Head of Risk

AJ FOX COMPLIANCE; West of England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

AJ FOX COMPLIANCE seeks a Head of Risk to oversee the operational management of the firm's Risk & Best Practice function. This role includes ensuring regulatory compliance across all departments and acting as a senior escalation point for significant risks.

The ideal candidate will have a background as a risk lawyer or senior compliance professional within a law firm, combined with excellent planning and coordination skills. This position offers exceptional opportunities for shaping the strategic direction of the expanding risk department.

Qualifications

• Experienced risk lawyer or senior compliance professional in a law firm environment.
• Excellent planning and coordination skills.
• Ability to provide commercially focused solutions.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of risk teams for regulatory compliance.
• Deputise for Director of Risk and support critical reporting.
• Act as senior escalation point for significant risks.
• Manage day-to-day incidents and data breaches.
• Coordinate internal audit planning and manage systems.
• Lead professional indemnity insurance renewals and claims.

Skills

Risk management

Regulatory compliance

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Job description

We are working with a growing law firm to hire a Head of Risk. In this role, you will work closely with the Director of Risk to lead the day-to-day operational management of the Risk & Best Practice function, delivering a first-class regulatory service across all legal and business departments.

The firm is looking for an experienced risk lawyer or senior compliance professional who has advanced their career within a law firm environment. You should be a methodical professional with excellent planning and coordination skills, capable of staying calm under pressure and providing succinct, commercially focused solutions to senior stakeholders.

The responsibilities will include:

• Overseeing the daily operations of the risk teams to ensure seamless firmwide delivery of regulatory compliance.
• Deputising for the Director of Risk and supporting critical reporting for the Board and the Audit & Risk Committee.
• Acting as the senior escalation point for significant regulatory, ethical, professional liability, and reputational risks.
• Managing day-to-day incidents, near misses, data breaches, and the implementation of information barriers.
• Maintaining specialist governance over anti-money laundering frameworks, data protection requirements, and information security standards like ISO 27001.
• Coordinating internal audit planning and managing the firm's quality and environmental management systems.
• Leading the firm's professional indemnity insurance renewals, claims handling, and the administration of the complaints-handling process.
• Providing senior-level advice on client contracts, tenders, outside counsel guidelines, and complex ethical queries.
• Driving the performance, recruitment, capacity management, and professional development of the compliance team.

This position offers an exceptional opportunity to shape the strategic direction of an expanding risk department while maintaining strong oversight of operational delivery.

Please submit your application today to start a confidential discussion.