Director General, Finance, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Policy Leaders Fellow, Centre for Science and Policy

Catherine Vaughan was appointed as Finance Director General for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in October 2022. In this role she is responsible for leading teams which oversee DWP’s business strategy and departmental planning, the allocation of resources, financial management and control, commercial procurement and contract management and security.

Before joining DWP, Catherine was the Director General and Chief Operating Officer for the Department for International Trade (DIT).

Catherine began her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in public sector audit. She is a qualified accountant with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). Her subsequent roles have included: Director of Finance and Resources for Brighton and Hove City Council, Chief Finance Officer for the South Downs National Park Authority, and Director of Finance and Business Services at HM Land Registry.

Catherine is a member of the Government Finance Function Leadership Group and co-chairs its People Committee. She has also been Non-Executive Director on the Board of England Netball.