Head of Debt Delivery
£100,000 per annum
Bedford
Permanent
Hybrid Working
Play a pivotal role in ensuring millions of pounds of investment deliver life-changing debt advice. Lead strategic partnerships, drive service excellence, and help improve outcomes for people facing financial difficulty.
Why This Role Matters
In this role, you will lead and oversee the strategic delivery of a high-value portfolio of contracts and grants totalling more than £100 million annually, ensuring that people experiencing debt receive high-quality advice and support. You will provide strategic direction across contract and grant management, driving innovation, continuous improvement, and excellence in service delivery. Working closely with senior stakeholders, partners, and commissioned organisations, you will help shape and enhance debt advice services to respond to the evolving needs of clients while delivering strong outcomes and impact.
The role will be responsible for leading a team of Contract Managers and Senior Contract Managers, overseeing a portfolio of grants and contracts in line with government standards and ensuring compliance with key performance indicators, regulatory requirements, and MaPS standards. The postholder will also contribute to the commissioning and development of future debt advice services and will play an integral role within the Debt Senior Leadership Team, sharing collective responsibility for the successful delivery of the organisation's debt strategy.
You’ll join a team that’s passionate, collaborative, and driven by the belief that financial confidence should be something everyone can access.
What You’ll Be Doing
The Head of Debt Delivery will report directly to Corporate Director of Debt and will be responsible for:
- Provide strategic leadership to the Debt Delivery team, promoting a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.
- Oversee the management of agreements worth over £100m, ensuring that providers meet budget objectives and deliver high-quality services.
- Maintain and enhance relationships with key senior contacts in the debt advice sector to build long-term collaborative partnerships.
- Promote the service to external partners and share insights on delivery across the organisation.
- Identify and implement opportunities for service and process improvements, supporting innovation in the sector.
- Contribute expert insights into the Debt Strategy and various projects, including commissioning from across the debt advice sector.
What You’ll Bring
To be successful in this role, you’ll need:
- Leadership and operational experience in a high-performance service delivery context, ideally within the advice sector.
- Exceptional strategic engagement, relationship, influencing, and negotiation skills at senior levels.
- Proven track record of delivering corporate leadership and achieving significant outcomes.
- Strong communication skills and expertise in collaboration, capable of working effectively with colleagues and representing the service externally.
- Extensive leadership experience, including transforming and developing teams.
- In-depth knowledge of the UK debt agenda and advice sector.
About Us
MaPS is based in bright, modern offices in Bedford, and we’re here to help people across the UK feel more confident and informed about their money.
Our values guide how we work together:
- Caring – for colleagues and the communities we support
- Connecting – building supportive, positive relationships
- Transforming – creating impact that truly matters
We’re proud to foster an inclusive, welcoming culture. Our colleague networks include LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, women’s health, men’s health and ethnicity groups — and we welcome applications from all backgrounds.
What We Offer
- 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays
- Contributions matched 2 to 1 (employer contribution up to 10% of your salary)
- Season ticket loan
- Cycle to work scheme (up to £3,000)
- Subsidised eye tests & flu jabs
- Life assurance
- EAP Assist & Life
- Enhanced family and sick pay
- 2 paid volunteering days
- Recognition scheme
- Retail discounts portal
Flexible Working
We believe work should fit around life. This Bedford‑based role offers genuine flexibility so you can balance work, family, and personal commitments. We come together for purposeful team collaboration to stay connected and drive great results.
Career Development
We love supporting internal growth and progression, while continuing to follow fair and open Civil Service recruitment practices.
Important Information About Applying
- Please apply only via official MaPS links - we can’t accept applications via email or unauthorised sites.
- MaPS is unable to offer visa sponsorship.
Reserve List: If you're successful at interview, we may place you on a reserve list for up to 6 months. If a similar role becomes available, you may be offered it without the need for another assessment.
If you believe your application hasn’t followed the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles, you can contact [email protected]. If unresolved, you may then contact the Civil Service Commission.
Our Recruitment Process
We keep things simple, fair, and transparent:
Step 1: Application Submission
Applications open: 7 August 2026
Closing date: 16 August 2026
To apply, please submit:
- An up-to-date CV detailing how your experience aligns with the essential criteria outlined in the job description and what makes you a strong candidate for this role.
- A cover letter (maximum 500 words) responding to the following question:
- "What does social purpose mean to you, and how has this been reflected throughout your career?"
As a purpose-driven organisation, we are keen to understand your motivation for working in a role that positively impacts the lives of people experiencing financial difficulty.
Step 2: Initial Telephone Interview
Taking place between: 10 August - 18 August 2026
Candidates who meet the initial criteria will be invited to an informal telephone interview with Reed. This conversation will provide an opportunity to discuss your experience, motivations and suitability for the role, as well as learn more about the position and the organisation.
Step 3: Hogan Wave Assessment
Scheduled for: 24 August 2026
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete the Hogan Wave personality assessment as part of the selection process.
Step 4: Staff Engagement Exercise
Scheduled for: 31 August 2026
As the final assessment activity, candidates will participate in a Staff Engagement Exercise designed to showcase their leadership style, communication skills and ability to engage and influence others.
Each candidate will be allocated approximately 45 minutes to facilitate their session. The exercise will take place over the course of a full day to accommodate all shortlisted candidates.
Step 5: Final Panel Interview
Scheduled for: 9 - 11 September 2026
Successful candidates will be invited to a final-stage interview at our Bedford office.
The interview will be conducted by a panel of three and will last approximately 60 minutes. Candidates will be asked to deliver a 10-minute presentation, followed by competency-based and values-led interview questions designed to assess their experience, leadership capability and alignment with the role and organisational purpose.
Please note that all dates are subject to change
Everything we do aligns with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.
Job Reference: MaPS01285
Close Date: 16/08/2026
