Head of Compliance Monitoring

As Head of Compliance Monitoring, you'll own Lendable's risk-based compliance monitoring programme and lead the team that delivers it. You'll provide independent second line assurance that the business meets its legal and regulatory obligations, and evidence the outcomes customers actually receive rather than the processes behind them.

You'll report to the Head of Compliance (SMF 16, Compliance Oversight) and deputise for them, including at Board meetings and sub-committees. This is a senior, hands-on role for someone who has built a second line monitoring function in a UK FCA regulated consumer credit firm and wants the autonomy to shape one in a fast-growing fintech. The role is not itself a Senior Manager Function.

What you’ll be doing/impact on objectives:

• Own the compliance monitoring plan and methodology, refreshing it annually and in-year in response to emerging risks, regulatory change, MI, complaints and FCA publications.
• Maintain a monitoring universe covering PRIN and the Consumer Duty, CONC, SYSC, DISP, SMCR, MCOB, the Consumer Credit Act, financial promotions and UK GDPR.
• Scope and deliver thematic and BAU reviews across the customer journey, including affordability (CONC 5), financial promotions (CONC 3), arrears and forbearance (CONC 7), vulnerability, fees and charges and complaints handling (DISP).
• Test the design and operating effectiveness of first line controls, and provide second line assurance over first line quality assurance.
• Issue clear, evidence-based reports setting out findings, root cause, risk ratings and owned actions, then track remediation to closure and validate that it worked.
• Escalate actual or potential customer harm promptly, and assess it for redress and for notification to the FCA under Principle 11 and SUP 15.
• Produce monitoring MI for the Head of Compliance, executive management and the Board, and present it at committees.
• Support FCA supervisory engagement, information requests and skilled person (s166) reviews, and coordinate coverage with Internal Audit, Risk and first line QA.
• Bring data protection into scope, testing UK GDPR and DPA 2018 compliance alongside the Data Protection Officer.
• Lead, coach and develop the compliance monitoring team, planning resource against the plan and building capability through data, analytics and better tooling.

What we’re looking for:

• Demonstrable compliance monitoring experience within a UK FCA regulated firm, including designing, owning and delivering a risk-based compliance monitoring programme.
• Experience of leading, managing and developing a team.
• Consumer credit experience, with a strong working knowledge of CONC and the Consumer Credit Act.
• Strong working knowledge of the FCA Handbook, in particular PRIN and the Consumer Duty, SYSC, DISP and SMCR, and of FCA expectations of a second line monitoring function.
• Data protection knowledge, covering the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
• Ability to write clear, concise, evidence-based reports and to present findings credibly to senior management, the Board and its committees.
• Sound judgement and personal resilience, with the independence and confidence to challenge the business constructively and to escalate where necessary.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to deliver a plan across competing priorities.

Highly desirable:

• Internal audit experience gained in a third line function, and/or a relevant professional qualification (for example IIA, ICA or CISI).
• Secured lending experience, from either a second or third line perspective, including knowledge of MCOB.

Interview process:

• Screening stage: a 15 minute remote cognitive exercise and a 30 minute interview with the Talent Partner.
• 40 minute interview with a Compliance Business Partner (remote).
• Final onsite interview: + 45 minute interview with the Head of Compliance + 30 minute interviews with CRO + 30 minute interview with a product MD.