Head of Compliance & Legal Counsel

Head of Compliance & Legal Counsel

We are partnering with a highly regarded financial services firm to appoint an experienced Head of Compliance & Legal Counsel . This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for overseeing the firm's compliance, regulatory, financial crime, and legal functions while acting as a key advisor to executive management.

The successful candidate will serve as the subject matter expert on UK regulatory requirements, ensuring the business maintains the highest standards of governance, conduct, and regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Compliance Leadership

1. Act as the firm's subject matter expert for UK regulatory frameworks, including CASS, SYSC, and SMCR.
2. Lead the annual review and enhancement of Compliance and AML policies, procedures, and frameworks, including the annua Market Abuse Risk Assessment.
3. Design, oversee, and deliver Compliance and AML training programmes, including Market Abuse training.
4. Provide compliance oversight and input into the drafting, review, and calibration of key regulatory and governance documentation.
5. Maintain the firm's Conflicts of Interest Register and oversee complaints-handling procedures.
6. Chair and oversee relevant internal governance committees, including market conduct and standards committees where required.
7. Oversee trade surveillance, communications monitoring, and the calibration of surveillance systems.
8. Maintain oversight of transaction reporting obligations and associated controls.
9. Serve as the primary point of contact for UK regulators, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
10. Review and assess surveillance alerts, acting as the final escalation point for investigations and regulatory assessments.
11. Prepare and submit regulatory reports, including Suspicious Transaction and Order Reports (STORs) and Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) where required.
12. Oversee dealing error investigations and incident reporting processes.
13. Lead on financial crime, anti-money laundering, sanctions, and broader regulatory compliance matters.
14. Maintain and execute the Compliance Monitoring Programme in line with approved policies and procedures.
15. Manage Personal Account Dealing processes and monitoring in accordance with applicable regulations and internal policies.
16. Implement regulatory change initiatives and ensure the business adapts effectively to new FCA rules, guidance, consultation papers, and policy statements.
17. Monitor client and employee activity for suspicious behaviour and elevate concerns appropriately.
18. Ensure ongoing compliance with FCA requirements, including the timely submission of regulatory returns.
19. Hold prescribed responsibilities under the Senior Managers & Certification Regime (SMCR) for SMF16 (Compliance Oversight) and SMF17 (Money Laundering Reporting Officer).
20. Support strategic and operational compliance projects as required.

Legal Counsel Responsibilities

1. Provide timely, practical, and commercially focused legal advice across the organisation's products, services, and operations.
2. Partner with senior management and internal stakeholders to support business strategy and decision-making.
3. Review, interpret, and advise on legislative and regulatory developments impacting the business.
4. Support contract reviews, corporate governance matters, and legal risk management initiatives.
5. Ensure the business remains informed of relevant legal and regulatory changes and their implications.

Candidate Profile

We are seeking a senior compliance professional with:

1. Significant experience within financial services compliance and regulatory oversight.
2. Strong working knowledge of FCA regulations, market abuse frameworks, AML requirements, and financial crime controls.
3. Previous experience operating under the SMCR regime, ideally holding or supporting SMF16 and/or SMF17 responsibilities.
4. Proven ability to engage confidently with regulators and senior stakeholders.
5. Excellent leadership, communication, and influencing skills.
6. Legal qualifications or substantial in-house legal advisory experience would be highly advantageous.
7. A proactive, pragmatic, and commercially minded approach to risk and governance.

Additional Information

This is a broad and evolving leadership role. The successful candidate will be expected to undertake additional responsibilities and projects in line with business requirements and regulatory developments.

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