Head of Compliance, taking a senior leadership role in strengthening confidence, control, and pragmatic decision-making across the firm's compliance framework. This position is focused on providing senior oversight of compliance activity in a regulated environment, with a particular emphasis on helping the business evolve its framework in a practical, commercially effective way. You'll work closely with executive stakeholders while leading a growing team, bringing structure, momentum, and clear judgement to how compliance is managed across the organisation.
The role has a strong emphasis on leadership, evolution, and operational effectiveness, including oversight of compliance advisory and monitoring, engagement with governance activity, and shaping a more robust framework that supports the next phase of the firm's development. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with deep risk and compliance experience, strong SMF-level credibility, and the ability to bring fresh thinking, sound judgement, and steady leadership into a business that is continuing to grow and mature.
What you'll be doing
* Lead the firm's compliance function, providing clear ownership, direction, and accountability across advisory, monitoring, and broader compliance activity.
* Support the continued development of the organisation's compliance framework, ensuring it is pragmatic, robust, and appropriate for a growing regulated business.
* Work closely with senior leadership to provide confidence and control of compliance, helping decisions move forward effectively and in line with regulatory expectations.
* Take a practical approach to regulatory oversight, identifying issues, proposing workable solutions, and helping the business implement improvements without unnecessary complexity.
* Oversee and develop the compliance advisory and compliance monitoring teams, providing leadership across direct reports and supporting the wider build-out of team capability.
* Review the current operating environment and carry out a pragmatic assessment of existing arrangements, identifying where controls, processes, or governance can be strengthened.
* Build strong relationships with executive stakeholders, contributing to governance discussions and firm-wide decision-making with credibility and commercial awareness.
* Manage the role's interaction with SMF responsibilities and regulatory transition planning, supporting the business as responsibilities evolve and mature over time.
What you'll need
* Proven experience in a senior compliance role, ideally with exposure to responsibilities aligned to SMF16 and SMF17 or closely related approved functions.
* Strong practical knowledge of compliance monitoring, compliance advisory, and regulatory change, with the ability to oversee both day-to-day activity and broader framework development.
* Experience leading teams, including management of senior compliance specialists and developing team structures within a growing function.
* Ability to carry out an effective initial review of frameworks, processes, and governance, then prioritise improvements in a measured and practical way.
* Confidence operating in a business that is evolving, with the resilience and judgement to make decisions, solve problems, and move actions forward.
* Strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to work closely with executive colleagues and cross-functional partners across the firm.
* Sufficient familiarity with legal and contractual matters to manage straightforward issues and work effectively with external legal support where needed.
* Flexibility around location, with the ability to spend meaningful time in Edinburgh or Glasgow, particularly during the initial onboarding period to build relationships and embed into the role.