Head of COO Strategy & Portfolio Governance

Join us as the Head of COO Strategy and Portfolio Governance for AXA UK and Ireland (UK&I) where youll play a crucial role in shaping the future of our change initiatives. This key position within the Change Leadership team involves managing a substantial UK&I Change portfolio ensuring effective governance delivery assurance and strategic alignment with AXA Group this opportunity to lead impactful change and drive our strategic objectives forward!

At AXA we work smart empowering our people to balance their time between home and the office in a way that works best for them their team and our customers. Youll work at least 40% of your week away from home moving to the majority of your working week from September 2025. Away from home means either attendance at one of our office locations visiting clients or attending industry events.Were also happy to consider flexible working arrangements which you can discuss with Talent Acquisition.

What youll be doing:

• Lead the governance and reporting for a sizeable investment change and transversal change portfolio ensuring alignment with corporate strategy.
• Develop report and communicate COO Strategy at all levels of the organization ensuring the strategy meets both the Group ambitions in the Technology Data and Operational Excellence space and the COO function drives its agenda in support of UK&I business strategies
• Define and implement governance processes for the UK&I organisation reporting up to senior management and ensuring compliance with corporate delegated authorities.
• Collate and optimise the investment profile for upcoming years assessing progress toward strategic goals and aligning with corporate strategy.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement within the team ensuring governance and oversight solutions meet the evolving needs of AXA UK&I.
• Develop and maintain a project/program assurance capability overseeing peer reviews and quality checks while promoting best practices across the organisation.
• Act as the Business Application Owner for change tools supporting rollout training and daytoday operations while focusing on automation and streamlined processes.
• Define and manage a delivery assurance function that offers insights into key programs ensuring confidence in outcome delivery and organisational standards.
• Operate and enhance relevant control frameworks proactively identifying areas for improvement to mitigate risks and improve outcomes.
• Own the UK&I Portfolio Risk framework and reporting collaborating with risk functions to plan and implement necessary activities.

Due to the number of applications we expect to receive for this role we reserve the right to close this advert earlier than the listed closing date to ensure were able to effectively manage interest. Therefore if youre interested in joining us at AXA please dont hesitate to apply.

We know that some candidates may be discouraged from applying if they dont meet every requirement. If youre excited by this job and the prospect of working at AXA but youre not sure you tick every box wed still encourage you to apply.

What youll bring:

• Extensive experience in project/programme management in complex business settings preferably within Financial Services.
• Professional qualifications in project or programme management are preferred.
• Strong understanding of the insurance industry including regulatory and control environments.
• Proven ability to manage complex change and lead multidisciplinary teams.
• Track record of successful businesswide programme delivery beyond just technical or IT contexts.
• Relevant experience in Financial Services across different organisations is advantageous.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills influencing relationships at the highest levels.
• Advanced planning and organising capabilities.
• Demonstrated commitment to exemplifying AXA values and behaviours.

As a precondition of employment for this role you must be eligible and authorised to work in the United Kingdom.

What we offer:

At AXA UK were appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive:

• Competitive annual salary
• Annual company & performancebased bonus
• Contributory pension scheme (up to 12% employer contributions)
• Life Assurance (up to 10 x annual salary)
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Opportunity to buy up to 5 extra days leave or sell up to 5 days leave
• AXA employee discounts
• Gym benefits

To apply click on the apply for this job button youll then need to log in or create a profile to submit your CV. Were proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer and dont discriminate against employees or potential employees based on protected characteristics. If you have a longterm condition or disability and require adjustments during the application or interview process were proud to offer access to the AXA Accessibility Concierge. For our support please send an email to

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Who we are:

AXA UK Support Functions power AXAs three customerfacing business units providing the infrastructure support and expertise to ensure our customers can always count on us. Whether youve got heaps of experience and qualifications behind you or youre just starting out well give you the support and opportunities to help you grow and develop with confidence.