Regional Compliance Director-UK

National Grid; Warwick; Hybrid; GBP 82,000 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Job summary

National Grid is seeking a senior compliance leader to serve as a trusted advisor to UK operations, partnering with executive teams to uphold integrity, ethics and compliance.

Reporting to the Group Head of Compliance, this role leads the UK business compliance team, shaping the compliance agenda and embedding robust risk management across strategy and operations. Hybrid working from Warwick or London. You will interface with regulators and Boards, and champion the Speak Up culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the UK business compliance team and provide senior leaders with clear insight on compliance risk management.
• Provide strategic compliance leadership across UK businesses, acting as a trusted advisor to Executive and senior leadership teams.
• Oversee compliance monitoring, assurance, issue management and remediation to drive continuous improvement.
• Engage with regulators and external stakeholders, supporting regulatory enquiries, reviews, inspections and investigations.
• Provide leadership to the UK Ethics, Risk and Compliance Committee and report on programme effectiveness.
• Shape the compliance agenda across National Grid’s UK businesses and foster high-trust relationships with senior stakeholders.

Job description

About the role

To serve as the senior compliance leader and trusted advisor to National Grid's operations within the UK, partnering with business leadership to enable the achievement of strategic objectives while maintaining the highest standards of integrity, ethics and compliance.

Reporting to the Group Head of Compliance, the role acts as the primary interface between Group Compliance and UK leadership, providing independent oversight, challenge and guidance on compliance matters and supporting the effective identification, assessment and management of compliance risks. The role leads the UK business compliance team and serves as a key member of the wider Group Compliance leadership structure, working closely with Legal, Risk, Internal Audit and business leaders to strengthen compliance performance, promote ethical decision-making and ensure compliance considerations are effectively integrated into business strategy, operations and transformation activities.

What you’ll do

You’ll lead and develop the UK business compliance team and play an important role in the wider Group Compliance leadership structure. Working collaboratively across Legal, Risk, Regulatory Affairs, Internal Audit and the business, you’ll strengthen compliance performance, promote ethical decision-making and provide senior leaders with clear insight and assurance on the effectiveness of compliance risk management.

This is an opportunity to shape the compliance agenda across National Grid’s UK businesses, build trusted relationships at the highest levels and help ensure we continue to do the right thing as we deliver the energy system of the future.

• Provide strategic compliance leadership across our UK businesses, acting as a trusted advisor to Executive and senior leadership teams.
• Lead the implementation and continued embedding of the Group Compliance Programme, promoting business ownership of compliance obligations and effective controls.
• Provide oversight of the UK compliance risk landscape, identifying emerging risks and regulatory developments and ensuring significant matters are appropriately escalated and addressed.
• Champion our Code of Ethics and Speak Up programme, strengthening compliance awareness, engagement, training and ethical decision-making across the business.
• Oversee compliance monitoring, assurance, issue management and remediation, using insight and findings to drive continuous improvement.
• Support effective engagement with regulators and external stakeholders, providing compliance oversight in relation to regulatory enquiries, reviews, inspections and investigations.
• Provide leadership to the UK Ethics, Risk and Compliance Committee, ensuring senior leaders receive meaningful insight into risks, issues, investigations, regulatory developments and programme effectiveness.
• Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing UK compliance team, while contributing to the continued development of the wider Group Compliance function.

About you

We’re looking for a highly experienced compliance leader who combines strong technical and risk expertise with the judgement, credibility and influencing skills to operate effectively with senior executives, Boards and regulators.

You’ll bring:

• Significant experience within compliance, ethics, legal, risk, audit or another relevant control function.
• Proven experience operating within a complex and highly regulated environment.
• Demonstrable experience leading compliance teams, programmes or significant compliance initiatives.
• Strong experience advising, influencing and constructively challenging Executive and senior-level stakeholders.
• Experience working with Boards, governance committees and regulatory authorities.
• Experience engaging with regulators and supporting regulatory enquiries, reviews, inspections or investigations.
• Strong understanding of compliance risk management, governance, controls, monitoring and assurance.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex compliance matters into clear, practical advice.
• Strong people leadership capability with the ability to develop, motivate and inspire professional teams.
• The ability to build credibility and effective relationships across a complex matrix organisation.
• The judgement and resilience to prioritise effectively and operate confidently under pressure.

Experience interacting with relevant UK regulators such as Ofgem, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would be particularly valuable.

A professional compliance qualification, such as ICA, SCCE or equivalent, would be desirable but is not essential.

About us

At National Grid, we’re at the heart of a major change in how energy is produced, delivered and used. We connect millions of people to the energy they need across Great Britain and the US, while investing to support a cleaner, more reliable system for the future.

Joining us means working on challenges that matter. You’ll help shape how the energy system evolves, supporting the transition to net zero while helping keep energy affordable and reliable.

This role is based in Warwick, UK or The Strand, London with hybrid working.

More Information

You will get:

A competitive salary from £82k to £99k - commensurate with experience. As well as your base salary, you will receive a company car or allowance, a bonus of up to 40% of your salary for stretch performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%. You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, a salary sacrifice technology scheme, support via the employee assistance line and matched charity giving to name a few.

We will also support with your development during your career with National Grid.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates - we make appointments purely on merit, assessed against objective selection criteria. We support flexible working and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process should you have any physical or mental impairment which may affect your ability to participate in the process.

Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.