Group Head of Ethics & Integrity

Group Head of Ethics & Integrity, Serco
Location: London (Victoria) or Hook – Hybrid working

Serco is a leading international provider of public services, delivering critical outcomes across defence, justice, immigration, healthcare, transport and citizen services. We operate complex, regulated and contract-based businesses at scale, where trust, governance and ethical conduct are fundamental to both performance and long-term growth.

Serco is seeking a Group Head of Ethics & Integrity to lead the strategy and delivery of the Group’s ethics and compliance programme. This is a high-profile leadership role within Legal and Compliance with direct exposure to the Group General Counsel and Executive Committee.
This role goes beyond traditional compliance. You will shape an Ethics & Integrity approach that not only manages risk but actively enables the business to operate confidently, win work, and build trust with governments and partners. You will ensure that integrity is embedded in decision-making in a way that is both robust and commercially pragmatic. Operating across a complex global organisation, you will partner with senior leaders to balance regulatory expectations, operational realities and commercial priorities—ensuring the organisation can move at pace while maintaining the highest standards of conduct.

What you’ll be doing

•    Lead the development and delivery of Serco’s Group-wide Ethics & Integrity strategy and programme, aligned to both regulatory expectations and commercial priorities 
•    Champion ethical conduct and Serco’s Values, embedding integrity into culture and decision-making in a way that supports sustainable business performance 
•    Design and oversee a cohesive, risk-based compliance programme, ensuring it is proportionate, practical and enables the business to operate effectively 
•    Partner with Divisions to identify, assess and manage ethics and compliance risks, balancing risk mitigation with operational and commercial outcomes 
•    Provide oversight of key frameworks including Speak Up, whistleblowing, investigations and due diligence, ensuring issues are handled robustly and fairly without unnecessary friction to the business 
•    Support business growth by ensuring effective, risk-based due diligence on new opportunities, partnerships and markets 
•    Drive a data-led approach to monitoring programme effectiveness, using insight to inform decision-making and continuous improvement 
•    Lead the evolution of Ethics & Integrity systems, tools and third-party providers to improve efficiency and effectiveness 
•    Deliver clear, commercially relevant reporting and assurance to the Executive Committee and Board Committees 
•    Provide expert advice on regulatory developments, translating requirements into practical, proportionate and commercially viable approaches 
•    Build organisational capability through targeted training, communication and engagement that resonates with operational teams 
•    Engage externally with relevant bodies and partners to ensure alignment with best practice and evolving expectations 

What you’ll bring

•    Significant leadership experience in ethics, compliance or governance within a large, complex and regulated organisation 
•    Strong track record of designing and evolving compliance programmes that are both effective and commercially enabling 
•    Experience operating at Group level with exposure to Executive Committee and Board-level stakeholders 
•    Ability to balance risk, regulation and commercial priorities, providing pragmatic and proportionate solutions 
•    Strong understanding of ethics and compliance frameworks, including human rights and modern slavery 
•    Experience in risk identification, assessment and assurance within complex organisations 
•    Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing capability, with the credibility to challenge and support senior leaders 
•    Strategic mindset with the ability to operationalise Ethics & Integrity across a global business 
•    Experience using data and insight to drive programme effectiveness and inform business decisions 
•    Proven ability to lead and develop capability across a distributed organisation 

What we offer

•    A strong six-figure base salary 
•    Bonus potential aligned to performance  
•    A company car or car allowance 
•    Private medical insurance 
•    10% Contributory pension 

About Serco
At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services.  We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.

By joining Serco you will have unlimited access to our Global Employee Networks – SercoInspire (Gender), SercoEmbrace (Multicultural), SercoUnlimited (Disability) and In@Serco (LGBT & Networks). Serco Employee Networks, led by colleagues who are passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging. 

Apply
Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. 

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. We operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly Disability Confident Leader employers and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.  For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000.
 

At Serco we support fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required). Please contact our recruitment team directly on 0345 010 4000 to discuss.