Chief Executive

Job summary

National Savings and Investments (NS&I) is both a government department and an Executive Agency of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and its origins can be traced back more than 164 years to 1861. When customers invest in NS&I products, they are lending to the Government. In return the Government offers 100% security on all deposits and pays interest or prizes for Premium Bonds. This means that NS&I is backed by HM Treasury, keeping its 24 million customers' savings safe.

This is the opportunity to lead an organisation trusted by millions of savers and offers the rare chance to deliver tangible national impact while driving innovation, digital transformation and outstanding customer outcomes. The role sits at the intersection of public service and commercial discipline, providing the challenge of stewarding a highly trusted brand, modernising complex operations, and shaping the future of secure savings for customers across the UK.

Job description

The Chief Executive is also the Director of Savings, and Principal Accounting Officer to NS&I. As such they are fully accountable and responsible to Treasury Ministers and to Parliament for all aspects of the NS&I business. This will be an autonomous CEO role reporting, to both the NS&I Board and HM Treasury, with end-to-end accountability for transformation and performance of the organisation.

Whilst NS&I is successfully meeting its targets for savings and funding for the Government, and service levels to most customers, it is undergoing a major transformation programme and has experienced significant operational failings recently. Both these issues are operationally complex and must be resolved alongside continuing operations to build confidence and credibility with its stakeholders and customers alike. It is therefore crucial that a highly capable, credible CEO is appointed to lead the organisation through these challenges and re-establish NS&Is reputation and standing as trusted, efficient and effective national institution.

Person specification

The successful candidate will:

• Lead the creation and implementation of NS&I’s business strategy to deliver cost-effective financing to HM Treasury. Balance the interests of customers, the taxpayer, wider government objectives, and the broader financial services sector in the context of NS&I’s activities.
• Provide direction and leadership to the executive team, setting clear short- and long-term objectives and maximising the skills within the team.
• Effectively manage and incentivise NS&I’s operational partners at a senior level to deliver the agreed business plans efficiently and in line with NS&I’s values.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Experience of operating at Senior Executive or equivalent, with a strong track record of strategic leadership and operational delivery experience.
• Experience of delivering a major change/transformation programme within consumer facing industries, at scale, with a track record of managing elevated risk profiles and leading commercial negotiations at a senior level.
• A track record of promoting a positive personal and organisational profile in external communications. This should include experience of managing consumer-facing operations, including resolving operational issues, reputation management and recovery.
• Ability to manage financial budgets and clear demonstration of effective resource management

Experience within the consumer financial services environment or similar including within retail savings institutions, regulators, trade associations, and other relevant stakeholders would also be desirable. Other desirable criteria are shown in the Candidate Brief.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £130,000, National Savings and Investments contributes £37,661 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

The closing date for this role is Sunday 28 June 2026 at 23:55. For more information and to apply, please visit www.odgers.com/96105

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Mairead.Brougham@odgers.com
• Email : Mairead.Brougham@odgers.com

Recruitment team

• Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact: hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk in the first instance.

Attachments

Candidate Brief Published_National Savings - Investments_CEO Opens in new window (pdf, 373kB)

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