Head of Legal & Compliance UK

Chatham Financial; London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Head of Legal & Compliance to lead their UK team. This pivotal role involves providing comprehensive legal guidance, managing regulatory relationships, and overseeing compliance frameworks. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in the financial services sector, demonstrating strong leadership and negotiation skills. Join a dynamic team that values integrity and client service, and make a meaningful impact on the capital market outcomes for clients worldwide. If you're ready to tackle complex challenges and foster a collaborative environment, this is the opportunity for you.

Qualifications

• 8-12 years of post-qualification experience in legal roles.
• Proven track record in managing compliance issues in financial services.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal guidance on governance and compliance issues.
• Manage regulatory relationships and oversee compliance inspections.

Skills

Regulatory Compliance

Corporate Governance

Negotiation Skills

Analytical Skills

Risk Management

Leadership

Education

UK-qualified Solicitor or Barrister

Job description

We don’t simply hire employees. We invest in them. When you work at Chatham, we empower you — offering professional development opportunities to help you grow in your career, no matter if you've been here for five months or 15 years. Chatham has worked hard to create a distinct work environment that values people, teamwork, integrity, and client service. You will have immediate opportunities to partner with talented subject matter experts, work on complex projects, and contribute to the value Chatham delivers every day.

Head of Legal & Compliance UK will contribute to the global legal and compliance team, reporting to the General Counsel, and will lead the business-critical UK compliance team and legal function.

In this role you will:

• Provide comprehensive legal guidance to local senior management, the UK board, and the global General Counsel on a wide range of legal issues, including corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and business transactions.
• Contribute to the global legal and compliance team in support of Chatham’s business, including broader commercial and employment matters as required.
• Oversee Chatham’s UK compliance framework, including policies, procedures, filings, monitoring and controls. Elevate current workflows to maximize effectiveness and efficiency.
• Manage regulatory relationships, including liaising with UK regulators, overseeing compliance inspections, assessments, and audits.
• Draft, negotiate, and review a wide variety of commercial agreements, including data processing agreements, service level agreements, terms of business, and other contractual documents.

Your impact:

• As a key leader on the Legal & Compliance team and reporting to the General Counsel, you will be responsible for navigating complex regulatory and legal issues and delivering solutions to the business in line with our mission to improve Chatham’s clients’ capital market outcomes.
• The ideal candidate is highly adaptable and curious and brings a balance of leadership experience, an ability to manage complex stakeholders, influence skills and a "roll up your sleeves" attitude. This person must be able to juggle multiple shifting priorities, work independently as well as manage a team, and synthesize a wide range of technical topics quickly, accurately and succinctly for distinct target audiences.

Contributors to your success:

• UK-qualified solicitor or barrister with 8-12 years of post-qualification experience (PQE).
• Demonstrated in-house legal experience with a proven track record in managing complex legal and compliance issues within the financial services sector.
• Expertise in key regulatory areas, including FCA regulations, SMCR, data protection, DORA, and recent developments in AI-related legislation. Ability to apply this knowledge to practical business scenarios.
• Proven leadership skills with experience managing and mentoring legal and compliance teams. Ability to foster a collaborative and results-driven team culture.
• Strong proficiency in risk management practices, global contracting constructs, corporate governance principles, and relevant employment laws.
• Exceptional analytical, negotiation, and communication skills, with the ability to distil complex information for various audiences.
• Highly adaptable, proactive, and capable of managing multiple shifting priorities independently while maintaining a hands-on approach when necessary.

About Chatham Financial:

Chatham Financial is the largest independent financial risk management advisory and technology firm. A leader in debt and derivative solutions, Chatham provides clients with access to in-depth knowledge, innovative tools, and an incomparable team of over 750 employees to help mitigate risks associated with interest rate, foreign currency, and commodity exposures. Founded in 1991, Chatham serves more than 3,500 companies across a wide range of industries — handling over $1.5 trillion in transaction volume annually and helping businesses maximize their value in the capital markets, every day. To learn more, visit chathamfinancial.com .

Chatham Financial is an equal opportunity employer.

Working at Chatham means tackling diverse projects and solving complex problems. Are you up for the challenge?

Discover why more than 3,500 clients worldwide count on Chatham to understand and manage their financial risk.