Chief Risk & Compliance Officer in UK

Our vision

Davies is a community of outstanding people. We welcome different perspectives, support each other’s ambitions and grow together. In a fast-changing business environment, we adapt and look ahead. We succeed because we are multi-talented: in the skills of our teams, specialisms, and sector expertise. Working together, we are greater than the sum of our parts.

Our Values

We are Connected : United under one mission and believe in our collective power to make a difference; together we are greater than the sum of our parts.

We are Dynamic : We adapt with the environment, striving for what is next. Relentlessly seeking more for our business, clients, colleagues, and communities.

We are Innovative : We are solution focused with an entrepreneurial mindset, empowered to discover new paths.

We Succeed Together : We support each other to grow and value different perspectives, ideas, and experiences - making an impact on our communities.

The role

The Divisional Chief Risk & Compliance Officer for Davies UK&I will be accountable for the delivery of an effective and efficient Risk & Compliance infrastructure and function across Davies UK&I Division, with the purpose of:

• Delivering at Divisional level all objectives set by the Group Chief Risk Officer for the management of Risk & Compliance matters across Davies UK&I.
• Supporting the Divisional CEO in the compliant delivery of all Divisional business objectives, ensuring that all Divisional business risks are identified and appropriately managed and mitigated.
• Overall management of the Davies UK&I risk & compliance resources, including direct line and performance management of appropriate Divisional senior risk & compliance team members.
• Ensuring escalation of appropriate risk & compliance matters to Divisional business boards, providing appropriate risk & compliance reporting to the Divisional CEO, and attending before divisional business boards as required and in agreement with the Divisional CEO.
• Acting as the Divisional representative upon the Group’s Risk & Governance Board (RGB) to ensure appropriate escalation of Divisional risk & compliance matters to Group RGB and providing appropriate risk & compliance reporting to RGB.
• Reporting to the Group CRO and providing appropriate risk & compliance reporting to the Group CRO to enable the CRO to appropriate report and represent cross Group risk and compliance matters at the Group Executive Board.

The role holder is expected to understand the Group’s core business objectives together with all local Divisional objectives, to implement all appropriate policies & procedures to support the compliant delivery of those objectives versus all relevant and material regulatory and statutory obligations, and in line with the Group’s risk appetite.

The role requires a thorough understanding of the Group’s enterprise risk management framework and appetite, together with the Group’s overarching compliance framework as well as the risk, compliance and regulatory rules and obligations specifically impacting the Davies UK&I Division.

In addition to direct knowledge and working experience of these frameworks, the role holder will require broad, up-to-date knowledge pertinent regulation and legislation and the management of enterprise risk management and compliance frameworks.

Key responsibilities

• Implementing the Group’s global compliance policy framework (and such local Divisional policy supplements as are required) across Davies UK&I.
• Implementing the Group’s enterprise risk management framework within the Davies UK&I to ensure that the Division operates in accordance with the Group’s Risk Appetite Statement.
• Ensuring the effective deployment of appropriate Risk Committees and maintenance / action of appropriate Risk Registers across the Division to capture, manage, mitigate, and otherwise escalate all material Divisional risks.
• Implementing all appropriate processes, procedures, oversight, and audit/monitoring as are required to ensure adherence to the Group Compliance framework.
• Supporting the Divisional CEO and its leadership team to acquire / secure and maintain all specific regulatory approvals, permissions, and licenses as are required within the Division or its individual business units and supporting engagement with Regulators as necessary to achieve the same.
• Where appropriate, and subject to holding all required regulatory qualifications and permissions, hold formal regulated roles across Davies UK&I, whether under the FCA SMCR regime or the SRA (or equivalent) legal regulatory regime, for example SMF16 or COLP roles.
• Supporting both the Divisional CEO, and Corporate Development team in the development of appropriate M&A activity impacting Davies UK&I, including engagement in pre-acquisition due diligence processes and post completion integration to the Division of all completed acquisitions to the Division.
• Reporting to Divisional CEO / Group CRO and both local Divisional / Business Boards and Group Risk & Governance Board as required and agreed with the Divisional CEO / Group CRO and appearing before such boards as required.
• Promoting continuous improvement, innovation, and agility in risk & compliance service delivery, whilst working in consultation and collaboration with colleagues across the Group.
• Maintaining where appropriate the Group’s or Davies UK&I’s specific accreditations, quality management frameworks, including but not limited to ISO9001 (where held) and otherwise or otherwise supporting as appropriate the management accreditations, including ISO27001, Soc II Type II, Cyber Essentials / Cyber Essentials+ at both Group and local entity levels, as appropriate.
• Engagement with the colleagues and peers across the Group’s broader Governance Risk & Compliance functions to ensure seamless co-ordination between Divisional Risk & Compliance functions and the CISO function.

The role holder will hold a seat on the Group’s Risk & Governance Board and whilst holding a primary reporting line to the Group’s CRO will have a matrix reporting line to the aligned Divisional CEO.

The role holder will be accountable for:

• Defining, developing, and maintaining a target operating model for the Divisional risk & compliance function, and operating that function in line with stated budgets.
• Embedding all Group risk & compliance frameworks, policies and procedures across the aligned Division, and where necessary working with the Group CRO to identify all required local derogations and supplements to those frameworks to meet Divisional specific (including territorial or regulatory) requirements.
• Embedding all such policies, procedures, and frameworks across the aligned Division, including all local divisional entities / business units to ensure regulatory and legislator compliance across the same.
• Developing and leading an effective, high-performance risk & compliance function and team within the Division, retaining, and attracting key talent to ensure continuous improvement in staff competencies, skills, and knowledge.
• Establishing and maintaining clear and measurable risk & compliance plans, budgets, and targets, and robust and fit-for-purpose operational procedures and deliver measurable service improvements and ensure that all elements of the service represent the best value for money.
• Providing senior leadership and oversight of effective risk & compliance management, across the Division and as an extension of the Group’s overall Governance, Risk & Compliance function.
• Helping to raise the bar in how we protect both Divisional and overall Group business interests by the development and deployment of an effective risk & compliance infrastructure.
• Designing and implementing strategy, tools, policies, and processes to manage risk & compliance matters.
• Establishing and chairing a Divisional Risk & Compliance board which will feed into both the Group’s overall Risk Management framework, and the Group’s Risk & Governance Board.

Key skills and experience required

The role holder will be able to evidence having established and led large, risk & compliance functions of a similar / equivalent status, size, and profile of the aligned Division, and of developing innovative, future focused risk & compliance functions in support of business objectives.

The role holder will therefore hold the following experience and qualifications:

• A track record in directing and managing innovative change and continuous improvement, ensuring excellent organisational performance and outcomes across a complex portfolio of Risk & Compliance responsibilities.
• Specific experience of operating in a directly regulated environment, including but not limited to FCA or SRA or equivalent and ideally having held formal SMCR or SRA regulated functions roles.
• Knowledge of common risk management and compliance frameworks

Why work for Davies

Davies are committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome candidates of all genders, gender identity and expression, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, nationality, and belief (or lack thereof).

Join us and enjoy our ever-evolving benefits, including but not limited to:

• Reward platform – discounts for over 800 retailers
• 25 days holiday (rising with service)
• Well-being centre
• Recognition programme
• Paid fertility appointments
• Fostering friendly employer
• Pension - matched contribution up to 5%
• Life Assurance (4 x basic salary)
• Development, training, and professional qualification