Role Overview – Group Conduct Officer/ Business Partner At a macro level, the key challenge for the GRC function is ensuring that risk management, regulatory compliance and governance keeps pace with the growth of the company , and that these crucial elements are robust, proportionate and commercially pragmatic.
At a micro level, one of the challenges we face with bringing individual businesses into is ensuring that our newly acquired businesses align with our standards for risk management and compliance through our integration process. The GRC team is sited across the UK and supports flexible working. has a culture of openness, collaboration and agility, which is reflected in the way the GRC function leads and operates. The GRC team meets currently bi-weekly virtually and normally meets face to face at least quarterly.
Given the growth of the business and a firm intent to increase both our UK and overseas footprint, there will be opportunities in GRC to broaden horizons, learn, gain a unique career experience and be a part of building and shaping something special at .
The role The role sits within GRC (2LOD) in the Compliance team and reports to the Group Head of Compliance who reports to the Group CRO. This role partners with our Specialty Division, which primarily consists of broking businesses that deal directly with commercial customers, however there are some areas of personal lines, some wholesale cases as well as other niche areas. This Division has had the largest number of acquisitions within Group and continues to grow.
Effective regulatory business partnering, advice and oversight is key to strengthening 1LOD capability, making sure new acquisitions meet ’s requirements and delivering GRC’s oversight role and the company’s overarching governance. Working with the business, this role plays a key role in aiding the 1LOD’s understanding of regulation and its application to their operation, helping them develop client centric compliant solutions and delivering challenge to the business on matters which could potentially threaten positive client outcomes and/or expose to a heightened level of risk. This is accomplished through regular and close contact with the business and 1LoD and by:
providing guidance and advice on existing and future regulation and ’s regulatory policies and frameworks;
delivering briefings and training on key regulatory topics and issues;
guidance and advice on improvement actions, potential breaches and root cause analysis;
reviewing compliance and business performance MI to aid challenge;
ensuring a regulatory perspective is brought to key business forums, initiatives and projects;
providing a key input to the firm’s assessment of regulatory risks as part of its ERM framework;
supporting business SMFs and Certified individuals as part of SMCR;
guidance and advice following reviews of the business from internal or external sources;
support and guide the businesses with integration related activities.
This role also plays an important role in the identification, escalation and management of regulatory issues and breaches.
The role requires the role holder to:
Have excellent communication (verbal and written) and be an effective ‘regulatory translator’ i.e. take complex regulation and make it accessible, understandable and relevant to the business so they have clarity on what is required, and what they need to do;
Be solution orientated;
Have attention to detail but have the ability to take a high level view;
Have excellent stakeholder management skills and be able to build and maintain strong relationships with the business, while also maintaining an appropriate level of professional distance;
Be able to act as a ‘critical friend’ to the business, delivering constructive challenge and identifying solutions to address issues that are identified;
Have a strong understanding of the UK’s regulatory regime as it applies to general insurance activities; and
Travel to a range of UK destinations.
This role involves working with a wide range of senior stakeholders across the partnered businesses and working with other areas of GRC such as Group Risk & Assurance.
Ideal person profile The ideal person for this role combines strong technical subject matter expertise, communication, analysis and stakeholder management skills and:
Has previous experience of undertaking a similar compliance business partnering role ideally in other commercial insurance brokers. However, candidates from commercial Insurers may be considered. Likely to have 3-5 years compliance business partnering experience covering core areas such as T&C, ICOBS, Conduct Risk, COI, financial promotions, complaints, gifts and hospitality, SMCR, regulatory relationships, product governance, incentives etc.
Is a confident, persuasive and articulate communicator and capable of robust dialogue;
Proven track record in working with the business to implement regulatory improvement and change;
Strong technical, practical and working knowledge of FCA GI regulation including the IDD, ideally with experience of sales to both commercial and consumer customers primarily on a direct basis. Knowledge of other relevant regulation/legislation such as GDPR and financial sanctions are required, and a basic understanding of risk management principles would be beneficial;
Likely to be educated to degree level and ACII or compliance qualification would be an advantage; and,
Enjoys working in a dynamic and changing environment across a wide range of subject matter and business operations and working autonomously and as a member of the team.