Director - Compliance Advisory (6 Month FTC)

OakNorth; City Of London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK banking firm is seeking a Director, Compliance Advisory for a maternity cover role. You will lead the Compliance Advisory function, providing strategic compliance advice, maintaining the compliance framework, and supporting stakeholder engagement across the bank. Ideal candidates will have deep UK banking compliance expertise and a proven ability to manage relationships at all levels. This role offers a comprehensive benefits package including equity and salary sacrifice schemes.

Benefits

Equity

25 days holiday

Personalized benefits

Subsidised Private Medical Insurance

Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

Wellbeing and social events

In-house Barista Bar

Volunteering time off

Salary sacrifice schemes

Qualifications

• Deep compliance expertise within the UK banking environment and ideally US banking knowledge.
• Solid experience in compliance advisory roles with various banking products.
• Strong track record of engaging with stakeholders at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Compliance Advisory team and provide risk-based compliance advice.
• Maintain and evolve the compliance advisory framework.
• Engage with the business to make compliance guidance accessible.

Skills

Compliance expertise in UK banking

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic mindset

Ability to lead

Job description

At OakNorth, we’re on a mission to empower the UK’s most ambitious businesses. Since 2015, we’ve lent over $18 billion across the UK and US, helped create more than 58,000 new homes and 36,000 new jobs, and supported hundreds of thousands of personal savers — all while fuelling the UK economy.

Team Mission

Since 2015, we’ve backed entrepreneurs with over £13bn in funding, helping create 56,000+ jobs and 34,000+ new homes across the UK and US. We’re dedicated to helping trailblazing businesses thrive and our Risk & Compliance team are integral to our growth.

Are you a compliance pro who can roll up your sleeves, cut through the noise, and give advice that helps push OakNorth forward? We’re looking for a Director, Compliance Advisory who doesn’t just know the rulebook – but knows how to use it with purpose.

You’ll be leading the Compliance Advisory function across OakNorth Bank. You'll bring strategic thinking and a hands‑on attitude to a growing and successful business that supports the front‑line, keeps us sharp with regulation, and makes compliance a true business partner. This role is a maternity cover fixed‑term contract, with initial duration to last 9 months.

Are you ready to step up to the challenge?

Responsibilities

• Lead the Compliance Advisory team, acting as the go‑to SME for business areas across the bank – specifically Personal Savings, Business Banking and Commercial Lending.
• Provide clear, pragmatic, risk‑based compliance advice to all relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain and evolve the compliance advisory framework including horizon scanning, aligning it with the bank’s regulatory obligations, risk appetite, and commercial ambitions.
• Stay close to the business – embed yourself where needed, be seen and heard, and make compliance guidance accessible, not abstract.
• Support regulatory engagement where necessary.
• Be a positive and vocal influence to the wider Risk function and to the Bank as a whole.
• Deputise for the Head of Compliance when needed – presenting to senior committees, advising executives, and making strategic calls.
• Utilizing Generative AI: Leverage GenAI tools to increase productivity and enhance decision‑making processes within the role.

Requirements

• Deep compliance expertise within the UK banking environment – you know your SYSC from your SMCR, and your Consumer Duty inside out. Ideally you have US banking compliance knowledge too!
• Solid experience in compliance advisory roles, ideally with exposure to a wide range of banking products and services.
• A strong track record of stakeholder engagement – you can talk to the C‑suite one minute and support a product owner the next.
• You’re a self‑starter who’s comfortable working independently – but you’re just as comfortable rolling up your sleeves to help the team.
• You’re practical – not preachy. You can translate regulation into action and make advice stick.
• A strategic mindset – you see the big picture, anticipate change, and help the bank get ahead of the curve.
• Experience in leading others, even if not formally – you know how to elevate those around you.

Benefits & Perks

• Equity. We want people to have a stake in the business so that all our interests are aligned.
• 25 days holiday
• Personalized benefits – opt‑in to what matters to you
• Subsidised Private Medical Insurance with Bupa
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Wellbeing and social events
• In‑house Barista Bar in London office
• Support causes that matter to you – Volunteering time off
• Salary sacrifice schemes (Cycle to work, nursery, gym, electric car scheme)