Executive Opportunities

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University of East London
Chief Financial Officer

2609-063L

The University of East London (UEL) is seeking an exceptional Chief Financial Officer to help shape the next phase of its development as it looks beyond the conventional boundaries of a single university towards a more global, connected and entrepreneurial education group.

UEL is a modern, inclusive university with a distinctive careers-first mission: creating opportunity, connecting education to employment and ensuring that talent, rather than background, determines what comes next. Under Vision 2028, the University has transformed its student experience, graduate outcomes, enterprise activity and financial resilience, providing a strong platform for its next phase of growth.

Forward to 2040 sets out an ambitious next horizon. UEL intends to evolve into a global, multi-entity education group, with a long-term ambition for turnover exceeding £1bn. Its emerging model will encompass international hubs in India, Egypt and the United States, new routes to market, technology-enabled propositions and commercial partnerships, while retaining the public purpose and inclusive mission at the heart of UEL.

The CFO will be one of the principal architects of this next phase. Reporting to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Group Chief Executive, and working closely with the Vice-Chancellor & President, Board and Executive Leadership Team, they will help build the financial architecture required to support UEL's ambitions: group-wide financial governance, consolidated reporting, investment discipline, capital allocation, commercial insight and scalable systems across an increasingly diverse portfolio.

This is an opportunity to build rather than simply inherit a group finance model. The CFO will combine rigorous financial stewardship with commercial and strategic leadership, protecting UEL's financial resilience while helping to evaluate new markets, investments and partnerships, understand returns and unit economics, and create a finance function capable of supporting sustainable, entrepreneurial growth.

UEL is deliberately looking beyond conventional higher education profiles. Candidates are likely to have operated at CFO or senior Finance Director level in a complex organisation and will bring strong commercial judgement alongside experience of growth, transformation or organisational build. International and/or multi-entity experience will be particularly relevant, as will experience of scaling financial systems and processes and exposure to areas such as corporate development, M&A, partnerships or expansion into new markets.

Cultural contribution will matter as much as technical capability. UEL is collaborative, ambitious and prepared to launch, test, learn and improve. The successful candidate will combine pace and entrepreneurial instinct with financial discipline, constructive challenge and sound judgement, and will be motivated by the opportunity to apply their experience in an institution where commercial ambition sits firmly alongside public purpose. 

Your application should include:

• • a CV setting out your career history, key responsibilities and achievements, including reasons for any gaps within the last two years; and
• • a Statement of Suitability of no more than two pages, explaining how your skills, qualities and experience demonstrate your suitability for the role.

Due diligence will be carried out on shortlisted candidates and may include searches of publicly available information, including previous public statements and social media. For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, or if you experience difficulty accessing the online application platform, please contact responses@russellreynolds.com, quoting reference 2609-063L.

The recruitment process is being supported by Russell Reynolds Associates. For further information about the position and additional details on qualifications, requirements, terms and conditions of service and how to apply, please review the position specification available below.

Position Specification

Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS)
Non-Executive Director

P2608-099L
London

The Universities & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) invites applications for the role of Non-Executive Director to join the Board of Universities Superannuation Scheme Limited (USSL).

About USS

Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) is the principal pension scheme for universities and higher education institutions in the UK. We work with around 320 employers to help build a secure financial future for almost 600,000 members and their families. We are one of the largest pension schemes in the UK, with total assets of around £84bn (at 31 March 2026). Universities Superannuation Scheme Limited (USSL) is the trustee that runs and manages USS in line with the trust deed and rules and legal duties.

USSL is led by a Board of directors comprised of 3 directors appointed by the University and College Union (UCU), 4 directors appointed by The Universities & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), and 5 independent directors.

The Board has significant responsibilities for the governance and oversight of a business providing complex operational and advisory functions at scale and within a heavily regulated environment and Board members need experience, proportionate and relevant to these functions. Therefore, Board members will require skills such as strategic thinking, leadership, communication, influencing, teamwork and decision-making skills (please see the role profile for full information on the skills required).

USS is an equal opportunity organisation. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, non-executive directors and contractors and we welcome applications from a wide range of candidates.

About the role - USSL Non-Executive Director

Applications are invited for this role as one of the four UCEA directors appointed to the Board. Experience in university governance/senior experience of Higher Education (HE) Management and understanding of the economics of the HE sector is required for this role, for example working in a senior and/or substantial management capacity within a higher education institution or being a member of a university council or equivalent. The successful candidate will also be considered for appointment as a member of the USSL Investment Committee and therefore we are looking for someone with an understanding of investment principles and strategy (in defined benefit and defined contribution contexts) and their implications for the scheme and members.

Full information on the requirements for the role are set out in the role profile, available from Russell Reynolds on the link provided below.

