Head of Risk & Compliance (6‑Month Fixed‑Term)

About the role

As Head of Risk & Compliance you will act as the independent Second Line authority for Lawhive Legal Ltd, holding the statutory COLP, MLCO, MLRO and DPO roles. You will own the compliance framework, embed platform capabilities and ensure controls operate seamlessly while supporting rapid business growth.

Key responsibilities

• Hold COLP, MLCO, MLRO and DPO roles, manage SRA relations and regulatory notifications.
• Partner with tech and ops teams to embed automated compliance gates for onboarding, AML, conflicts and client money.
• Deliver independent Second Line monitoring, challenge and advice on regulatory, conduct and financial‑crime risks.
• Manage SAR evaluation, filing, high‑risk AML escalations and maintain financial‑crime risk registers.
• Own the compliance breach framework, oversee incident reporting and SRA reportability assessments.

Required profile

• 7+ years hands‑on compliance experience in an SRA‑regulated law firm, including senior regulatory roles.
• Proven ability to exercise independent regulatory judgement and engage senior stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of SRA Standards, MLR 2017, UK GDPR and the 3LoD framework.
• Demonstrated operational focus on SARs, breach evaluation, FIU/SRA correspondence and system‑led controls.
• Pragmatic, commercially‑focused mindset while maintaining uncompromising ethical standards.

Required skills

• Intercom
• Airtable
• Slack

What we offer

• 33 days annual leave (including birthday off)
• Pension contribution via Nest
• 20% discount on legal fees through Lawhive
• Top‑spec equipment
• Regular team‑building activities and socials