SMF16

IDEX Consulting Ltd.; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

IDEX Consulting Ltd. is seeking a senior Compliance leader to fill a Head of Compliance & SMF16 role.

The position oversees the compliance framework across three financial planning businesses within the UK, requiring previous SMF16 approval and strong Board-level influence. You’ll provide strategic regulatory leadership, pragmatic guidance to senior management, and ongoing governance across FCA expectations.

Qualifications

• Significant financial planning/IFA compliance experience.
• Previous SMF16 approval.
• Strong understanding of FCA framework for financial planning businesses.
• Experience overseeing compliance in an advice-led environment.

Responsibilities

• Act as SMF16 / Compliance Oversight Function across three regulated firms.
• Provide strategic leadership of each firm's compliance framework, policies, monitoring, governance.
• Serve as senior FCA contact and provide pragmatic regulatory guidance to directors and senior management.
• Keep businesses aligned with FCA developments and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Oversee Consumer Duty, suitability, financial promotions, T&C, SM&CR, complaints, and financial crime controls.
• Challenge control effectiveness and escalate compliance risks appropriately.
• Provide MI and risk insights to Boards and senior leadership.
• Collaborate with advisers to embed regulatory requirements into business operations.

Skills

SMF16 governance

FCA regulatory framework

Compliance leadership

Board level advisory

Regulatory reporting

Regulatory change management

Multi-site oversight

Job description

We're working with a growing, multi-hub financial planning group that is looking to appoint a senior Compliance professional into a Head of Compliance & SMF16 role.

This is a genuine Director-level opportunity with responsibility for providing senior compliance leadership and regulatory oversight across three financial planning businesses, acting as SMF16 for each.

The role will cover businesses across Scotland and Northern Ireland, so you can be based anywhere in the UK. There will, however, be an expectation to travel to the relevant sites when required.

The role will suit someone who understands financial planning from the inside, has previously held an SMF16 approval, and is comfortable operating at Board and senior leadership level while remaining close enough to the business to provide practical, commercially aware advice.

The role

You’ll have oversight of the compliance frameworks across three financial planning hubs, ensuring they remain robust, effective and aligned with FCA expectations.

• Acting as SMF16 / Compliance Oversight Function across three regulated financial planning businesses.
• Providing strategic leadership and oversight of each firm's compliance framework, policies, monitoring and governance arrangements.
• Acting as a senior point of contact for FCA regulatory and compliance matters.
• Providing pragmatic regulatory advice to directors, advisers and senior management.
• Ensuring the businesses remain up to date with developments across the FCA regulatory landscape.
• Providing oversight across the full range of compliance matters relevant to financial planning firms, including Consumer Duty, suitability, financial promotions, T&C, SM&CR, complaints, vulnerable customers, financial crime, conflicts, regulatory reporting and conduct risk.
• Challenging the effectiveness of controls and ensuring compliance risks are properly identified, managed and escalated.
• Supporting senior management and Boards with clear MI, risk insight and regulatory reporting.
• Working closely with advisers and business leaders to ensure regulatory requirements are understood and embedded rather than simply documented.
• Supporting regulatory change, business initiatives and ongoing development of the group's compliance approach.
• Maintaining strong relationships with internal stakeholders and acting as a credible senior representative with the FCA and other external parties where required.

What we’re looking for

This is not a role for someone looking to make their first move into senior compliance leadership.

• Significant financial planning / IFA compliance experience.
• Previous experience of holding an SMF16 approval.
• A strong understanding of the FCA regulatory framework applicable to financial planning businesses.
• Experience overseeing compliance across an advice-led environment.
• The credibility to operate with Boards, directors, advisers and senior management.
• Strong judgement and the ability to translate regulatory requirements into practical business solutions.
• The confidence to provide independent challenge while maintaining strong commercial relationships.
• Experience across the key regulatory issues affecting financial planning firms, including Consumer Duty, suitability, conduct, T&C, financial promotions, SM&CR, complaints and financial crime.
• The ability to oversee multiple businesses and frameworks while maintaining appropriate regulatory oversight and accountability.

Why this role?

This is an opportunity to step into a high-profile, Director-level Compliance leadership position within a growing financial planning group.

You’ll have genuine influence over how compliance operates across multiple businesses, working directly with senior leadership and helping shape a consistent, effective and commercially focused regulatory environment.

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