Compliance Officer (VP) (9C9E4EC)

Referment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Referment seeks a senior compliance adviser to provide expert advisory support across Group businesses, translating regulatory requirements into practical advice for cross-entity matters. You will lead complex monitoring and thematic reviews, report on risks, and drive remediation across the Group.

The role requires strong knowledge of FCA/PRA expectations, SMCR processes and a proven track record advising senior stakeholders in a UK-regulated banking environment.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent required.
• UK FCA/PRA regulated banking experience preferred.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders and translating regulation into practical outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior compliance advisory support across Group entities, translating requirements into practical, risk-based guidance.
• Lead complex risk-based compliance monitoring and testing reviews under the Group’s plan, including cross-entity thematic reviews.
• Identify cross-Group themes, emerging risks, and remediation progress from advisory work, monitoring and incidents.
• Support the Group compliance risk management framework, policies, procedures and regulatory change implementation across entities.
• Interpret FCA and PRA requirements and assess overseas regulatory requirements affecting Group activities.
• Provide input for new products, governance, and review financial promotions and client communications.
• Prepare and enhance Group compliance and conduct MI—trends, breaches, remediation progress.
• Support SMCR oversight, attestations, and governance mapping updates.
• Design and deliver compliance training and build relationships with senior stakeholders.

Skills

Compliance advisory

Compliance monitoring

Regulatory risk

Second-line

UK regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder engagement

SMCR processes

Education

Degree in a relevant field

ICA or CISI qualification preferred

Job description

Referment is working with a UK-regulated bank that provides payments, FX, trade finance and deposit services to institutional and corporate clients. Its compliance function operates at Group level, spanning the UK bank, its overseas entities and multiple jurisdictions, and this is a senior second-line appointment covering both compliance advisory and compliance monitoring.

You’ll act as a senior adviser to business and support functions across the Group, translating regulatory requirements into practical, risk-based advice on complex, often cross-entity matters. You’ll lead significant risk-based monitoring and thematic assurance activity, provide constructive challenge on new products, new jurisdictions and material business change, and help embed a strong compliance and conduct culture across the Group. The remit carries genuine Group-wide influence without direct line-management responsibility.

The Role

• Provide senior compliance advisory support across Group businesses, legal entities, products, services and jurisdictions, translating applicable requirements into practical, risk-based advice.
• Lead and deliver complex risk-based compliance monitoring and testing reviews under the Group’s compliance monitoring plan, including cross-entity thematic reviews — documenting findings, agreeing actions and tracking remediation through to closure.
• Identify and report cross-Group themes, emerging risks, control weaknesses and recurring issues arising from advisory work, monitoring, incidents, complaints and regulatory developments.
• Support the Group compliance risk management framework, standards, policies and procedures, and run Group-level regulatory horizon scanning, impact assessment and implementation of regulatory change across affected entities.
• Interpret FCA and PRA requirements and, working with entity stakeholders, assess overseas regulatory requirements affecting Group activities.
• Provide compliance input and constructive challenge for new products, client propositions, new-jurisdiction entry and material business change, including new product and significant change governance; review financial promotions, client communications and business documentation within delegated authority.
• Prepare and enhance Group compliance and conduct management information — trends, monitoring outcomes, breaches, remediation progress and emerging risks — and support regulatory enquiries, meetings and information requests.
• Support SMCR oversight and administration, including Certified Persons, Directory Persons, Fit & Proper attestations, Statements of Responsibilities and Management Responsibilities Map updates, alongside non-financial regulatory reporting.
• Design and deliver compliance training and awareness across Group entities, build effective relationships with senior stakeholders across Compliance, Risk, Legal, Operations and business teams, and mentor less experienced colleagues.

What We're Looking For

• Substantial experience in compliance advisory, compliance monitoring, regulatory risk or a related second-line function, at a level demonstrating autonomy on complex matters.
• A strong banking background, ideally gained within a UK FCA and PRA regulated bank or banking group.
• Strong knowledge of UK financial services regulation and the regulatory framework applicable to banks, including FCA and PRA expectations.
• Demonstrable experience leading complex monitoring reviews, thematic assurance or testing end-to-end — scoping, fieldwork, reporting, action agreement and remediation tracking.
• Experience applying compliance requirements across multiple businesses, legal entities and/or jurisdictions while recognising local regulatory and governance responsibilities.
• A track record of advising senior stakeholders, translating regulation into practical business and control outcomes, and providing constructive, evidence-based challenge.
• Experience of regulatory horizon scanning, impact assessment, policy development and implementing regulatory change, plus exposure to new product and new-jurisdiction assessments, financial promotions review and regulatory enquiries.
• Familiarity with SMCR processes and knowledge of regulated banking activities such as deposit-taking, payment services, safeguarding, FX, derivatives, trade finance and conduct risk.

Also Relevant

A degree or equivalent is expected, and a professional qualification such as ICA or CISI is preferred. Experience preparing compliance MI for governance forums, and of designing and delivering compliance training, would strengthen an application.

This could suit...

A senior compliance adviser or monitoring lead from a UK-regulated banking group who wants Group-level breadth across both advisory and assurance work — influencing entities in multiple jurisdictions and mentoring colleagues without taking on line management. Candidates from transaction banking, payments or FX businesses with strong second-line experience are also worth exploring.

Referment