Group Head of Compliance

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in South Africa.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of the Group's compliance policies, risk assessments, monitoring plans, and regulatory calendar across all jurisdictions.

• Keep a detailed compliance register that includes named owners, measurable outcomes, and deadlines.

• Create a map of regulatory obligations by entity and jurisdiction.

• Supervise anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, sanctions, customer due diligence, and know-your-customer controls.

• Manage screening processes, suspicious activity escalation, and regulatory record-keeping.

• Oversee the handling of complaints and the management of reporting.

• Review financial promotions, marketing materials, and websites prior to publication.

• Ensure product governance and fair value assessments for insurance and surety products.

• Prepare and submit regulatory returns, notifications, and change-in-control filings.

• Handle correspondence with regulators and respond to queries and application comments.

• Assist with licence applications for new entities and cells in collaboration with legal advisers.

• Maintain a RAG compliance scoreboard and implement a structured compliance testing programme.

• Investigate and document breaches and incidents, ensuring remediation actions are carried out.

• Present quarterly compliance reports to the Group Board and relevant supported entity boards.

• Coordinate compliance with UK GDPR and South Africa's POPIA alongside the data protection lead.

• Provide compliance training and keep records of completion.

• Manage a centralized compliance platform.

• Collaborate with the Head of Agentic Operations to develop AI-enabled compliance monitoring and onboarding agents, ensuring human sign-off at every decision point.

⛳️ Requirements

• At least 8 years of experience in insurance, insurance intermediaries, or financial services compliance.

• A minimum of 3 years in a leadership role within a compliance function or team.

• Familiarity with the FCA Handbook and Money Laundering Regulations 2017, acquired in the UK or a UK-facing role.

• Practical experience in anti-money laundering, sanctions, and customer due diligence.

• Proficient in drafting policies and managing regulator correspondence and submissions.

• Exceptional written English skills, with the ability to produce clear, precise, and concise documentation.

• Experience with the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC), Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA), or another offshore insurance regulator.

• Knowledge of South African FAIS and FICA requirements, or FSCA compliance officer approval.

• Background in surety, construction insurance, Lloyd's, or delegated authority arrangements.

• Experience in implementing compliance management systems or automation.

• A recognized compliance qualification, such as the ICA Diploma in Governance, Risk, and Compliance (desirable).

🏝️ Benefits

• Flexible remote work arrangement.

• Operating hours aligned with UK business hours.

• A senior leadership opportunity.

• The chance to work in an international, AI-first business.