The requirements for the role are set out below, together with illustrative examples of relevant experience:

• Investment; e.g. Understanding of investment principles, economics, different assets classes and their characteristics and strategic asset allocation
• Corporate governance expertise/board management knowledge e.g. Experience as an effective board and/or committee member or individual operating at board level (preferably within a large, complex business or regulated firm)
• Experience in university governance/Senior experience of HE management and understanding of the economics of the HE sector e.g. Understanding of the governance structures of higher education institutions preferably combined with having fulfilled a leadership role in such an organisation and/or working in a senior and/or substantial management capacity within a higher education institution or being a member of a university council or equivalent
• Pensions e.g. Knowledge/understanding of strategic pensions policy related issues

Time commitment for the role: At least 35 days per annum.

Duration of the role: A four-year term of office, with the possibility of the term being extended by one year (i.e. max. five-year term). At the end of the term of office there may be an opportunity to apply for reappointment (directors have a maximum tenure of nine years, formed of two or more terms of office).

USSL and UCEA are partnering with Russell Reynolds the leading board-level search specialist, to find a Non-Executive Director. For further information about the position, including the full role profile, and additional details on how to apply, please review the position specification available below. The closing date for applications is 2 November 2026.

Position Specification

Ofcom
Group Director, Enforcement

2609-027L
London, Manchester or Edinburgh

Ofcom is the UK's independent communications regulator, with a broad and increasingly important remit spanning telecommunications, broadcasting, postal services, spectrum and the online world. Our responsibilities continue to evolve and expand, including through implementation of the Online Safety Act.

We are now creating a standalone Enforcement Group, led by a new Group Director, Enforcement, reporting directly to our Chief Executive and joining Ofcom's Senior Management Team.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the enforcement strategy and capability of one of the UK's most prominent regulators at a point of significant expansion and change. The Group Director will lead a highly capable team of around 110 colleagues, with a remit spanning Online Safety, telecommunications and post, as well as competition and consumer protection matters and dispute resolution.

The role is considerably broader than leading an enforcement function. The successful candidate will lead Ofcom's overall strategy and approach to enforcement, working closely across our highly matrixed organisation to ensure that enforcement is used effectively alongside supervision and other regulatory tools to deliver the right outcomes for consumers and citizens.

We are looking for an unusual combination: someone with genuine depth and credibility in enforcement who has also developed the breadth, leadership experience and judgement to operate as an enterprise leader.

You will bring deep and substantive experience of competition, consumer and/or regulatory enforcement, or significant senior experience working closely with enforcement activity. This could have been gained within a regulator or government, or through substantial involvement with enforcement in a regulated industry, private advisory environment or other relevant setting. Legal qualification is not a prerequisite.

Alongside this, you will bring significant executive leadership experience and the ability to lead and develop expert teams. You will be an instinctive collaborator, able to work across professional and organisational boundaries and make sophisticated judgements about when enforcement – or another regulatory intervention – is the right tool.

You will also need the credibility and confidence to operate with Ofcom's Chief Executive, Board and Senior Management Team and engage at the most senior levels of industry and government. You will be a confident external communicator, able to explain complex and potentially contentious issues clearly to Parliament, the media and wider stakeholders.

Further information
For further information about the opportunity, responsibilities, essential criteria and appointment process, including details of how to apply, please review the position specification available below.

Closing date: Sunday 25 October 2026.

Ofcom is committed to building an organisation and leadership team that reflects the diversity of background, experience, upbringing and thought that exists across the UK. We welcome applications from the widest possible range of candidates and are committed to an accessible and inclusive appointment process.

Position Specification

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Director of Internal Audit and Investigations

2610-041L
London, East Kilbride or Milton Keynes

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) leads the UK Government’s diplomatic, development and consular work around the world. With around 17,000 staff operating across 180 countries and territories, we work in some of the world’s most complex and challenging environments. We are seeking an outstanding Director of Internal Audit and Investigations to provide independent and authoritative assurance across this unique global organisation.

Reporting directly to the 2nd Permanent Under-Secretary, you will lead a respected team of 78 colleagues, providing assurance on the effectiveness of FCDO’s governance, risk management and internal controls. You will also oversee the Department’s specialist investigations capability, including higher-risk fraud and safeguarding investigations.

This is an opportunity to build on strong foundations while modernising how assurance is delivered. You will harness data, technology and appropriate AI-enabled opportunities to develop a more dynamic, risk-based and forward-looking approach, identifying emerging risks and providing timely insight to FCDO’s most senior leaders.

We are looking for an accomplished Internal Audit leader with experience of operating in a large, complex and geographically dispersed organisation. You will bring deep expertise in governance, risk and internal control, strong professional judgement and the credibility to provide constructive challenge at the highest levels.

You will have a track record of developing high-performing teams and improving Internal Audit capability through technology, data and innovation, alongside experience of overseeing investigations, counter-fraud, safeguarding or comparable specialist activity. A relevant professional qualification in Internal Audit and/or Accountancy is essential.

You may come from government, a major international business or another complex and highly regulated environment.

This is a rare opportunity to lead and shape a critical assurance function at the heart of the UK’s international work, at a time when FCDO is transforming to become a more modern, adaptable and technology-enabled organisation.

