Head of Compliance & Risk

Head of FCA Compliance Risk - Retail Bank / Payments firm 4/5 days at home. £110-140,000 plus bonus plus pension.

What if this role was more than just a job? What if you had the opportunity to lead, influence, and shape the risk culture of a growing organisation — while reporting directly to senior leadership? What if you were given the platform to use your large high street banking regulatory compliance risk experience to challenge, coach, and guide at a strategic level, ensuring regulatory excellence and real business impact? And what if your expertise didn’t just protect the business but empowered it to thrive in a complex and changing landscape? What if you were tired of working in a large corporate environment and wanted to make an impact in a smaller family orientated organisation? If that sounds like the kind of challenge that excites you, contact me.

Your Role

Sitting within the Second Line of Defence, your role is to lead, oversee, and elevate the firm’s approach to regulatory and compliance risk. You will provide strategic assurance to the Board, Audit & Risk Committee, and Senior Leadership, ensuring the business meets the rules and culture of compliance. This role is not about ticking boxes. It’s about proactively shaping the risk agenda, ensuring the firm’s continued success in a complex regulatory environment.

About the Role

• Be the Trusted Advisor – Senior leaders will look to you for insight, challenge, and assurance on compliance risks.
• Lead the Risk Culture – Instil a forward-thinking, business-empowered approach to risk, ensuring compliance is seen as a driver of success, not a blocker.
• Own the Risk & Compliance Framework – Develop and implement risk strategies for regulatory compliance that support long-term sustainability.
• Coach, Challenge, Influence – Work with the 1LOD and 3LOD to embed a risk-aware culture across the business.
• Stay Ahead of the Curve – Monitor emerging regulatory trends and horizon risks, ensuring proactive adaptation.
• Make an Impact at the Top – Support the Chief Risk Officer in setting the risk strategy and presenting to the Board.
• Drive Real Change – Lead assurance reviews, control testing, and audit activities to add real business value.
• This is a Compliance and Regulatory Risk role but as the second most senior individual in the small team, you will also be responsible for deputising for the Chief Risk Officer as required.

Are You the Right Fit?

Do you have the credibility to challenge and influence senior leadership? Can you balance commercial awareness with regulatory expertise? Do you think like a strategist while delivering with precision? Are you the kind of leader who makes things happen rather than watches from the sidelines? If so, you already know this opportunity is for you.

Why Join?

• Be at the Heart of Decision-Making – Work at a strategic level, directly influencing the Board and Executive team.
• Remote-First, Impact-Driven – Work flexibly while leading high-impact projects across the business.
• Challenge, Shape, and Lead – This isn’t about “keeping the lights on.” It’s about driving risk excellence.
• Be Part of Something Bigger – A growing, forward-thinking organisation where your expertise is valued at the highest levels.

You MUST have:

• Previous FCA and PRU regulated compliance and risk experience within a retail banking or payments firm.
• UK Visa and won't require sponsorship in the future.

Next Steps

If you’re curious, feel free to apply, and I will review your CV.