Head of Risk & Compliance

Firenze; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful equity options

Collaborative environment

Transparent growth benefits

Job summary

A leading fintech company in the UK is seeking a Head of Risk & Compliance to ensure compliant Lombard lending solutions. This senior role involves overseeing financial crime processes, product governance, and acting as SMF17. Candidates should have a strong understanding of the FCA Handbook and express interest in scaling governance in a dynamic environment. The role offers a competitive starting salary of £100k+, equity options, and significant influence in strategic decision-making. Located in Greater London, flexibility for Manchester office presence is included.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of FCA Handbook relevant legislation.
• Experience in leadership roles related to financial crime.
• Experience in loan structures and conduct risk.

Responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for delivering compliant Lombard lending solutions.
• Acting as SMF17 and overseeing financial crime processes.
• Reviewing products and ensuring compliance with legislation.

Skills

Strong understanding of FCA Handbook

Financial crime leadership experience

Engagement in credit structuring

Product governance

Experience in a regulated firm

Intellectually curious

Willingness to learn

Job description

At the forefront of using investment portfolios as security for access to credit, Firenze is emerging as the category defining leader in what is known as “Lombard lending”. We already work with some of the UK’s leading wealth management firms to unlock access to what has historically only been available to UHNW clients of private banks.

Backed by top tier investors and with significant ambitions to scale (both in the UK and ultimately internationally), Firenze is continuing to scale the team and seeking a Head of Risk & Compliance as we move from undertaking 60h exempt lending to applying for a CCA authorisation. The Head of Risk & Compliance is a senior role, reporting direct to the CEO, to build on the existing governance foundations and scale a robust risk & compliance function at the strategic heart of the business.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Strong understanding of the FCA Handbook (particularly CONC, COBS, SYSC, COND, PRIN, PROD, DISP and SMCR) & relevant legislation (particularly Consumer Credit Act, Regulated Activities Order, Financial Promotions Order and Money Laundering Regulations)
• Financial crime leadership experience having previously been a SMF17 (MLRO) or significant experience as a deputy MLRO with clear capability and appetite to be appointed as Firenze's SMF17
• Experience with lending to consumers in either a private banking/HNW context or a CCA regulated environment with the ability to engage confidently on credit structuring, disclosures, affordability, and conduct risk trade-offs
• Experience of product governance with a good understanding of consumer duty
• Good understanding of and interest in financial markets and investment products
• Experience of governance in a regulated firm
• A desire to have a high impact in an early stage growth firm, ensuring good governance goes hand in hand with scaling
• Intellectually curious and willing to keep constantly learning
• Roll‑up sleeves attitude to get stuck in to a variety of areas as the team scales
• Happy to be in either the Manchester or London office at least 2 days a week (and willing to commute to London periodically if Manchester based)

Desired Requirements

• Have previously been a SMF16 or acted in a supporting role to a SMF16 role holder in a Consumer Credit firm
• Experience of working with wealth management and/or investment platforms and overseeing retail distribution
• Specific experience of Lombard lending
• Experience of working within a fintech/start‑up environment
• Have successfully put together a regulatory business plan and supporting policies for an FCA licence related to credit activities
• Legal or legal‑adjacent experience
• Experience reviewing/approving financial promotions
• Understanding of/experience with CRR/Basel Rules
• Understanding of different financing arrangements/experience of collaborating with third‑party funders
• Experience having worked in multiple jurisdictions

Responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for ensuring Firenze’s Lombard lending solution is delivered in a compliant and customer focused way
• Undertaking MLRO responsibilities/acting as SMF17 and building on existing processes on combatting financial crime, KYC/AML reviews, EDD and transaction monitoring
• Review of existing products and processes and oversight of new product launches to ensure they, and their distribution processes, are compliant with relevant legislation and guidance (eg. CCA, CONC, Consumer Duty)
• Leadership of internal committees covering various risk & compliance areas (eg. conduct risk, credit risk, operational risk, financial crime, regulatory compliance, product approval etc.)
• Liaising with the board and board risk committee to ensure a robust overall organisational governance structure
• Horizon scanning of relevant legislation impacting Firenze, our lending solution and our distribution partners
• Ownership of compliance monitoring plan & ensuring strong compliance framework throughout Firenze
• 2LoD monitoring of Firenze employees and oversight/monitoring of wealth management distribution channels
• Training & support for Firenze employees and supporting the training of external distributors
• Liaising with regulatory bodies (particularly with the FCA)
• Collaborate with third‑party funders on risk & governance oversight
• Review and approval of financial promotions
• Lead the build out of the team and the risk & compliance infrastructure in line with growth to ensure a scaling of robust governance

What’s in it for you?

• A career defining role where you will play an instrumental role in scaling a category leading fintech company
• A leadership role in a business that puts risk & compliance central to decision making and an opportunity for significant influence in overall business strategy
• Growth opportunity where you will be able to push yourself through new experiences & developing new skills
• Opportunity to build and scale your own team and to be pivotal in international expansion
• Initial base salary of £100k+ if meet essential requirements and potential for £150k+ if meets desired requirements
• Meaningful equity in a high growth business backed by leading investors and with the potential to make outsized equity upside
• Transparent growth of benefits & team bonuses in line with business milestones
• Collaborative environment with high quality colleagues that push, challenge & support each other

How to apply

If you’re excited about finding out if it is a mutual fit then please apply via LinkedIn, the website or send your CV to [e-mail].

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Firenze by 2x.