Head of Change Guild

About AXA:

AXA is a global leader in insurance and financial services, dedicated to helping customers protect what matters most to them. As the sixth-largest insurance company in the world, we provide a wide range of services, including health, car, home, and business insurance. We support millions of customers worldwide, helping them navigate life's uncertainties with confidence.

AXA UK Support Functions look after our three customer-facing business units, providing the infrastructure and expertise to make sure we can be there for our customers.

Job overview:

We’re seeking an outstanding leader to shape, develop, and lead our Change Guild, a community of nearly 200 change professionals, to deliver strategic, technology-driven programmes that enable AXA UK&I’s long-term growth and transformation. You’ll be the driving force behind creating a culture of high standards, continuous improvement, and agility, ensuring our change professionals are motivated, capable, and aligned with our strategic goals. You’ll spearhead AXA’s Transformation capabilities and act as trusted advisor to senior stakeholders as subject matter expert in your field.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead, inspire, and develop a large, diverse team of change professionals, including Project Managers, Business Analysts, PMOs, and specialists, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous learning.
• Establish and maintain high standards for change delivery, elevating the skills, professionalism, and performance of your teams across waterfall, agile, and product-focused methodologies.
• Oversee the development of talent, coaching frameworks, and professional growth pathways, ensuring the team is equipped to deliver complex, multi-million-pound technology programmes.
• Partner with business leaders, product teams, and external partners to align resources, address challenges, and build a resilient, motivated change function.
• Set strategic direction for the change community, championing evolving ways of working, including agile and product-centric approaches, to enhance delivery effectiveness.
• Provide senior-level influence, including having open, impactful conversations with ExCo about delivery health, resource needs, and cultural evolution.
• Cultivate a strong, inclusive culture that attracts and retains top talent, fostering engagement, collaboration, and innovation.
• Oversee the evolution of the change function from traditional waterfall to more mature, product-oriented delivery models, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and regulatory requirements.

Work arrangements:

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. You'll work at least two days a week (40%) away from home, moving to three days a week (60%) in the future. Away from home means attending the office, visiting clients or attending industry events.

Your skills & experience:

• Extensive experience leading large, complex change teams within regulated, technology-driven environments such as insurance, banking, or financial services.
• Proven success in developing, mentoring, and motivating teams of 150+ change professionals, with a strong focus on talent development and high standards.
• Demonstrable experience overseeing large-scale technology programmes, including platforms, migrations, and product creation.
• Strong background in managing and elevating project, programme, and portfolio delivery in both waterfall and agile environments.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, capable of influencing ExCo and senior leaders while fostering a collaborative, open culture.
• Ability to navigate and succeed in regulated industries, balancing compliance, governance, and innovation.
• Skilled in building and evolving high-performing teams, with a passion for developing people and fostering a positive, inclusive workplace culture.
• Comfortable in strategic conversations around resource planning, capacity, and cultural transformation.

How to apply:

To apply, click on the ‘apply now’ button, you’ll then need to log in or create a profile to submit your CV. We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer and don’t discriminate against employees or potential employees based on protected characteristics. If you have a long-term condition or disability and require adjustments during the application or interview process, we’re proud to offer access to the AXA Accessibility Concierge. For our support, please send an email to Daniel.harrison@axa-uk.co.uk.

We encourage you to apply for this opportunity as soon as possible, as we may close this advert earlier than the listed closing date.

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