Job Reference 339258
Chief of Staff – CFO
Location
185 Farringdon Road, Farringdon, London (c.80% office‑based)
Employer
International Distribution Services / Royal Mail Group
Company Overview
International Distribution Services (IDS) is the parent company of Royal Mail and GLS – two of the world’s most recognisable logistics businesses, operating across more than 50 countries and serving billions of customers each year.
Royal Mail is one of the UK’s most trusted institutions and its designated Universal Service Provider, delivering to about 32 million addresses nationwide.
GLS provides significant international scale, with a growing presence in cross‑border e‑commerce and a strong footprint across Europe.
Following acquisition by EP Group in 2025, IDS enters a new phase defined by financial discipline, pace of transformation, and sharper strategic alignment across its UK and international operations.
Why now – a unique moment to join
This is a genuinely rare opportunity to join at a defining point in the organisation’s evolution.
The Group CFO operates across a uniquely complex mandate – serving as CFO of both IDS and Royal Mail plc – balancing the demands of a regulated UK Universal Service, a publicly scrutinised governance environment, and a dynamic international logistics business.
Against this backdrop, the need for a high‑calibre Chief of Staff is critical: someone who can operate at Board level, drive execution at pace, and act as a trusted extension of the CFO across an exceptionally broad stakeholder landscape.
This role offers unparalleled exposure – spanning Boards, investors, banks, auditors, unions and government – and represents a powerful platform for future leadership.
The purpose of the role
The Chief of Staff is the CFO’s most trusted strategic partner – providing leverage across the finance agenda and wider Group transformation.
You will ensure that the right priorities are set, executed at pace, and delivered to the highest standard. Acting as a central integrator, you will drive alignment across Royal Mail and GLS, ensuring consistency of focus, discipline of execution, and clarity of communication across the organisation.
This is a senior leadership role – not coordination, but influence, delivery and impact.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic leadership and agenda setting: Act as a true extension of the CFO – shaping priorities, focusing effort on the highest‑value activities, and providing insight to inform executive decision‑making.
- Transformation and execution: Lead and govern cross‑functional initiatives, including the finance transformation programme, ensuring clear milestones, accountability, and delivery of measurable benefits.
- Operating rhythm and performance management: Design and embed a consistent performance cadence across Royal Mail and GLS, driving transparency, challenge and accountability.
- Stakeholder engagement and communications: Oversee the development of high‑quality Board, audit committee and investor materials; craft compelling narratives for the most senior audiences.
- External representation: Act as a credible proxy for the CFO with auditors, banks and the investment community, building trusted, high‑quality relationships.
- Organisational alignment: Break down silos, align diverse teams, and ensure the CFO’s agenda is understood and delivered consistently across the Group.
What we’re looking for
We are seeking an exceptional individual with the credibility, judgement and delivery focus to operate at the very highest levels of the organisation.
Experience
- Proven success in a senior Chief of Staff, strategy or operational leadership role within a large, complex organisation.
- Strong corporate finance grounding, with understanding of capital allocation, reporting and governance in a listed or similarly sophisticated environment.
- Track record of leading cross‑functional programmes within matrix structures, delivering results at pace.
- Experience supporting Boards and Executive Committees, including preparation of high‑quality materials for senior stakeholders.
Leadership & personal qualities
- A high‑trust advisor at C‑suite level – discreet, credible and dependable.
- Exceptional influencing skills, with the ability to build alignment across diverse stakeholder groups.
- Sharp intellect and intellectual agility – able to move seamlessly between strategy and operational delivery.
- Strong judgement and risk awareness, coupled with a proactive, solutions‑oriented mindset.
- Outstanding communication skills – able to distil complexity into clear, compelling insight.
You will bring a strong sense of pace, ownership and accountability, and be comfortable operating in a high‑profile, fast‑moving transformation environment.
Why join IDS / Royal Mail
- Be part of the transformation of one of the UK’s most iconic organisations.
- Operate at the centre of strategic decision‑making with exposure to Boards, investors and government.
- Help shape the future of a business with national significance and global reach.
- Join an organisation committed to inclusion, innovation and sustainability, including its ambition to reach net zero by 2040.
Extra Benefits
- Family friendly support – enhanced maternity pay, paternity leave, adoption leave and shared parental leave.
- Supportive and generous company sick pay.
- Funded Dental – as a manager you are eligible to a level of employer funded dental insurance.
- Health Assessment – as a manager you are eligible to an employer funded health assessment every two years.
- Benefits Account – you will have access to your personal benefits account on our My Bundle+ platform. There are more than 800 retail offers to help you save on groceries, days out, holidays and household bills, and employer provided and voluntary benefits to suit your lifestyle.
- Your Wellbeing – you and your family have 24/7 access to services and tools to help you get the most out of life. From physical and mental health to financial and social support and advice. It’s free, and it’s for everyone.
- Available only to permanent employees.
Next Steps
The next stage of the selection process will be a face‑to‑face/virtual interview consisting of competency based and role specific questions.
Royal Mail Group is committed to inclusion and representing the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals. As a proud Gold signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, we especially encourage applications from the Armed Forces community, including cadet instructors and spouses/partners.
We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process. If you require any adjustments to support you during the hiring process, please discuss these with your recruiter when contacted.
For more information on Royal Mail Group and our values please visit https://www.internationaldistributionsservices.com/en/about-us/
Closing Date: Sunday 31st May (this advert may close early if the appropriate number of applications has been reached).
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