Chief Risk Officer

Daimler AG; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Colleague car scheme

Pension scheme

Flexible benefits pot

Employee assistance programme

Mental health first aiders

Inclusion advocates

Job summary

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services is seeking a Chief Risk Officer to provide leadership over Risk, Compliance and Financial Crime, ensuring regulatory and ethical standards. The role includes independent second-line oversight and interaction with the FCA.

You will lead a team to embed risk governance, monitor frameworks, and report to the Board, supporting strategic objectives and customer outcomes while promoting diversity and inclusion.

Qualifications

• Significant senior leadership experience in FCA-regulated financial services.
• Experience leading Non-Financial Risk, Compliance or Financial Crime functions.
• Experience operating under SM&CR and providing board-level challenge.
• Strong knowledge of risk frameworks, FCA Handbook, Consumer Duty and governance.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, direction and oversight of the Risk & Compliance function, including financial crime.
• Lead independent challenge to the Board and Executive on risk, compliance and regulatory topics.
• Oversee AML/CTF, sanctions, anti-bribery, fraud risk and data protection obligations.
• Maintain and enhance risk governance, policies and RCSAs; report findings to governance bodies.

Skills

Senior leadership

Non-Financial Risk

Compliance

Financial crime

FCA regulations

SM&CR

Regulatory engagement

Education

Professional qualifications (ICA/ACAMS/FCII/IRM)

Job description

Tasks

Job Title: Chief Risk Officer

Closing Date: 15 September 2026

About us

AtMercedes-Benz Financial Services, our employees are at the heart of our business. Our colleagues provide a range of financial solutions designed around the changing needs of our diverse customers. It doesn't matter the colour of your skin, the beliefs you value, the people you love or the tattoos you wear, we support you for being you.

Through the doors of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, you will find a passionate team working to support our customers and our colleagues. We ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to learn and develop.

We want to celebrate your individuality, embrace your personality and welcome you into our culture. It's the differences of our colleagues that enable us to thrive. We believe our backgrounds, skills and cultures contribute to our shared culture and help us deliver outstanding Customer Experience. Inclusion is the driving force behind our ethos.

At MBFS, we are proud to be a Menopause Friendly Accredited Employer, reflecting our ongoing commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive workplace. We offer wellbeing support options and resources for colleagues experiencing menopause and to those who are supporting someone through it.

How you'll play your part

In this role, you will provide leadership, direction and oversight of the Risk & Compliance function, and provide independent second‑line oversight of the firm's Non‑Financial Risk Management Framework, Regulatory Compliance Framework and Financial Crime Framework, ensuring the business operates in accordance with applicable regulatory, legal and ethical requirements whilst supporting strategic objectives, operational resilience and good customer outcomes.

Main Accountabilities

People Leadership:

• Provide leadership, direction and oversight of the Risk & Compliance function, comprising risk, regulatory compliance and financial crime professionals.
• Lead, motivate and develop employees through clear objectives, performance management and succession planning.
• Foster a strong risk and compliance culture across the organisation aligned to the firm's values and regulatory expectations.

Non-Financial Risk Framework, Governance & Culture:

• Establish, implement and continuously enhance the firm's Non‑Financial Risk Management Framework, ensuring risks are effectively identified, assessed, monitored, reported and managed in line with the firm's risk appetite.
• Lead the development and embedding of risk governance, policies, risk methodologies, reporting and Risk & Control Self‑Assessments (RCSAs), providing independent challenge and oversight of operational, conduct, regulatory, reputational, outsourcing and operational resilience risks.
• Promote a strong risk culture across the organisation, ensuring risk ownership, accountability and informed decision‑making are embedded within business activities and strategic initiatives.

Regulatory Compliance Framework:

• Maintain and oversee an effective Compliance Framework that supports compliance with applicable regulatory and legal obligations, including FCA requirements, Consumer Duty, Consumer Credit legislation, Insurance Distribution requirements, SM&CR and other applicable regulatory standards.
• Provide strategic advice and challenge to the Board, Executive Management and Senior Managers regarding regulatory obligations, conduct risk and compliance matters.
• Ensure compliance risks associated with new products, business initiatives, customer journeys, outsourcing arrangements and strategic change programmes are appropriately identified, assessed and managed.
• Maintain effective compliance policies, standards and governance arrangements.

