Head of Compliance & MLRO (SMF16/17)
Cardiff or London Hybrid
£115,000 - £130,000 + Equity
Sidekick is a next‑generation digital wealth platform on a mission to unlock the tools and advantages traditionally reserved for the ultra‑wealthy, and make them accessible to ambitious professionals. Our platform spans savings, investments, lending, and alternative markets, and we're preparing to launch our financial advice proposition next.
In just over a year, we've grown to £125M AUM, and we're scaling fast with a clear path toward £1B AUM. As we expand our investment suite and regulatory footprint, we're now hiring a Head of Compliance & MLRO (SMF16/17) to lead and scale our compliance function.
This is a rare opportunity to build the future of compliance at a fast‑growth wealthtech, influencing product, shaping culture, and helping redefine how modern investors build wealth.
The Role
You will own the compliance and financial‑crime agenda for Sidekick as we accelerate our growth, broaden our investment offering, and prepare for future regulatory milestones.
You will:
Build and scale a modern, proportionate compliance function
Lead our regulatory strategy and hold SMF16/17 responsibilities
Work closely with product, engineering, operations, and leadership to embed compliance into the business
Support key regulatory milestones, including client money permissions and the roll‑out of our financial advice proposition
Use technology and automation to efficiently manage risk in a growing, multi‑product environment
Provide clear, commercial compliance guidance across investments, savings, lending, alternatives and credit
Shape our compliance culture from the ground up
What We're Looking For
Because we're scaling a complex investment proposition, strong investment and wealth‑related experience is essential for this hire.
You must have:
Deep experience in investment or wealth-management compliance (e.g., MiFID/COBS, suitability/appropriateness, portfolio oversight, investment platforms, trading/brokerage, multi‑asset products)
A proven track record operating in regulated financial services
Experience with AML/CTF, financial crime frameworks, SAR decisioning and regulatory engagement
Board‑level confidence and strong communication skills
Experience influencing product and engineering teams
Ability to design and scale monitoring plans, controls and assurance
Comfort working across multiple product lines and regulatory domains
Appetite to take on SMF16/17 accountability
Nice to have:
Experience in fintech or high‑growth scale‑ups
Exposure to lending, FSCS‑protected savings, alternative investments or advisory services
Background building or maturing a compliance function from scratch
Why Join Sidekick?
Shape the compliance strategy of a rapidly scaling wealth platform
Work on innovative investment propositions not typically found in early‑stage fintech
Collaborate with a highly ambitious, mission‑driven team
Influence both product design and the regulatory roadmap
Competitive compensation, including meaningful equity
Opportunity to build something industry‑defining, not maintain legacy systems
If you want to be at the forefront of modern wealth management and you have the investment compliance background and leadership capability to help us scale safely and boldly, we'd love to speak with you.