Head of Policy and Standards

job description

Level: Head of

Location: National with 4 days per month in Bedford

Application deadline: 23.55hrs 5th July 2026

Where leadership meets lasting national impact.

The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) exists to deliver a clear and compelling vision: better financial futures for everyone in need. As an arm’s-length body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, MaPS plays a central role in the UK’s financial wellbeing landscape, ensuring that people can access trusted guidance and the information they need to make confident financial decisions throughout their lives. Through its core functions of pensions guidance, debt advice, money guidance, consumer protection and strategy, MaPS brings together policy, delivery and innovation in service of a single national mission.

As part of that mission, MaPS is delivering a once-in-a-generation transformation in how people engage with their pensions.

Pensions dashboards will allow individuals to see all their pensions together, securely and online, for the first time. As we move from programme delivery into live service, we are building the senior leadership capability to run a secure, trusted and enduring national platform.

This is a critical role at the centre of that transition.

The role

As Head of Policy & Standards, you will define and safeguard the rules that govern the pensions dashboards ecosystem.

Reporting to the Service Owner, you will sit at the intersection of policy, regulation and digital delivery, translating complex legislation into clear, enforceable standards that shape how the service operates in practice.

You will be the organisation’s authority on compliance, standards and data governance, ensuring the platform operates lawfully, ethically and in the best interests of citizens.

What you will be responsible for

• Policy & regulatory leadership – translating DWP policy and pensions legislation into operational and technical requirements

• Standards ownership – leading and evolving the Code of Connection and wider ecosystem standards

• Regulatory relationships – acting as the senior interface with FCA and TPR

• Ecosystem assurance – approving organisations joining the platform and ensuring ongoing compliance

• Data protection & ethics – leading GDPR, DPIA and ethical frameworks for the use of pensions data

• System integrity – identifying risks to consumer protection, data quality and market confidence

Your impact

You will play a central role in ensuring that pensions dashboards:

• Operate within the law and regulatory expectations

• Deliver consistent, accurate and understandable data to users

• Maintain public trust as a national digital service

• Balance policy intent, technical feasibility and operational reality

Who we’re looking for

You will bring strong policy development, regulatory judgement, strategic thinking and the ability to operate in complex, high-profile environments.

Essential experience:

• Working within or alongside UK regulators (e.g. FCA, TPR)

• Developing standards or compliance frameworks for complex services

• Translating policy or legislation into operational delivery

• Leading data protection and information assurance in regulated environments

Key skills:

• Strong stakeholder leadership across government, regulators and industry

• Ability to navigate legal, political and reputational complexity

• Influencing and building consensus at senior levels

• Sufficient technical understanding of digital platforms and data flows

• High attention to detail and risk awareness

Why join us

This is a unique opportunity to help shape a national digital infrastructure that will support millions of people across the UK.

You will lead at the intersection of policy, regulation, data and technology, influencing how the system operates and evolves over time.

If you want to build something of lasting public value, and ensure it operates to the highest standards of trust, security and integrity, this is the perfect opportunity to do so.

If you are motivated by the opportunity to shape policy, standards and public trust at the heart of a nationally significant platform, we would welcome a confidential conversation. Please contact GatenbySanderson for an initial discussion.

Olivia Robinson, Associate Consultant: Olivia.robinson@gatenbysanderson.com

Zoe Bennett, Principal Researcher: Zoe.bennett@gatenbysanderson.com