FCDO has retained Russell Reynolds Associates to advise on this appointment. For further information on the position and additional details on how to apply, please review the position specification below. 

The closing date for applications is 23:55 GMT Monday 9th November 2026. 

Position Specification

Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW)
Non-Executive Director

2609-010L
London

ICAEW is one of the world’s leading professional membership bodies, supporting more than 200,000 members and students around the world. Founded by Royal Charter in 1880 with an explicit responsibility to serve the public interest, ICAEW has a longstanding role in supporting trust, integrity and high professional standards across business and society.

This is an important moment in ICAEW’s development. Through Direction 2030, the Institute has set an ambition to become the pre-eminent global professional body, while continuing a significant programme of organisational transformation. At the same time, rapid technological, economic and societal change – including the development of AI – is reshaping the accountancy profession, the capabilities its future members will require and the expectations placed upon trusted professional institutions.

Against this backdrop, ICAEW is seeking to appoint a Non-Executive Director to its Board. The Board has evolved significantly in recent years and today brings together considerable senior leadership, commercial, financial, professional services and governance experience. This appointment presents an opportunity to add a distinctive external perspective to that mix.

We are seeking an experienced leader with strong independent judgement and an instinctive understanding of reputation, trust and the external environment. The successful candidate will be able to consider ICAEW’s decisions and positions through the eyes of its members and customers, government and regulators, the media and wider society. They will bring an outward-looking perspective, helping the Board interpret the wider political, economic, societal and technological context and anticipate what emerging developments could mean for ICAEW and the profession.

We are deliberately open-minded about where this perspective has been developed. Candidates may have built their experience through communications, media, corporate or public affairs, or through senior leadership in another complex and externally visible environment where reputation, public trust and stakeholder confidence are important. Experience spanning different institutional settings – whether commercial, public-purpose, regulatory, educational, cultural or international – may be particularly valuable. The quality and breadth of an individual’s judgement matter more than any prescribed professional or sector background.

The successful candidate will contribute across the full Board agenda, bringing intellectual curiosity, strategic judgement and constructive challenge. They will combine independence of thought and resilience with the low-ego, collaborative style that characterises ICAEW’s Board.

This is a lay Board appointment and candidates must therefore not be members of ICAEW or Chartered Accountants.

Time commitment: 25 days per year, including ten Board meetings. Fee: £45,000 per annum. Term: Three-years, renewable.

ICAEW values the contribution that different perspectives, backgrounds and lived experiences bring to effective governance and is committed to creating an inclusive environment in which individuals can contribute, collaborate and constructively challenge.

ICAEW has retained Russell Reynolds Associates to advise on this appointment. For further information on the position and additional details on how to apply, please review the position specification below. 

The closing date for applications is 23:59 GMT on Sunday 8^th November 2026.

Position Specification

National Wealth Fund
Chair

2609-029L
Leeds/UK

The National Wealth Fund (NWF) is the UK Government’s primary public financial institution, investing public money to drive economic growth, accelerate the transition to net zero and mobilise private investment across the UK. With £27.8 billion of financial capacity and an increased appetite for risk, the NWF has a significant role to play in delivering the Government’s growth, industrial and infrastructure ambitions.

Having already invested £10.9 billion, mobilised £19.5 billion of private finance and helped create more than 81,000 jobs, the NWF is entering an important new phase. With additional capital, a broader mandate and an increasingly significant role in the Government’s economic strategy, the Fund has the opportunity to deliver investment and impact at greater scale across all four nations of the UK.

We are now seeking an exceptional individual to serve as Chair of the National Wealth Fund and lead the Board through this next stage of its development.

This is a nationally significant appointment. The Chair will provide strategic leadership to the Board, ensuring the NWF delivers its financial, strategic and public policy objectives while maintaining the highest standards of governance, stewardship and accountability. Working closely with the Chief Executive and executive team, they will provide support, counsel and constructive challenge, overseeing organisational and investment performance and helping the NWF grow in scale, capability and impact.

The Chair will maintain trusted relationships with HM Treasury Ministers, UK Government Investments and senior officials across Government, while safeguarding the NWF’s operational independence. They will also be an influential ambassador for the organisation, building confidence among investors, industry leaders, regional and devolved partners, Parliament and the wider public.

Candidates will bring a strong track record of senior leadership and delivery as a board leader, together with the judgement and strategic perspective required to lead an institution of national importance. They will demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to provide constructive challenge and counsel, and a proven capacity to build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, including Ministers, government officials and external partners.

Previous experience as a Chair, experience of working with or within the public sector, and senior experience in financial services or banking would be advantageous.

This is a rare opportunity to lead the Board of an institution with the capital, mandate and ambition to shape the UK’s economic future – supporting sustainable growth, strengthening economic resilience and unlocking investment across the country.

The National Wealth Fund has retained Russell Reynolds Associates to advise on this appointment.

For further information on the position and additional details on how to apply, please review the position specification below. 

The closing date for applications is 12:00 GMT Monday 16th November 2026.

Position Specification