Head of Centre of Excellence

Job Title: Head of Centre of Excellence (COE) Industry: Banking & Financial Services Contract Duration: 12 months (minimum), with potential to extend Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE Monthly Rate: AED 70,000 – 75,000 per monthThe Role:Lead and shape the Centre of Excellence (COE), setting the strategic direction for experience transformation across a leading regional bankOwn the design, customer experience and innovation agenda, embedding a design-led culture across business and technology teamsDirect large-scale transformation programmes end-to-end, bringing rigorous governance, delivery discipline and measurable outcomesAct as the senior bridge between strategy and delivery, translating an ambitious vision into a practical, sequenced roadmapBuild, lead and develop a high-performing, multidisciplinary COE team spanning design, research, agile delivery and changePartner with senior stakeholders across the bank to prioritise, sequence and govern a portfolio of transformation initiativesBring a strong grounding in banking to ensure solutions are commercially sound and regulatorily awareRepresent the COE at the most senior levels, championing a customer-centric, innovation-driven operating modelSkills Needed:Proven experience leading a Centre of Excellence, Design Studio or Experience Transformation function within banking or financial servicesA strong track record of running large, complex transformation programmes from strategy through to deliverySolid understanding of banking products, operations and the regulatory environmentExperience with Agile/SAFe delivery models and formal programme governance frameworksRegional (GCC/Gulf) experience, or strong cultural fluency for operating at senior level in the UAEExcellent stakeholder management skills, comfortable engaging C-suite and board-level audiencesA track record of building and leading multidisciplinary teams across design, CX, delivery and changeResearch indicates that men will apply to a role when they meet only 50–60% of the requirements, while women and other underrepresented groups often look for a 90–100% match. If this role excites you but you don't tick every single box, please still apply. We'd love to hear from you.