Director of Sponsored Services and Regulatory Compliance

Reporting into – Chief Operating Officer
Contract – Permanent
Band – Director
Location – Palestra House, Endeavour Square, London (Hybrid)

About Us  

Transport for London (TfL) is at the heart of keeping one of the world’s greatest cities moving. Every day, we enable millions of journeys and shape the future of transport for London—safely, inclusively, and sustainably. Our mission is bold: deliver the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and create a network that works for everyone, now and for generations to come.

This is your chance to join TfL’s Senior Leadership Team in a brand-new, high-profile role—designed to drive excellence in regulatory compliance, operational excellence and customer experience.

About the Role  

As Director of Sponsored Services and Regulatory Compliance, you’ll lead the strategic vision and operational delivery of some of London’s most iconic and innovative transport services  including the regulation of London’s Taxi & Private Hire industry, Cycle Hire, the Cable Car, Woolwich Ferry, and London River Services. You will also oversee emerging transport modes such as micromobility and Pedicabs, ensuring they are integrated safely and effectively into London’s transport system.

This is a role with real influence. As a TfL Director, you’ll set regulatory policy, manage complex stakeholder relationships, and ensure compliance across diverse modes of transport. You’ll work closely with the Mayor’s Office, government departments, trade unions, and industry leaders—making decisions that impact millions of Londoners every day.

This role is pivotal in shaping policy in response to evolving transport requirements, managing complex stakeholder relationships, and ensuring compliance across all modes. You will influence decisions at the highest levels, working closely with the Mayor’s Office, government departments, trade unions, and industry partners.

With accountability for a directorate of around 550 employees, this is your opportunity to lead change, deliver innovation, and leave a lasting legacy on the future of transport in London.

What You’ll Do

• Be a visible, inclusive leader who inspires high performance and wellbeing.
• Shape and deliver strategy across sponsored services and regulatory compliance.
• Create forward-thinking regulatory frameworks for evolving transport needs.
• Champion new transport modes and ensure safe, effective integration.
• Lead major change programmes and embed a culture of continuous improvement.
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders and industry partners.
• Drive commercial performance and governance across complex contracts.

Key responsibilities include: 

• Accountable for the provision of new modes of transportation, including those requiring licensing and compliance that arise from the evolution of the transportation industry (e.g., Pedicabs and micromobility modes).
• Determine and lead business change and continuous improvement to drive performance and enhance the quality of services for customers, colleagues, industry representatives, suppliers, and interest groups.
• Develop a positive safety and wellbeing culture, ensuring the team is invested in managing and improving SHE performance.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including Executive Committee members, Board-level decision-makers, and external partners.
• Manage significant budgets and outsourced contracts, ensuring value for money and robust commercial governance.

Key Skills 

In this role you will require: 

• Proven ability to determine regulatory policy within a large, complex organisation (Essential).
• Strong stakeholder management skills which enable collaborative working and strong working relationships and the ability to manage complex customer and supplier relationships (Essential).
• Previous employment within the Transport Sector or knowledge of operational services and regulatory compliance frameworks under the directorate’s accountability (Essential).
• Extensive experience in strategic leadership and leading major change programmes, including direct line management of senior teams (Essential).
• Experience developing and implementing strategy in a unionised organisation (Essential).
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with a track record of engaging effectively at Executive or Board level and facilitating joint decision-making within politically sensitive environments (Essential).
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing and negotiating complex, multi-disciplinary operational services and contracts across in-house and outsourced operations (Desirable).
• Degree educated or equivalent (Desirable).

Spotlight Session

Our Chief Operating Officer, Claire Mann, will be hosting a 30min online session to provide further insight into this role at 1pm on Thursday 27th November 2025. If you would like to attend, please contact talentacquisitionandexecutiverecruitment@tfl.gov.uk and we can extend an invitation to join via MS Teams.

How to apply  

Please submit an up-to-date copy of your CV (no more than 2 A4 pages Arial size 12) along with a cover letter (no more than 1 A4 page Arial size 12).   

We recommend that you consider the motivations, skills, knowledge, and experience required for this role and ensure your application outlines where you meet these criteria.  

Closing date for applications will be Tuesday 2nd December at 23:59hrs.

First stage interviews will be held in January 2026.

For a more detailed copy of the job description, please contact Senior Executive Recruitment Consultant James Hodder on talentacquisitionandexecutiverecruitment@tfl.gov.uk

TfL is currently unable to provide sponsorship to candidates for this role as the Home Office’s eligibility criteria for sponsorship will not be met. TfL keeps its approach under review in line with changes to UK immigration rules. We are also unable to provide advice or guidance on individual immigration queries and advise candidates to check the Government’s website for further information.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion  

We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria.  

Hybrid Working   

Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements.