Compliance & Risk Assistant

Our Story

Our small Canadian-born business was founded in 1978 and has become a global organization that now spans 120 locations across 20 countries. Our expansion has been rapid, but what matters most is the common belief that drives all 5,000 of our people to be a different type of real estate organization. We believe that the places in which we live, work and play have the power to make us happier and healthier, and we are united by a shared sense of purpose, to have a positive impact on people’s lives. In short, we are a global commercial real estate advisory firm with a simple aim: for real estate to play a leading role in creating vibrant buildings, cities and places that deliver long-lasting social value and economic impact.

Overview

To support the Compliance & Risk Manager in the Real Estate, Facilities & Infrastructure Management (REFIM) business group consisting of approximately 440 employees delivering a robust programme of compliance & risk oversight, operational risk reporting and an internal monitoring framework, which regularly tests the validity of risk mitigating controls, in particular across the property accounting finance team processes. Promote risk awareness across the business group through regular horizon scanning, updates and training. The role will also involve close liaison with the Head of Operations to ensure collaborative and forward‑thinking culture in relation to risk mitigation.

Why Work for Us

We believe that our industry is changing, and we want our business to be a melting pot of curious minds, passionate hearts and strategic intelligence. Your gender, religion and race are all highly respected, but are less important to us than your ability to step up and change the game. We provide you with a place where you can do just that, with like‑minded people. Collaboration is embedded in the way we work – our people have the autonomy to collaborate on client relationships, engage teams across the business, lead operations, work collectively on projects, participate in strategy and are ultimately responsible for our growth. Our distinctive Principal‑led, privately‑owned model puts us in the enviable position of being able to offer every employee the opportunity to own a share of our business and inspires and allows anyone to become a Principal. This role carries voting rights, so our people have a very real say in the future direction and operation of our business. This means that we are able to attract, engage and retain the best talent from the industry.

Overall Purpose of the Job

To support the Compliance & Risk Manager in the Real Estate, Facilities & Infrastructure Management (REFIM) business group consisting of approximately 440 employees delivering a robust programme of compliance & risk oversight, operational risk reporting and an internal monitoring framework, which regularly tests the validity of risk mitigating controls, in particular across the property accounting finance team processes. Promote risk awareness across the business group through regular horizon scanning, updates and training. The role will also involve close liaison with the Head of Operations to ensure collaborative and forward‑thinking culture in relation to risk mitigation.

Responsibilities

• Undertake the investigation and review of incidents that occur resulting from control process failures, to identify root causes, make recommendations for mitigation, track to completion and prepare reports for senior management review and action.
• Create and implement strong control systems to ensure adherence to internal policies, procedures and external regulations.
• Collaborate with the Compliance & Risk Manager to prepare the annual internal audit plan for the business group and provide systematic review and reporting of findings of key operational areas.
• Assist with the development and implementation of a risk and controls framework around the property accounting processes to facilitate the Real Estate Management Services (REMS) service line securing ISAE3402 accreditation, a key strategic objective for 2025 into 2026.
• Plan and conduct internal monitoring as necessary.
• Ensure reporting of all internal control matters completed accurately and on a timely basis.
• Co‑ordinate with service line heads and team managers to facilitate the close out of actions and implementation of recommendations as required.
• Assess process risks and adequacy of controls to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Stay informed about corporate governance, regulatory and legal procedures.
• Liaise with external auditors, either those acting on behalf of clients or ISO 9001, and the internal Global Risk & Compliance team as necessary to ensure all audits are progressed to spec and on time.
• Assist in maintaining and implementing compliance & risk policies and procedures.
• Support all service lines and teams within the business group in the identification, reporting and management of risk, including the updating of the REFIM Risk Register, development of procedures and reporting mechanisms, including dashboards of key risk and incident data and streamlined reports.
• Contribute to the oversight of KPI performance including service charge performance, property health checks, timecard reporting, competency and offboarding readiness assessments.
• Champion the continuous improvement of procedures and processes.
• Assist in the creation and delivery of training on compliance and risk, regulatory and procedural adherence, and changes to ensure knowledge is current and up to date.
• Manage the Compliance and Risk mailbox daily and respond or elevate queries as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with internal stakeholders.
• Assist the REFIM Training manager as required to schedule and communicate training courses across the REFIM business group, track and report attendance.
• Some travel will be required to regional offices.

No job description can fully represent every issue which may arise within the post and the post holder is expected to carry out other duties from time to time that are broadly consistent with those in this job description.

Qualifications

• Ability to formulate compliance procedures, processes, and controls.
• A self‑starter with excellent time‑management skills and the ability to work to tight deadlines.
• Able to communicate and have influence at all levels both internally and externally.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to build positive working relationships with colleagues at all levels and across various teams.
• Internal audit experience including being able to implement and deliver clear results and actions from the audits which are tracked to completion.
• Knowledge of RICS governance, in particular the RICS Client Money Handling rules and Service Charge Code of Practice.
• Advanced knowledge of the Microsoft Applications, particularly strong Excel skills to prepare and deliver reports and dashboard data.
• Working knowledge of data management regulations such as GDPR (desirable).
• Familiarity of scoping and implementing ISAE3402 accreditation (desirable).
• Knowledge of property management accounting systems, such as Yardi Voyager (preferable).

Equal Opportunities

At Avison Young, we’ve always put people at the heart of what we do. In the last few years, we’ve increased the diversity at our board, leadership and Principal levels. Avison Young stands out for our commitment to empowering women. In addition to increasing the number of women on our board and in our leadership ranks, our internal Women’s Network of more than 500 members come together for networking and learning, and advise the business on strategies for promoting access, opportunity and inclusion in our industry.

Our global DEI steering committee shapes our strategy to continue to increase industry access for underrepresented groups and accelerating initiatives led by our employee resource groups, including our Women’s Network, Black Professionals and LGBTQ+ groups. In addition to leading global initiatives, the steering committee’s work examines our policies and practices, creating accountability for results and communicating progress to our executive leadership, our clients and our communities.

Our culture is underpinned by our approach to diversity, inclusion, and well‑being. We are committed to building an inclusive culture that:

• empowers all our employees to thrive,
• reflects all backgrounds and talents,
• allows individuals to be successful and feel a sense of belonging,
• and fosters a workplace that is supported, inclusive and has a strong sense of community between colleagues.

Avison Young is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to treating all its employees and job applicants equitably. This includes implementing deliberate strategies that advance underrepresented communities in commercial real estate careers.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to removing any obstacles to inclusion. If you need any adjustments to support your application or any part of the recruitment process, such as information in alternative formats or special requirements to access our buildings, or you are eligible under the Disability Confident Scheme please contact us at careers.uk@avisonyoung.com and we will do everything we can to help.

We are committed to inclusion in our hiring processes, and we want to give everyone a chance to show what they can bring to our organisation. If you are not sure that you have all the skills in the person specification, please still apply. We value passion and potential in our employees, so it would be great to hear from you and why you would suit this position.

Some of our roles may be remote and some roles may be specific to our offices, but you will need to confirm you have the right to work in the UK.