• Reports to: Deputy Chief Executive
• Manages: Senior Compliance Manager & Senior Insight and Outreach Manager
• Based: Hybrid or Remote
  
  

Overview

The Compliance and Insight team is integral to the LSB’s unique services and value proposition for its registered firms, and more widely, the financial services industry. The team is responsible for monitoring all aspects of registered firms’ compliance with, and for supporting firms to embed, the Standards and Codes for which the LSB is responsible. The team is critical to reporting on the positive impact of the LSB’s Standards and Codes on customer outcomes and registered firms’ achievement of those outcomes, and to supporting the industry to build capabilities across the sector to ensure all UK financial services firms can deliver better customer outcomes. In doing so, the team supports the LSB in achieving its vision that all customers receive the right outcome from their financial services provider, which lies at the heart of the LSB’s role as a voluntary regulator and standards-setting body.

This team’s functions are specifically aligned with the LSB’s strategic aims of ‘Independent assurance and oversight’ and ‘Industry insight and innovation’ set out in its strategic summary plan 2024-27.

As a member of the Executive team and leader of the Compliance and Insight team, the Director of Compliance and Insight will be pivotal in helping the LSB to work towards its vision by leading three business-critical areas.

Firstly, through the development and direction of a strategic compliance and assurance programme that monitors all areas where new and established registered firms need to meet the LSB’s Standards and Codes and identifying areas of good practice. Supported by a Senior Compliance Manager and two Compliance Managers, the role holder will direct and deliver, from the ground up, a new LSB assurance and oversight strategy that centres on the use of both quantitative and qualitative data and management information. The strategy will enable the LSB to more effectively harness data, both internally- and externally sourced and from our registered firms, to improve our understanding of what is happening in the market and our assessment of trends and the areas of greatest risk and detriment to customer outcomes. As a result, the new oversight strategy will more efficiently identify risks to customers and trends within the industry; target areas of activity; produce swifter insights; and generate up- to-date benchmarking data to firms.

Secondly, by setting the strategic direction for, and ensuring the delivery of, LSB insights activity and best practice for registered firms and the wider industry. By having a clear view of industry challenges and hot topics, drawn from both the LSB’s own oversight and compliance activities and from other data and intelligence sources, the role holder will ensure the delivery of best practice and thought leadership that has the maximum impact in driving better outcomes for customers and reinforces the LSB’s unique position in the industry as a leader in improving firms’ standards and treatment of customers. The role holder will have two team members – the Senior Insights and Outreach Manager, and the Insights and Outreach Manager - to deliver the team’s work via timely and impactful training, workshops, events, thought pieces and research.

Finally, with support from the deputy Chief Executive and two team members, the role holder will oversee the team responsible for leading the design and implementation of the LSB’s outreach and business development strategy to retain existing registered firms; increase the number of firms signed up to the LSB’s Standards and Codes; and to increase interactions and partnerships with the LSB.

This is a multi-dimensional role and we are therefore looking for an accomplished leader with experience of leading a portfolio of complementary yet diverse functions and who is able to develop this role into their own. The role involves engaging with external stakeholders such as regulators, consumer and business representatives when appropriate and acting as one of the key senior relationship contacts for all LSB registered and prospective firms.

As a member of the Executive leadership team, the role holder will provide confident, visible, strategic and values-led leadership and direction. They will demonstrate effective leadership qualities with an aptitude to promote a culture of close collaboration, partnership and working strategically both internally and externally.

The role will require travel throughout the UK at times which may involve occasional overnight stays.

The Role

1. Compliance and assurance monitoring

• Develop and direct an oversight and compliance monitoring strategy which combines a variety of quantitative techniques and analytical tools to effectively mine and interrogate data and management information to enhance existing qualitative processes and reviews.
• Direct the reporting of insightful data and management information based on outputs of compliance monitoring work to identify areas of focus, aid understanding of areas of emerging concern and demonstrate the positive impact and value of the LSB’s Standards and Codes, and its compliance work, in driving better outcomes for customers.
• Oversee the monitoring and completion of clear and detailed reporting and action plans arising from registered firm reviews.
• Provide clear and practical advice and guidance to registered firms on the interpretation and implementation of the LSB’s standards and codes.
• Oversee the instigation of corrective actions following compliance and assurance activity and consideration of cases where remedial action is appropriate.
• Make recommendations to the Chief Executive and the Board regarding enforcement activity, where necessary.
• Ensure that clear, evidence-based input is provided to Policy colleagues for improvements that strengthen customer protections overall in the development of the LSB’s Standards and Codes.
  
