Head of Strategy, Retail Banking

Join us as a Head of Strategy, Retail Banking

• In this high-profile role, you'll be accountable for shaping and delivering the Retail franchise strategy aligned to overall bank strategy and purpose. This role requires deep expertise in Retail Banking, combined with a strong passion for the sector and its future evolution
• You'll define and evolve the business area strategy with the Executive Committee (ExCo), supporting the Retail franchise's goals and stated outcomes and measures
• We'll look to you to provide thought leadership, strategic analysis, and leadership to enable delivery of stated outcomes and measures
• This is a hybrid role, with a minimum of two days a week in the office

What you'll do

As Head of Retail Strategy, and also being on the bank's broader Strategy leadership team, you'll define, evolve, and articulate the long-term strategic agenda, developing and sponsoring a deep understanding of relevant issues informed by internal and external insights, customer insights, and market dynamics. You'll drive and manage the strategy on behalf of Retail leadership and its ExCo members, including leading the business area on the annual bank-wide strategy cycle and relevant strategy reviews. This includes monitoring and analysing organisational and customer-facing performance, competitor activity, emerging trends, new opportunities, and regulatory shifts, and translating these into clear forward-facing, high impact strategic implications and priorities for NatWest's Retail business.

Moreover, you'll lead the oversight, management, delivery, and completion of strategy-related programmes and projects, framing, incepting, and driving initiatives that advance the strategy while securing stakeholder buy-in.

You'll also lead, develop, and line manage a professional, capable, and cross-enterprise engaged team, building strong relationships across the bank and with relevant support and control functions, and partnering effectively with bank strategy and corporate development to optimise success. As part of the evolution of NatWest's strategy team, it will be paramount that you're comfortable using advanced analytics, data and AI tools to deliver high-quality strategic insights, at pace.

In Addition, You'll Be

• Working with Retail, other businesses, and support and control functions to develop robust strategies, plans, and projects, ensuring effective process and resource management to optimise success
• Preparing and delivering outputs and materials to key stakeholders, including executive committees, shaping clear strategic messages and supporting informed decision-making
• Using data, tools, and digital platforms to strengthen strategic analysis and insights, including leveraging automation and emerging AI to improve the quality and speed of outputs
• Planning and allocating team resources to meet project needs and delivery, managing a resource pool where applicable and drawing in additional resources from other teams and functions as needed
• Leading a purposeful approach by linking initiatives to strategy, and embedding purpose-led mindsets and behaviours where relevant to the business area
• Where applicable, identifying and executing inorganic growth opportunities, originating and evaluating acquisitions and partnerships, and managing due diligence, structuring, and negotiation
• Where applicable, overseeing post-deal integration and value realisation, including integration planning, performance tracking, and governance and risk management in delivery

The skills you'll need

We're looking for someone with a comprehensive awareness of the Retail banking sector, including a deep understanding of market dynamics and the competitive landscape, and strong knowledge of customers, products, and services. You'll have to bring substantial experience in strategy, either within a financial services environment or from a strategy consulting background, with a proven track record of delivering well-substantiated analysis, solutions, and actionable recommendations to senior stakeholders.

Moreover, you'll need to demonstrate excellent people leadership skills, engaging with senior colleagues across the franchise and broader bank, with experience leading, developing, and line managing professional teams, encouraging high-quality engagement and output across a varied portfolio of needs.

You'll also have to bring strong analytical capability and the ability to use data to drive customer and competitor insights, supporting decision-making and strategy formulation, while clearly articulating concepts and commercial solutions.

In Addition, You'll Need

• Excellent stakeholder management, influencing, and communication skills, including experience in building relationships across the bank and engaging internal and external stakeholders effectively
• Experience of relevant legal policies, regulatory and statutory obligations, risk management, and working effectively with support and control functions
• Broad technology knowledge, with an understanding of how the bank and peers use technology, including applying digital tools and emerging AI capabilities appropriately in strategic work, whilst also understanding how technology, AI and data are transforming the industry itself
• Where applicable, extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions delivery and inorganic growth, including due diligence, deal structuring, negotiation, integration, and performance tracking