The Head of Compliance is responsible for establishing and leading a coherent policy, risk, data protection, internal audit, business continuity and compliance framework across the organisation, ensuring adherence to legal, regulatory and internal policy requirements. The role provides strategic oversight of policy framework, compliance, data protection, business continuity, internal audit and risk management, while introducing consistent standards, controls and assurance mechanisms.
It acts as the organisation’s expert authority on regulatory compliance, business continuity and data governance, enabling informed decision-making while protecting organisational integrity and reputation.
Key Accountabilities:
The Head of compliance is responsible for establishing and leading a small team to enable coherent data, policy, risk, internal audit, business continuity and compliance framework across the organisation, ensuring adherence to legal, regulatory and internal policy requirements.
The role provides strategic oversight of compliance, policy framework, data protection , business continuity, internal audit and risk management, while introducing consistent standards, controls and assurance mechanisms.
It acts as the organisation’s expert authority on regulatory compliance and data governance, providing independent assurance, oversight and control to ensure organisational activity is compliant, well-governed and effectively managed from a risk perspective.
Functional Accountability
- Data governance and data management strategy and standards
- Regulatory compliance (Companies House, Charity Commission and other obligations)
- Policy framework development and reporting
- Risk management, including maintenance of the Group risk register and reporting to governance bodies
- Internal audit and assurance coordination
- Legal advisory coordination (contracts, NDAs, regulatory obligations)
- Compliance reporting, including annual compliance reporting to Audit and Trustee Board
- Oversight of compliance requirements relating to contractual arrangements and associated controls.
- Procurement regulatory requirements
- Business continuity and disaster recovery strategy, planning, maintenance and governance
- Compliance assurance of business cases and organisational activity (data protection, regulatory, contractual and risk considerations)
- Act as the organisation’s trusted advisor on compliance, policy framework, internal audit and data protection
- Provide clear, pragmatic guidance to teams on:
- Contracts and legal obligations
- Regulatory compliance (Companies House, Charity Commission)
- Procurement-related compliance requirements
- Policy framework
Key Technical Skills:
- Highly knowledgeable UK regulatory frameworks (Charity Commission, Companies House, GDPR)
- Extensive experience building policy governance, risk and compliance frameworks
- Exceptional data protection and data governance expertise
- Experience coordinating internal audit activities (desirable)
- Experience developing, managing risk registers and reporting to senior governance bodies
- Highly knowledgeable of procurement compliance and contractframeworks
Experience Required:
- Substantial experience in a senior compliance, risk or data governance role
- Substantial experience establishing or transforming compliance functions
- Substantial experience working with senior leadership and governance bodies
- Substantial experience balancing regulatory compliance with operational practicality
Key Qualifications:
- Qualified solicitor, barrister, chartered legal executive or equivalent legal qualification; or substantial formal legal training combined with significant senior compliance leadership experience (essential)
- Significant experience of governance, risk and compliance leadership.
- Experience reporting to Boards, Committees or equivalent governance bodies.
- Strong knowledge of UK GDPR and regulatory compliance requirements.
- Data protection qualification such as CIPP/E or equivalent (desirable)
- Sound judgement and high integrity
- Pragmatic and solutions-oriented (not overly risk-averse)
- Strong influencing and advisory skills
- Ability to bring structure and clarity to ambiguous areas
- Collaborative across functions (especially Finance, Procurement, IT)
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