Head of Compliance SMF 16 (Deputy MLRO)

At Kroo Bank, we're building a better bank from the ground up. One that puts customers first, treats money responsibly, and uses technology to make everyday banking simpler, fairer and more transparent. We are a fully regulated UK bank, backed by long‑term investors, with a growing customer base and big ambitions.

Responsibilities

• Advising on legal and regulatory requirements of new and existing business activities, including retail deposits, savings products, and consumer lending.
• Providing compliance oversight and challenge on lending strategy, including origination, underwriting, servicing, and arrears management, ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations and good customer outcomes.
• Establishing and maintaining an effective compliance framework, policies, and procedures to ensure adherence to all applicable regulatory obligations.
• Providing compliance input into loan portfolio transactions, including loan book sales, structured disposals, and forward flow arrangements, ensuring appropriate customer, conduct, and regulatory considerations are addressed.
• Advising on and overseeing compliance implications of commercial arrangements with third parties, including funding partners, servicers, and portfolio purchasers.
• Monitoring regulated activities to identify instances of non‑compliance and ensuring appropriate remediation and escalation.
• Managing the compliance monitoring framework, including policies, procedures, and thematic reviews across deposits, savings, and lending activities.
• Overseeing compliance training programmes, including conduct rules and financial crime, ensuring they remain effective and up to date.
• Maintaining and updating compliance policies and procedures in line with evolving regulatory requirements, including the FCA Handbook and Consumer Duty expectations.
• Championing customer outcomes, including oversight of complaints.
• Supporting governance frameworks, including allocation of prescribed responsibilities and oversight of regulatory reporting obligations.
• Providing clear, effective reporting and challenge to senior management and Board‑level committees on compliance risks and issues.
• Overseeing the bank’s obligations under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, including conduct rule training and Management Responsibility Map.

Requirements

• Significant experience advising on legal and regulatory requirements within UK financial services, ideally within a bank or fintech offering deposits, savings, and lending products.
• Previous experience operating at SMF16 (Compliance Oversight) level.
• In‑depth knowledge of the FCA Handbook, including conduct, consumer credit, and prudential expectations relevant to a dual‑regulated firm.
• Experience overseeing or advising on consumer lending frameworks, including customer lifecycle considerations (origination, servicing, arrears, and forbearance).
• Exposure to loan portfolio transactions, such as loan book sales, forward flow arrangements, or similar structured activities, from a compliance or risk perspective.
• Understanding of regulatory expectations relating to customer treatment and Consumer Duty, particularly in lending and savings products.
• Experience supporting scaling or evolving business models, including the introduction of new products or entry into adjacent markets (e.g. business/SME lending).
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to apply regulatory requirements in a commercial and pragmatic way.
• Proven people management and team leadership experience within a compliance function.
• Ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders, including Risk, Legal, Credit, and Product teams.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

Benefits

• Generous holiday time: 25 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays, 1 Kroo Bank holiday (June 24th), and 1 day off during the week of your birthday.
• 3 personal days to use as needed.
• Employer‑sponsored volunteer programme: up to 4 hours per month of employer‑sponsored volunteer time.
• Mental health support through Spill.
• Workplace pension: 5 % employee contribution and 3 % employer top‑up.
• Top‑of‑the‑line equipment, including a MacBook laptop and support for home‑office setup.
• Modern office in Farringdon (Central London).
• Cycle‑to‑Work scheme.
• Electric Car scheme.
• Enhanced parental leave to support families.
• Room for growth in a high‑growth start‑up.
• Full healthcare for you and your nuclear family via Vitality.

Hybrid Working

Employees are expected to work from the office 1–2 days a week, using our London office as a valuable space for collaboration. The role operates from Monday to Friday with a mix of remote and office‑based work; onsite presence is not required full time.

Diversity and Inclusion

We wholeheartedly uphold our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Every employee is highly regarded, respected, and supported without any form of judgement or prejudice. We consider diversity, equality and inclusion as fundamental pillars guiding our path.