The Met Office is one of the world’s leading weather and climate science organisations, helping citizens, businesses and governments make better decisions to stay safe and thrive.
We are seeking an exceptional executive leader to join our Main Board as Managing Director, Enabling Domain incorporating Chief Financial Officer. This is a rare opportunity to lead a critical part of a nationally important organisation and drive transformation across the corporate services enabling functions that underpin our success.
This role combines strategic enterprise leadership with Chief Financial Officer accountability, overseeing the resources, systems, governance and people that allow the Met Office to deliver its mission.
Job description
World changing work
From science to technology, from meteorology to management, and from planning to communication, our expertise helps us stand out as the authority on weather accuracy and climate prediction. We help individuals, industries and government to make better decisions to stay safe and thrive. This is the Met Office. This is who we are.
The Opportunity
As Director of the Enabling Domain, you will lead a diverse portfolio of professional functions that support the effective, secure and compliant operation of the Met Office, including:
- Financial Management
- Commercial
- People & Culture
- Communications and Engagement
- Portfolio Delivery
- Governance and Legal
- Internal Audit
- Health, Safety and Wellbeing
- Security and Cyber Security
- Enterprise Design
- Corporate IT
Reporting directly to the CEO and serving as a member of the Main Board, Executive Committee and Audit & Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC), you will help shape our long-term ambitions and deliver our strategy.
You will lead a newly established Enabling Domain of approximately 650 colleagues, working across multiple disciplines to build an integrated, high-performing and future-ready organisation.
Key Responsibilities
Executive Leadership
- Contribute to the strategic leadership of the Met Office as a member of the Main Board and Executive Committee.
- Partner with the CEO and fellow Directors to set organisational direction and ensure successful delivery of strategic priorities.
- Promote a culture of innovation, inclusion, accountability and high performance.
Domain Leadership
- Lead the Enabling Domain and oversee delivery of its strategy, operating model and transformation agenda.
- Chair the Enabling Domain Board and provide clear strategic direction across all enabling functions.
- Establish effective governance, policies and service arrangements across the organisation.
- Drive operational excellence, simplification and efficiency through modernisation and automation.
Chief Financial Officer Responsibilities
- Act as Chief Financial Officer for the Met Office.
- Provide stewardship of annual turnover of approximately £300 million.
- Lead a direct cost base of approximately £100 million.
- Oversee substantial government loans, grants and capital programmes worth around £100 million, including major national infrastructure investments.
- Ensure compliance with Managing Public Money, Government Functional Standards and all relevant financial governance requirements.
- Deliver robust financial planning, forecasting, risk management and performance oversight.
Transformation and Change
- Play a leading role in embedding the recently established domain model.
- Drive organisational transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Build strong collaboration and alignment across the organisation’s three strategic domains.
- Ensure enabling services evolve to meet future business needs.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Represent the Met Office at senior levels across government.
- Build trusted relationships with Accounting Officers, senior finance leaders and key stakeholders.
- Engage confidently with sponsoring departments, government functions and external partners.
- Maintain the highest standards of governance, transparency and public accountability.
Person specification
About You
We are looking for a strategic and collaborative executive who combines financial expertise with broad organisational leadership experience.
You will bring:
Essential Criteria, Skills & Experience:
- Significant executive-level leadership experience within a large, complex organisation, with board-level financial accountability and experience operating as a CFO, Finance Director or equivalent senior leader.
- Proven executive leadership of large-scale corporate or enabling service functions.
- Experience managing substantial budgets and delivering financial performance, efficiencies and value for money.
- A strong track record of leading organisational transformation and change, with exceptional communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
- Extensive understanding of governance, risk management and regulatory compliance.
- Experience working with senior government stakeholders or within a regulated public-sector environment.
Desirable Criteria:
We encourage you to apply if you believe you meet our essential criteria, but we’re also keen to discover if you have:
- Knowledge of Managing Public Money and Government Functional Standards.
- Experience overseeing major capital investment programmes.
- Experience leading technology, cyber security or digital transformation.
- Professional financial qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent).
- Experience operating within a scientific, research, technology or data-driven organisation.
