Compliance Team Leader

Artis Recruitment; Lancashire; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Artis Recruitment is seeking an experienced Compliance Team Leader with law firm experience to own and enhance a high-performing compliance function. You will guide the team, advise partners and senior stakeholders, and embed regulatory requirements across the business.

Based in a flexible UK location (Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow or Edinburgh) with hybrid working requiring two office-based days, you’ll shape risk management and drive practical, commercial compliance.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a compliance team in a law firm or professional services environment.
• Excellent knowledge of legal-sector regulatory and risk requirements.
• Ability to advise and challenge senior stakeholders with sound judgement.

Responsibilities

• Leading, coaching and developing the compliance team.
• Overseeing day-to-day compliance activity, policies and controls.
• Advising lawyers and the wider business on regulatory and risk matters.
• Monitoring regulatory developments and translating them into practical action.
• Supporting AML, KYC, sanctions, conflicts and other relevant compliance processes.
• Managing compliance reviews, investigations and escalations.
• Identifying emerging risks and recommending effective solutions.
• Working closely with senior leadership, risk, legal and operational teams.

Skills

Team leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Commercial awareness

Job description

Do you have Law Firm Compliance Experience?

Compliance isn't just about knowing the rules. It's about knowing when to challenge, when to act, and how to help a business do the right thing with confidence. We're looking for an experienced Compliance Team Leader with law firm experience to take ownership of a high-performing compliance function and play a key role in protecting the firm, its clients and its reputation.

You'll lead and develop the compliance team, making sure regulatory requirements are not simply met, but embedded into the way the firm operates. You'll be a trusted adviser to partners, lawyers and senior stakeholders - bringing sound judgement, commercial awareness and the confidence to ask the difficult questions when needed.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading, coaching and developing the compliance team.
• Overseeing day-to-day compliance activity, policies and controls.
• Advising lawyers and the wider business on regulatory and risk matters.
• Monitoring regulatory developments and translating them into practical action.
• Supporting AML, KYC, sanctions, conflicts and other relevant compliance processes.
• Managing compliance reviews, investigations and escalations.
• Identifying emerging risks and recommending effective solutions.
• Working closely with senior leadership, risk, legal and operational teams.

You’ll ideally bring strong compliance experience within a law firm or professional services environment.Previous experience leading, supervising or managing a compliance team. Excellent knowledge of legal-sector regulatory and risk requirements and the confidence to advise and challenge senior stakeholders. Strong judgement and an ability to handle sensitive or complex issues and have practical, commercially minded approach to compliance.

Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

This isn’t a role where you’ll simply maintain a compliance checklist. You’ll have the opportunity to shape the function, influence senior decision-makers and make a visible difference to how the firm manages risk. If you’re a compliance professional who understands the realities of working in a law firm, enjoys solving difficult problems and is ready to lead from the front, we’d like to hear from you.

This role can be based in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow or Edinburgh. Hybrid working that requires 2 office based days.