  

2. Insight and innovation

• Direct the LSB insights strategy to identify and address challenges and risks to consumers and SME businesses, and disseminate best practice in support of the development and improvement of registered and non-registered firms’ treatment of customers.
• Oversee the development and management of qualitative and quantitative research projects and methodologies, including focus groups, interviews and desk-based research, to develop and measure customer outcomes.
• Direct the analysis and interpretation of the outputs of the LSB’s compliance and assurance activities and ensure the dissemination of the insights and learnings to the LSB’s registered and non-registered firms to support the operationalisation of customer-centric strategies.
• Drive the development of stakeholder relationships to identify and manage strategic alliances and partnerships and share the LSB’s expertise both within and outside financial services.
• Act as a senior representative of the LSB at industry events, panel and keynote speaking opportunities.
  
  

3. Business development

• Support the Deputy Chief Executive to lead the strategy to increase customer protections through increased firm registrations to the LSB’s Standards and Codes, and through existing firm retention.
• Oversee the due diligence and related engagement activity of new registrant firms in the interim registration phase, and associated LSB governance reporting.
• Support the Deputy Chief Executive and Senior Insight and Outreach Manager to source new opportunities, alliances and partnerships to increase the LSB’s profile and its unique value proposition in support of existing firm retention and increasing new registrations.

All key elements of the role will require regular reporting to the LSB Chief Executive, deputy Chief Executive and the Board on compliance and assurance, insights and business development and outreach activities.

Knowledge, skills, and experience

Essential

• A Director or equivalent level compliance, risk or audit background in the UK retail and/or SME financial services industry with a thorough knowledge of the UK credit regulatory and financial services landscape.
• Strong understanding of developing and delivering regulatory and oversight strategies based on quantitative and qualitative information.
• Demonstrable experience of analysing qualitative and quantitative information drawn from a range of monitoring and external sources and presenting on key issues, trends and risks.
• Demonstrable experience of ability to work with and effectively analyse data and management information to identify and communicate trends clearly and to present the information in a variety of reporting and formats.
• Experience of implementing dashboards and/or benchmarking methodologies.
• Ability to think clearly and rigorously about how best to assess and validate risks and reach robust judgements, including under pressure
• Highly analytical, skilful at dealing with complexity and contentious issues with resilience.
• Ability to link ‘regulatory language’ with operational delivery in an engaging and confident manner
• Senior leadership experience including strategic planning and delivery and people management.
• Strategically adept and able to design and lead the implementation of strategy and diverse work streams across a portfolio of functions.
• Superb interpersonal and communication skills and able to build credibility and influence quickly with a wide range of senior stakeholders and registered firms.
• Confident networker and competent and assured public speaker at events roundtables, panels etc as needed.
• Able to work at pace in an open and collaborative way, establishing relationships based on trust and mutual support in a committed and driven team
  
  

The individual

• Enthusiasm for consumer and business customer protections and raising financial services industry standards.
• Experience of leading cross-functional teams seamlessly
• A ‘change advocate’ who is able to inspire others, lead change and obtain ‘buy in’ from others
• A champion of the LSB values - integrity, impact, inquiring and inclusive.
• Readily demonstrates and embodies the LSB behaviours - professional; honest; responsible & accountable; self-managing; focussed; objective; logical; agile; learning; improving; developing; open; collaborative; supportive; and aware.
  
  

Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• 30 days annual leave (plus Bank Holidays)
• Employer pension contribution – 10%
• Group Life Assurance  
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Private Health (after successful completion of probation)
  
  

How to apply

If you are interested in applying, please submit your CV and a covering letter to [email protected]