Head of Compliance and Risk - SMF 16

- Oversight of consumer credit product including product design and annual review- Responsibility for implementation and embedding of SMCR - Oversees the expert review and final approval process for marketing assets

Head of all financial services matters at firm including being responsible for data protection.Oversaw and Implemented Insurance Distribution Directive and General Data Protection Regulation projects.Senior manager on the Operational Commerical Board.Chair of the Compliance and Customer Board - monthly meeting to challenge and evidence regulatory compliance within the firm.Relationship managed a number of key accounts and supplied simple, commercially minded regulatory advice.

Improving independence and empowerment of the First Line:• Created a ‘3 lines of defence’ summary and communications refreshing the first line on the company structure and its responsibilities;• Created a compliance query log to monitor queries and provide the first line with MI on the type of queries bing raised and where training was necessary;• Created a marketing communications policy to empower the first line to own more sign-off;• Introduced ad-hoc ‘advisory reviews’ to seek assurance the first line was managing its risks; • Through the above discovered issues causing client detriment and potential business liability.Projects:• Reviewed, summarised and advised the business on the insurance distribution directive;• Liaised with the project and business in regards to reviewing legacy terms and co ditions as part of the treating longstanding customers fairly project

Maintained strong relationships and role-modelled positive culture and pragmatic decision making:• Reinvigorated compliance interest in a delayed IT project through relationship management and pragmatic decision making;• Carried out an ad-hoc advisory review in regards to adviser remuneration, which identified client detriment and resulted in £27k being returned to clients;• Relaunched a staff specific publication – ‘Compliance Matters’ – delivering key regulatory messages to a wider audience in a tailored and relevant style;• Provided high level assurance to the Complaints Manager on a number of matters.

Promoted The Compliance Team as a trusted business partner:• Created and maintained a 'will help' philosophy within the team through open and consistent communications when dealing with the business• Encouraged team to tailor advice and support to the business as it was needed;• Personally acted as an exclusive compliance resource to a high net worth team and third party;• Created regulatory and Compliance activity timelines to act as horizon scanning and business relationship tools;Protected the company's regulatory interests:• Team Provided advice on a wide range of company queries including regulatory change and FCA rules;• Assisted in the due diligence and integration of new acquisitions; including project lead, UAT, training and monitoring work• Wrote new Compliance and Company processes in anticipation of future FCA visits• Raised meaningful, considered challenge to propositions or actions that potentially put the company at riskTCF:• Overhauled the TCF philosophy within the firm, in turn regenerating the TCF culture amongst staff company wide• Created and present the necessary training to achieve the above;• Encouraged staff feedback and engagement, which helped maintain the culture;Complaints:• Overhauled the entire complaints handling operation from receiving complaints to dealing with Ombudsman escalation• Created and present the necessary training to achieve the above • Became the recognised 'go to' within the company for complaint escalation

Took pride in embodying a ‘Trusted Business Partner’ within the Compliance function and promoting those principals to the business:• Identified areas within the business where Compliance could add value then established and maintained relationships with staff within those areas; • Formed strong business relationships; listened to the needs of the business and supported the business in realising its goals;• Acted as lead Compliance contact for the IMD2 project; regularly liaising with the business and providing regulatory counsel; • Created horizon scanning documents to track and implement insurance and investment regulatory change, and presented these to the business on a monthly basis;• Reviewed and interpreted regulatory papers and relayed key findings to the business.

Helped establish a presence and positive reputation for a Compliance Team in a state of transition:• Developed an approachable and open culture whilst working diligently to a wide remit of compliance tasks;• Trained and organised departmental DPA officers to be data protection champions;• Acted as Compliance lead on projects to introduce new direct-to-market products;• Ran the agency function; contact point for regulatory queries from distribution chain consisting of circa 2000 agents.