Global Compliance Lead

Here at the John Lewis Partnership we are looking for a Global Compliance Lead within the Sourcing and Technical Profession. You will be responsible for leading a team of technical professionals to ensure the compliance of 'own brand and branded' products and their supply chains. This role involves setting, owning, and delivering the Global Compliance strategy, directly supporting the overarching business and CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) strategies. You will align with the Category Technical Leads and Category Proposition Groups, acting as a critical friend to support their teams. Furthermore, you will hold the team accountable for adherence to all compliance-related policies, processes, and assurance measures for both 'own brand and branded' products.

Key responsibilities

• Policy Development & Implementation: Designing, updating, and enforcing internal policies and procedures to ensure compliance with external laws and regulations.
• Risk Management: Conducting regular risk assessments to identify, monitor, and mitigate operational or compliance risks.
• Auditing & Reporting: Planning and performing audits, maintaining accurate compliance records, and reporting on compliance status to senior management.
• Training & Education: Developing training programs to educate employees on compliance guidelines and new regulatory requirements.
• Incident Investigation: Investigating potential compliance breaches and implementing corrective, preventative actions.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Acting as the main point of contact for internal staff and external regulatory bodies.

Essential skills / experience

• Regulatory and Industry expertise: Deep understanding of relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards, combined with the ability to interpret them for business applications.
• Risk management and assessment: Proactively identifying, assessing, and mitigating compliance risks before they escalate.
• Strategic Leadership: Integrating compliance requirements into broader business strategies.
• Communication and influence: Articulating complex regulatory requirements to diverse audiences, from staff to the board, to ensure compliance buy-in.
• Analytical Problem Solving: Utilizing data to identify and resolve potential breaches.
• Integrity and Ethics: Acting as a role model for ethical behaviour and fostering a culture of accountability.
• Adaptability and Initiative: Staying current with evolving regulations and proactively adjusting.

Other information

• Location: This role is based at our London Head Office campus in Pimlico.
• Contract type: Permanent
• Working pattern: Hybrid working (mixture of office and home-based). The team aims for around 2/3 days a week in the office, with ad-hoc attendance at key meetings.
• Salary: £76,100.00 - £101,600.00 Annual
• Travel: There is travel for this role in the UK and worldwide.
• Closing Date: February 10, 2026
• Hours of Work: 35
• Job Level: Partnership Level 5
• Where You’ll Be Working: London Central Office, 1 Drummond Gate, London, SW1V 2QQ

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us. We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose. As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note: Some roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process. Any DBS checks will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some roles. We encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants. We support flexible working where possible; this might include flexible or compressed hours, job sharing, or shorter hour contracts. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.