Head of Compliance & MLRO - High Growth Digital Financial Services - #2098778

An exceptional opportunity has arisen for an experienced compliance leader to join one of the UK's most established digital businesses operating within the high-value transactions sector.

This is a Board-facing leadership position with responsibility for building, enhancing and overseeing the firm's enterprise-wide compliance, financial crime, governance and risk management framework. Acting as the appointed Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO), you will ensure the organisation continues to operate to the highest regulatory standards whilst supporting commercial growth across UK and international markets.

Alongside ownership of the financial crime framework, you will also oversee data protection governance, enterprise risk and regulatory compliance, helping shape the organisation's long-term control environment.

This role offers genuine strategic influence, working closely with executive leadership to ensure robust governance supports a fast-paced, technology-led business.

• Lead and continually enhance the firm's compliance strategy, governance framework and risk management programme.
• Partner with Executive Leadership and the Board to provide practical regulatory guidance and strategic advice.
• Promote a strong culture of integrity, accountability and risk awareness across the organisation.
• Produce meaningful Board reporting, management information and regulatory updates.
• Ensure regulatory obligations are translated into practical business processes and embedded across all departments.

• Design and maintain an enterprise-wide risk management framework covering operational, regulatory, financial crime and emerging business risks.
• Develop risk appetite statements, key risk indicators and ongoing monitoring processes.
• Conduct enterprise risk assessments and compliance reviews, recommending pragmatic improvements where required.
• Horizon scan for legislative and regulatory developments, ensuring the business remains ahead of changing requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement across governance, controls and internal assurance activities.

As the appointed MLRO, you will have overall responsibility for the firm's financial crime framework including:

• Ownership of AML, KYC, CDD, sanctions and financial crime policies.
• Oversight of customer due diligence and enhanced due diligence activity, including higher-risk and cross-border relationships.
• Management of suspicious activity reporting and engagement with relevant authorities where appropriate.
• Monitoring the effectiveness of financial crime controls, transaction monitoring and fraud prevention measures.
• Leading complex investigations and advising senior stakeholders on financial crime risk.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant UK financial crime legislation and wider regulatory obligations.

• Act as the organisation's Data Protection Officer.
• Maintain compliance with UK GDPR and associated privacy legislation.
• Oversee data protection governance, breach management, DPIAs and subject access request processes.
• Provide practical guidance to the business on privacy-by-design principles.
• Liaise with regulators where required regarding data protection matters.

• Develop and maintain policies, procedures and internal control documentation.
• Support information security governance, working alongside technology teams on recognised standards such as ISO27001 and related control frameworks.
• Ensure appropriate testing and monitoring programmes are in place across key compliance controls.
• Deliver regular assurance reporting and recommend improvements where control gaps are identified.

• Lead, mentor and develop the Compliance & Risk team.
• Establish clear objectives, accountability and performance standards.
• Deliver engaging compliance training programmes covering AML, financial crime, conduct risk, data protection and regulatory obligations.
• Build strong relationships across all business functions to ensure compliance becomes an embedded business partner rather than simply a control function.

We're looking for an experienced compliance professional who combines strong technical knowledge with commercial awareness and excellent leadership capability.

You will likely bring:

• Significant experience leading Compliance, Financial Crime or Enterprise Risk within Financial Services, Payments, FinTech, E-commerce or another regulated environment.
• Previous experience acting as an MLRO, Deputy MLRO or senior Financial Crime leader.
• Excellent understanding of AML, KYC, sanctions, fraud prevention and wider financial crime regulation.
• Experience developing enterprise risk frameworks and Board-level governance reporting.
• Strong working knowledge of UK regulatory expectations and data protection legislation.
• Experience advising senior executives and influencing strategic decision making.
• Excellent communication skills with the confidence to challenge constructively when required.
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused approach with strong commercial judgement.

• ICA, ACAMS or equivalent Compliance qualification.
• Data Protection qualification.
• Exposure to international regulatory environments.
• Experience within high-value online trading, digital financial services, payments, investment platforms, luxury goods, precious metals or regulated e-commerce.
• Knowledge of information security frameworks including ISO27001 or PCI standards.