Associate Director in London

The opportunity is to join RSM’s Risk Assurance function, within the Financial Services Risk and Regulation team. This team specialises in providing regulatory advice and guidance to clients within the Financial Services sector, supporting them to maintain compliance and manage risk in accordance with regulatory requirements. The team has a diverse client base, from niche challenger firms, to long-established financial institutions. The team provide services to clients in the UK and across other wider regulatory jurisdictions globally.

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure to high profile organisations, working directly with Financial Services Partners and Directors, and in proactively supporting the continued development and growth of RSM’s profile.

The role will involve leading and managing a team in conjunction with Partners, Directors and supported by Managers to ensure timely and high-quality delivery of our clients requirements and RSM's standards.

We support our clients through the delivery of advisory as well as assurance control-based services which will provide you with the opportunity to be involved in a variety of different projects. Additionally, you will support the Partners and Directors in key business development activities for new work including writing proposals, presentations and thought leadership. You will be supported in your role by a leading training and development programme as well as on the job training and support.

In addition, you will line manage a team of staff and help to develop and grow those individuals in their careers with RSM.

The role may include travel across the region and on a national level. The post holder will be expected to travel to the clients’ sites in their own time, limited where possible to one and a half hours each way. As you will be a part of the Management team, the role will also include coverage of meetings outside of core hours.

About the job

• Manage a Financial Services team in conjunction with Partners/Directors to ensure timely and accurate delivery of high quality and timely Advisory service at clients’ sites when required and in accordance with the firm’s Standards
• Lead and manage agreed client portfolio for the service line and regional area
• Approve, and if necessary prepare strategy documentation for each client, supported by a fully costed service delivery proposal, for subsequent approval by the Director/Partner
• Participate in and lead on business development activities in support of the growth of the firm and Financial Services.
• Assist in the building of the discipline and ensuring the team delivers exceptional client advisory services.
• Control and manage the delivery of the client programme, to ensure that the work is completed to time and budget, providing solutions on any issues as appropriate to the Director/Partner.
• Ensure the effective planning and utilisation of team members in line with the approved budget - including mapping complex scheduling to optimise profitability.
• Monitor the effectiveness and quality of work through undertaking effective senior manager review of the work.
• Engage with the client billing in accordance with the firm’s billing timescales, providing solutions to all potential adverse issues that may impact on the achievement of the agreed client billing and recovery targets
• Deal with day-to-day team matters, including feedback on performance on the job, assist in appraisals, the recruitment process, team welfare and H&S
• Build relationships with new clients and identify/act upon all potential additional work opportunities at new clients or new work at potential clients

Key areas of focus include:

Conduct risk; Financial crime; Payment services; Prudential regulation; Governance, including SM & CR and effectiveness reviews; Compliance monitoring; Regulatory due diligence; Training delivery; Target Operating Model design; Regulatory gap analysis.

Business development

You will assist with: Strategic initiatives; Business development activities; Developing propositions and responding to tenders; Tender/pitch presentations; and Producing materials for seminars/events on hot topics.

Delivery

Overseeing and delivering client work. The role will require: managing delivery of client projects; effective stakeholder engagement and relationship management; conducting structured document reviews and gap analysis against regulatory requirements and industry practice; structuring and conducting client interviews and process walk-throughs; developing solutions and drafting reports and detailed recommendations; quality assurance review of work undertaken on client projects; and approval of work in line with professional standards.

The role holder will also assist in the delivery of Financial Conduct Authority Section 166 Skilled Persons engagements including managing on-site teams, conducting interviews and testing and drafting the skilled person report.

About the ideal candidate

We are looking for a dynamic, ambitious and proactive individual with experience in working in an equivalent position within a leading professional services firm or large in-house function within industry. You should also have a ‘can-do’ and proactive attitude and will be used to working on multiple projects and tasks simultaneously with a proven track record in meeting deadlines and quality standards.

As you will be interacting with senior individuals within RSM and the businesses that we work with, excellent communication skills, both orally and written, are critical to this role. You will be able to demonstrate how you have been able to add significant value through your work and been a driver for change in addition to the below requirements.

• Ambitious and driven individual, keen to progress their career in a growing team;
• Strong regulatory experience with a proven track record;
• Individual who can work in a fast-paced environment;
• Strong attention to detail;
• Willingness to learn and develop own knowledge;
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written;
• Ability to problem solve and develop pragmatic solutions;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Strong organisational skills;
• Experience of working in a client facing environment and managing relationships;
• Experience of managing engagements and teams;
• Experience of business development, for example familiarity with tender processes and proposition design;
• Knowledge of the financial services market and the regulatory institutions.
• The post holder will be expected to travel to the client’s sites in their own time, limited where possible to one and a half hours each way

Requirements

• Degree level education
• Natural team player
• Driven, motivated, dedicated and resilient
• Outstanding interpersonal and stakeholder management skills
• High standard of written and verbal communication
• Experience of working in a regulatory practice