Deputy Head of Legal and Compliance

West London | Up to £100,000 per annum

We are working with a leading financial services organisation to appoint a Deputy Head of Legal & Compliance to join its senior management team in West London.

This is a high-profile leadership position, acting as deputy to the Head of Legal & Compliance and playing a key role across regulatory compliance, financial crime, legal, data protection and risk management.

The successful candidate will be an experienced compliance and legal professional with strong knowledge of the UK regulatory environment and the ability to operate confidently at senior management, Board and regulatory level.

As Deputy Head of Legal & Compliance, you will support the Head of Legal & Compliance/MLRO in providing effective oversight of the organisation's legal and compliance framework.

The role carries significant responsibility under the Senior Managers Regime, including responsibility for the Compliance Oversight Function (SMF16) and Money Laundering Reporting Function (SMF17).

You will work closely with senior stakeholders across the business and will have regular engagement with Board-level committees, senior management and external regulators.

Regulatory & Compliance

• Support the development and maintenance of a strong compliance culture across the organisation.
• Develop, review and maintain compliance policies and procedures in line with FCA, PRA and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Lead and oversee compliance training and competency development programmes.
• Conduct horizon scanning and assess the impact of regulatory developments across relevant business and operational areas.
• Develop and implement a robust, risk-based Compliance Monitoring Plan.
• Oversee compliance monitoring activity across departments and branches, ensuring appropriate follow-up and remediation of findings.
• Monitor and report key compliance risks, KRIs and KPIs to senior management and relevant Board committees.
• Maintain and update the Management Responsibilities Map.
• Provide regulatory advice and guidance to business functions and senior stakeholders.
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders, including regulators.
• Review products, processes, policies and marketing initiatives to ensure ongoing regulatory compliance.

Financial Crime

• Provide senior oversight of the organisation's financial crime framework.
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures covering AML, KYC, sanctions, anti-bribery and corruption, and fraud.
• Contribute to enterprise-wide financial crime risk assessments and MLRO reporting.
• Provide oversight of financial crime risks and remediation activity.
• Oversee fraud matters, including the consideration and pursuit of appropriate legal or criminal action where required.
• Ensure financial crime controls remain effective and aligned with regulatory expectations.

Legal

• Review and advise on a broad range of commercial and legal agreements.
• Provide practical legal advice to senior management and business stakeholders, using internal expertise and external legal advisers where appropriate.
• Manage relationships with the organisation's panel of external solicitors.
• Oversee and manage litigation and other legal matters.

Data Protection & Governance

• Provide oversight of compliance with applicable data protection legislation, working closely with the Data Protection Officer.
• Ensure appropriate governance, accountability and responsibility across the Legal & Compliance function.
• Identify competency and knowledge gaps within the team and ensure appropriate development and training is provided.
• Ensure Legal & Compliance responsibilities are appropriately reflected in performance management and accountability frameworks.

You will play an active role within the organisation's senior governance structure, including:

• Acting as Deputy to the Head of Legal & Compliance.
• Chairing the Legal & Compliance Committee.
• Participating in key senior management and risk committees.
• Regularly attending Board, Board Risk and Board Audit Committee meetings.
• Supporting the organisation in maintaining effective regulatory relationships and demonstrating strong governance and control.

We are looking for a senior professional who combines strong regulatory compliance expertise with sound legal judgement and commercial awareness.

You will ideally have:

• Significant experience in a senior legal, compliance, financial crime or regulatory role within financial services.
• Strong understanding of the FCA/PRA regulatory framework and UK financial services regulation.
• Experience operating within a regulated financial institution, ideally with exposure to banking or similarly complex financial services environments.
• Strong knowledge of AML, KYC, sanctions, financial crime, fraud and regulatory compliance.
• Experience developing and implementing compliance policies, monitoring programmes and governance frameworks.
• Experience engaging with senior management, Board-level committees and regulators.
• Strong legal contract review and advisory experience.
• Experience overseeing litigation and external legal advisers.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• The ability to challenge effectively, influence senior stakeholders and operate with a high degree of integrity and independence.
• Strong leadership and people-management capability, with experience developing and managing high-performing Legal & Compliance teams.

This position is a Senior Management Function (SMF) role and will carry significant individual accountability under the Senior Managers Regime.

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate the highest standards of integrity, skill, care and diligence, maintain open and cooperative relationships with regulators, treat customers fairly and observe appropriate standards of market conduct.

• Salary: up to £100,000 per annum
• Senior leadership position within a highly regulated financial services environment
• West London location
• Significant exposure to executive and Board-level stakeholders
• Opportunity to shape and strengthen the organisation's Legal & Compliance framework
• Broad remit spanning regulatory compliance, financial crime, legal and data protection
• High-profile role with substantial responsibility and influence