Financial Crime Framework & MLRO Responsibilities:

• Fulfil the role of Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) and maintain responsibility for the firm's Financial Crime Framework.
• Oversee the management of Anti‑Money Laundering (AML), Counter‑Terrorist Financing (CTF), sanctions compliance, anti‑bribery and corruption, fraud risk oversight and financial crime prevention arrangements.
• Ensure financial crime risk assessments, controls, training, monitoring and reporting programmes remain effective and proportionate to the firm's risk profile.
• Oversee suspicious activity reporting, financial crime investigations and regulatory notifications where required.

Monitoring, Assurance & Testing:

• Develop and maintain integrated Risk and Compliance Monitoring Plans using a risk‑based methodology.
• Ensure sufficient monitoring, thematic reviews, assurance activity and testing is undertaken to assess the effectiveness of risk management, compliance and financial crime controls.
• Report findings, control weaknesses, breaches, incidents, emerging risks and thematic trends to appropriate governance forums.
• Ensure management actions are tracked through to satisfactory closure.

Corporate Compliance & Data Protection:

• Maintain and oversee the Corporate Compliance and Data Protection Frameworks, ensuring compliance with applicable legal, regulatory and ethical requirements.
• Lead oversight of Anti‑Bribery & Corruption, Conflicts of Interest, Gifts & Hospitality, Whistleblowing, Competition Law, Policy Governance and Data Protection obligations, ensuring appropriate controls, governance, monitoring and reporting arrangements are maintained.
• Promote a culture of integrity, ethical behaviour and accountability through effective training, awareness and employee engagement programmes.

Horizon Scanning, Governance, Reporting & Regulatory Engagement:

• Maintain an effective horizon‑scanning process to identify emerging regulatory, legislative, industry and risk developments and assess their potential impact on the business.
• Develop and maintain robust risk and compliance management information, key risk indicators and governance arrangements to support effective oversight and decision‑making.
• Provide regular reporting to Executive Management, Risk Committees, Audit Committees and the Board, including annual Compliance, Risk and MLRO reports.
• Act as the primary liaison with the FCA and other relevant regulatory bodies, managing regulatory interactions, submissions, supervisory engagement, investigations, information requests and regulatory inspections.

About you

Essential:

• Significant senior leadership experience within an FCA‑regulated financial services organisation.
• Proven experience leading Non‑Financial Risk, Compliance and/or Financial Crime functions.
• Experience operating under the Senior Managers & Certification Regime.
• Strong working knowledge of:
  • Risk Management Frameworks and Governance
  • FCA Handbook
  • Consumer Duty
  • SM&CR
  • Fraud risk management
  • Operational Resilience requirements
• Experience engaging directly with the FCA and other regulators.
• Strong influencing, communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Proven ability to provide independent challenge at Executive and Board level.

Desirable:

• Motor Finance industry experience.
• Professional qualifications such as ICA, ACAMS, FCII, ACII, IRM or equivalent.
• Experience leading enterprise‑wide risk and compliance transformation programmes.

What's in it for you?

We'll offer you a competitive salary and discretionary bonus structure. We also hope you'll love our products as much as we do, with access to our colleague car schemes. On top of that, you'll be able to join our pension scheme and you'll get a flexible benefit pot that can be used to find the benefits that are right for you.

We're here to support you – we offer access to colleague wellbeing resources, including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and the Inclusion Advocates as well as flexible opportunities to support work life balance. We'll also encourage your development, with the training and knowledge you need to reach your potential.

Through the doors of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, you'll find a passionate team working to put our customers first. We know that to keep this team motivated, we need to ensure that everyone has equal opportunity to learn and develop. We celebrate a culture of appreciation and respect, where everyone is valued for who they are. We believe our backgrounds, experiences and cultures contribute to our shared experience and shape who we are and what we do. The diversity of our colleagues reflects the diversity of our customers. This diversity is the driving force behind our ideas.