Senior Legal Counsel / Compliance

Carlyle Kingswood Global; City Of London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A global insurtech firm in London is searching for a Senior Legal Counsel to manage regulatory compliance and oversee commercial agreements. The ideal candidate will have at least 7 years' experience as a qualified solicitor with a strong background in insurance regulation. Responsibilities include ensuring adherence to UK regulations, drafting agreements, and promoting a culture of compliance. The role offers the opportunity to work in a fast-paced, innovative environment with a focus on diverse and inclusive practices.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years’ post-qualification experience (PQE).
• Strong background in financial services.
• Proficiency in an additional European language is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Manage regulatory compliance issues for the UK.
• Draft and negotiate commercial agreements.
• Oversee reporting obligations to UK regulatory bodies.

Skills

Legal expertise

Insurance regulatory experience

Communication skills

Collaboration skills

Compliance knowledge

Education

Qualified Solicitor in England & Wales

Job description

About the Organisation

Our client is a fast-growing global insurtech and they have a mission to build the world’s leading, technology-enabled ecosystem for protection and insurance. Its vision is to connect people with more ways to protect the things they value.

Launched in 2020 and headquartered in Singapore, the organisation’s team of over 1,600 professionals serves customers across more than 35 markets in Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa. With international licenses, an extensive partner network, and advanced technology and product innovation capabilities, its ecosystem brings together insurers and distributors to make it easier for customers to access the right protection at the point of need.

The Role

The Senior Legal Counsel will take a leading role in managing a broad spectrum of regulatory compliance issues for the United Kingdom, while also overseeing the review and preparation of commercial agreements within the broader EMEA partnerships context.

We’re looking for a qualified lawyer with strong insurance regulatory experience rather than a pure compliance professional. The role involves drafting and negotiating agreements, so we need someone with solid legal expertise who also understands regulatory requirements in the insurance sector.

Key Responsibilities

Compliance

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive framework of compliance policies and procedures addressing applicable regulatory requirements, ensuring consistent adherence across the organisation.
• Oversee reporting obligations to UK regulatory bodies, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
• Promote and embed a strong culture of compliance throughout the organisation.
• Act as a subject matter expert on UK regulatory requirements, identifying, monitoring, and assessing compliance risks to ensure they are effectively managed.
• Work closely with the Regional Compliance Manager to align with regional and global compliance frameworks and plans.
• Support the Director of Legal and Compliance for EMEA with oversight, advice, escalation, and reporting activities, liaising with senior team members and business stakeholders.
• Implement group-wide methodologies and frameworks, including compliance risk assessment and planning.
• Collaborate with regional and group legal and compliance teams to report, elevate, and mitigate risks and issues.
• Partner with business and operational functions to manage compliance risks across all aspects of the UK business’s value chain, from product design to distribution.
• Deliver compliance-related training as needed.

Legal

• Identify and interpret applicable laws, regulations, and other relevant requirements impacting the UK business.
• Assess and mitigate legal risks.
• Lead the drafting, review, and negotiation of a wide range of commercial contracts, including insurance distribution, service, and partnership agreements.
• Provide legal services aligned with business strategy in an agile, pragmatic, and business-focused manner.

Key Competencies : Impactful

• Proactively identifies what needs to be done and takes initiative before being asked or before situations escalates.
• Focused on objectives, defining clear actions and key results to achieve them.

Collaborative

• Builds trust-based relationships across diverse stakeholders to co-create and deliver mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Develops collaborative, dynamic working relationships to achieve optimal results.

Communication

• Communicates effectively and articulately, actively listening to and synthesising others’ perspectives.
• Delivers concise, relevant, and audience-tailored communication to support clear understanding.

Adaptable

• Demonstrates flexibility in managing multiple priorities, ambiguity, and competing demands, persevering in challenging circumstances.
• Understands the broader rationale for change and adapts with agility and openness.

Qualifications and Skills

• Minimum of 7 years’ post-qualification experience (PQE).
• Qualified Solicitor in England & Wales.
• Strong background in financial services and familiarity with the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR).
• Proficiency in an additional European language is advantageous.
• Ability to work effectively within a multicultural team and build strong relationships.
• Proactive approach, offering practical solutions and strategic insights at a senior level.

Diversity and Inclusion

The organisation is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where every individual’s unique skills, background, and identity are valued. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated — all employees are supported and respected regardless of cultural background, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any legally protected characteristic. Flexibility in working arrangements ensures everyone can contribute their best every day.

If you are interested in this role please contact Milo O'Connor

[e-mail]