SMCR Lead/Manager

Hello, we're Starling. Banking was broken - so we decided to fix it. The vision? Fast technology, fair service and honest values. All at the tap of a phone, all the time. We built Britain's first digital bank. One hard-won banking licence later, we set about giving people a new way to spend, save and manage their money (and take better care of the planet, too). We're changing banking for good.

Since then, we've grown. A lot. Over four million accounts (and four account types!). A team of thousands. Headquartered in London with offices in Cardiff, Dublin, Manchester and Southampton. Seven years voted Which? Recommended Provider and Britain's Best Banking Brand. Still zero branches. Our culture is open, inclusive and focused on solving real customer problems, with an emphasis on doing the right thing, even when it's not always the easy thing.

Your new role: Are you a regulatory expert who thrives at the intersection of governance, culture, and people? We are looking for an SMCR Lead / Manager to take ownership of the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR) across Starling. In this pivotal role, you will act as our ultimate subject matter expert, ensuring robust regulatory compliance while fostering a strong culture of individual accountability.

Your work will include:

• Framework Management: Maintaining and overseeing the Management Responsibilities Map (MRM), Statements of Responsibilities (SORs), Delegations, and Handover processes to ensure total accuracy and compliance.
• Fitness & Propriety (F&P): Coordinating the annual F&P reviews for SMFs, Non-Executive Directors (NEDs), and Certified employees.
• Executive Support: Overseeing the 'reasonable steps' framework, guiding and supporting SMFs to effectively evidence their oversight and decision-making.
• Lifecycle Oversight: Managing all SMCR-related processes for joiners, internal role moves, and leavers.
• Regulatory Liaison: Preparing and submitting regulatory forms and notifications to Compliance for submission via FCA Connect.
• Integration & Training: Collaborating with the People Team to embed SMCR into onboarding, performance management, and disciplinary processes, while delivering engaging training sessions across the business.
• Audit & Horizon Scanning: Maintaining a flawless audit trail for internal/external reviews and keeping a pulse on evolving regulatory developments to advise key stakeholders.

Requirements Skills & Experience:

• Financial Services Expertise: Deep, hands-on experience managing the FCA and PRA SMCR frameworks within a banking or financial services environment.
• Executive Presence: Proven track record working directly with, and supporting, Board-level executives and SMFs.
• Technical Knowledge: Highly familiar with FCA Connect, the FCA Handbook, and the PRA Rulebook.
• Sensitivity & Discretion: Experience handling sensitive matters calmly and professionally, such as conduct rule breaches or complex issues arising from F&P assessments.
• Process Mastery: Experience managing entire certification lifecycles, tracking individuals in scope, and delivering impactful SMCR training.

Behaviours & Competencies:

• Influential Communicator: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the natural ability to influence and guide senior stakeholders.
• Resilient & Proactive: A solutions-oriented professional who stays calm under pressure and is comfortable navigating ambiguity or evolving regulations.
• Collaborative Mindset: A team player who looks at the bigger picture and works seamlessly cross-functionally.
• Detail-Oriented: Exceptional organizational, project management, and time management skills, with an unwavering eye for detail.

Benefits:

• 25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever works best for you).
• An extra day's holiday for your birthday.
• Annual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off.
• 16 hours paid volunteering time a year.
• Salary sacrifice, company enhanced pension scheme.
• Life insurance at 4x your salary.
• Private Medical Insurance with VitalityHealth including mental health support and cancer care.
• Partner benefits include discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and Peloton.
• Generous family-friendly policies.
• Perkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perks.
• Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work and Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships.

Starling Bank is an equal opportunity employer, and we're proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Starling Bank are considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.