Head of Compliance & Legal Counsel

This is a senior leadership position offering the opportunity to shape the firm's regulatory framework, advise senior management, and ensure the business continues to operate to the highest standards of governance, compliance and legal excellence. The successful individual will hold key regulatory responsibilities under the Senior Managers & Certification Regime (SMCR) and act as the firm's principal liaison with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The role would suit an accomplished compliance professional with strong legal acumen, ideally gained within an investment bank, broker-dealer or wholesale financial services environment.

Key Responsibilities

Compliance Leadership

• Lead and oversee the UK Compliance function, ensuring adherence to all applicable FCA regulatory requirements.
• Act as the firm's subject matter expert across key UK regulatory frameworks including CASS, SYSC, SMCR, Market Abuse Regulation, Financial Crime and AML.
• Maintain and enhance the firm's Compliance Monitoring Programme, ensuring robust governance and effective risk management.
• Conduct the annual review and update of Compliance, AML and Financial Crime policies and procedures.
• Lead the annual Market Abuse Risk Assessment and oversee the firm's market abuse framework.
• Chair relevant internal governance committees, including the Market Standards Committee.
• Oversee compliance surveillance programmes, including trade surveillance, communications surveillance and transaction reporting.
• Review and investigate NASDAQ SMARTS alerts, determining appropriate escalation where required.
• Prepare and submit regulatory reports, including Suspicious Transaction and Order Reports (STORs) and Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) where appropriate.
• Monitor dealing errors, operational incidents and regulatory breaches, ensuring appropriate remediation.
• Oversee Personal Account Dealing approvals and monitoring.
• Implement regulatory change initiatives arising from FCA consultations, policy statements and rule amendments.
• Deliver and oversee Compliance and Market Abuse training across the London business.
• Act as the principal point of contact with the FCA and other relevant regulatory authorities.
• Maintain key registers including Conflicts of Interest and oversee complaint handling procedures.
• Ensure timely completion of all applicable regulatory returns.

Legal Responsibilities

• Provide practical, commercial legal advice across the firm's products, services and business activities.
• Support senior management on strategic initiatives, new business opportunities and regulatory developments.
• Review, draft and negotiate commercial agreements and legal documentation.
• Advise on legal and regulatory risks associated with business activities.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments affecting the firm's operations and advise stakeholders accordingly.
• Work closely with business, risk and operational teams to ensure legal considerations are embedded within decision‑making.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate is likely to possess:

• Significant Compliance leadership experience within an investment bank, securities firm, broker‑dealer or wholesale financial institution.
• Strong working knowledge of FCA regulation, including CASS, SYSC, SMCR, MAR, AML and Financial Crime.
• Experience managing regulatory relationships and dealing directly with the FCA.
• A thorough understanding of market abuse surveillance, transaction reporting and trade surveillance systems.
• Experience preparing regulatory submissions including STORs and SARs.
• Strong commercial judgement with the ability to balance regulatory requirements alongside business objectives.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills with experience advising Boards and senior executives.
• Legal qualification (England & Wales or another recognised jurisdiction) would be advantageous but is not essential where substantial relevant legal advisory experience has been gained.
• Eligibility to perform the responsibilities associated with SMF16 (Compliance Oversight) and SMF17 (Money Laundering Reporting Officer).

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