Head of Risk in London

Who Are We? We insure small businesses and enable big dreams – not just for our customers, but for our people and communities too. With over 1,000,000 active insurance policies, we protect builders, bakers, landlords and more than 1,200 other trades. We’re a technology company as well as one that sells insurance. That means we build, we fail, we learn and we improve. Through our global social impact strategy, called 'The Big Dreams Project’, we're working to help 10,000 small businesses start or grow by 2030.

What Is the Opportunity? You will play a leading role in safeguarding our assets and reputation by proactively identifying and mitigating risks across the whole business. This isn't about traditional "box-ticking"; we want you to move beyond old-school approaches to foster a culture of excellence and innovation. You’ll become the trusted expert for an emerging risk environment, fostering a risk‑aware mindset throughout the entire organisation.

What makes this role different is the level of strategic influence you’ll hold. You aren't just monitoring from the side-lines; you are a key partner and advisor providing critical insights to senior leaders on how risks impact our strategy. You'll be responsible for the continuous improvement and evolution of our existing comprehensive risk management framework, ensuring a best-fit approach that aligns perfectly with our long-term objectives.

As our Head of Risk, you’ll:

• Take full ownership of proposing and implementing a risk strategy that is tailored to fit and operates effectively for our specific needs.
• Identify and prioritise operational and financial risks alongside regulatory and strategic challenges on a day-to-day basis, while maintaining a forward‑looking lens on emerging threats.
• Prepare and present detailed risk reports to department heads, senior management and the Board, providing the strategic clarity needed to drive informed decision‑making.
• Lead and develop a high‑performing risk management team, fostering a culture of professional excellence and continuous improvement, and providing the guidance and support they need to succeed.
• Lead the enterprise‑wide risk reporting strategy to ensure emerging issues are identified, triaged, and surfaced to leadership with the urgency required for decisive action.
• Independently lead the placement and management of our UK corporate insurance programmes, ensuring comprehensive coverage across all business activities.
• Act as primary lead in negotiations with insurers to secure favourable terms and oversee the end‑to‑end claims process, with a specific focus on Errors & Omissions (E&O).

We’re looking for someone who is:

• An expert in risk management frameworks and methodologies with a deep understanding of industry best practices.
• Strong understanding of the business model and operations of a regulated financial services business (preferably within the insurance market).
• Deeply knowledgeable about UK regulations and insurance principles, and eligible to hold an FCA Certified Manager role.
• A proven leader with significant experience in motivating teams and implementing effective risk strategies from the ground up.
• A collaborative partner who can build strong relationships and influence stakeholders at the highest levels of the organisation.
• Highly analytical and technically literate, with the ability to use data and software to identify emerging trends.
• Resilient and ethical, staying calm under pressure and maintaining total objectivity when facing complex challenges.

This role may be subject to FCA regulations, which we'll determine during the hiring process. If it is regulated, there will be specific responsibilities under FCA regulations, including enhanced checks and referencing. We'll explain everything in more detail as part of the hiring process.

By embedding a forward‑thinking risk culture across Simply Business, you’ll give us the stability and confidence to keep innovating for our customers. Your expertise directly protects the foundations that allow us to continue enabling big dreams for small businesses.

What are the benefits of working at Simply Business: we offer a great work-life balance where workloads are manageable and everyone has the flexibility to work hybrid on top of the 25 days annual leave.