identify industry trends, maintain peer benchmarking, and stay updated on strategic advisory services through conferences, training, and market research.
• Contribute to or set strategy, drive requirements, and make recommendations for change.
• Plan resources, budgets, and policies; manage and maintain policies/processes; deliver continuous improvements and escalate breaches.
• Advise key stakeholders, including functional leadership teams and senior management, on functional and cross-functional areas of impact and alignment.
• Manage and mitigate risks through assessment in support of the control and governance agenda.
• Demonstrate leadership and accountability for managing risk and strengthening controls in relation to your team’s work.
• Collaborate with other areas of the business to align support functions with business strategies.
• Create solutions based on sophisticated analytical thought, comparing and selecting complex alternatives.
• Build and maintain trusting relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to accomplish key business objectives.

Requirements

• Experience covering Card or Financial Services programs.
• Proven ability to drive strategic projects and solve high-impact business tasks, identifying opportunities, influencing stakeholders, and delivering measurable business results.
• Experience coordinating retail financial services and co-brand partnerships, with progressive oversight of partner programs and end-to-end P&L performance.
• Deep understanding of retail financial services, including co-brand, private label, and other payment solutions, to assess risk, optimize program performance, and drive growth.
• Ability to communicate multi-layered business inquiries with clarity, translating insights into strategic recommendations and actionable plans for senior stakeholders.

Skills

• Ability to drive and execute an agenda in an uncertain and fluid environment.
• Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment across multiple geographies.
• Ability to work with ambiguity, providing structure to unstructured situations.
• Critical skills relevant for success in this role may include risk and controls, change and transformation, business acumen, strategic thinking, digital and technology, as well as job-specific technical skills.

Vice President Expectations

• If managing a team: Define jobs and responsibilities, plan for the department’s future needs, counsel employees on performance, and contribute to employee pay decisions. Lead specialists to influence department operations in alignment with strategic and tactical priorities while balancing short- and long-term goals.
• If an individual contributor: Serve as a subject matter expert within your discipline, guide technical direction, lead collaborative multi-year assignments, and train or coach less experienced specialists. Provide insights affecting long-term profits, organizational risks, and strategic decisions.
• Demonstrate the Barclays Values (Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence, and Stewardship) and the Barclays Mindset (Empower, Challenge, and Drive).

Location

This role is located in Wilmington, DE or Washington, DC.

Pay

For Washington, DC, the salary range is a minimum of $150,000 to a maximum of $200,000. The range includes only base salary or base hourly rate and does not include other types of compensation or benefits.

Benefits

• Competitive and comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Life insurance.
• Paid leave for qualifying circumstances.