Head of Compliance

This client is looking for an experienced Head of Compliance to lead the compliance function for the region. This pivotal role offers the opportunity to shape and enhance the compliance framework, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and fostering a culture of integrity across the organization.

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a comprehensive compliance strategy aligned with the organization’s business objectives and regulatory expectations.
• Regulatory Oversight: Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements, providing advice and guidance to senior leadership.
• Risk Management: Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate compliance risks, ensuring robust controls and monitoring systems are in place.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary liaison with regulatory authorities, auditors, and key internal stakeholders.
• Team Development: Lead, mentor, and inspire the compliance team, fostering a high-performing and collaborative environment.
• Policy Development: Drive the creation and implementation of policies, procedures, and training programs to enhance the organization’s compliance culture.
• Monitoring and testing: process reviews, conducting end to end reviews of processes to check alignment with regulatory and ensure proper process execution.
• Financial Crime: Overseeing Financial Crime processes and sanction alert.
• Continuous Improvement: Monitor emerging regulatory trends and industry developments, ensuring the organization remains ahead of the curve in compliance standards.

• Master’s degree in Law, Economics, Finance, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience within compliance, legal, regulatory affairs, risk management, or financial crime in the banking or broader financial services sector.
• Proven leadership experience managing senior teams and complex regulatory environments.
• Strong knowledge of Belgian banking regulations and supervisory expectations.
• Demonstrated success engaging with regulators, executive leadership, and board-level stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to balance commercial objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
• High levels of integrity, judgement, and professional credibility.
• Fluent in Dutch, French, and English is highly desirable.

Lead compliance across retail banking, lending, SME financing, leasing, and payment services in one of Belgium’s most entrepreneurial banking environments.

A well-established Belgian retail bank focused on private individuals, self-employed professionals and SME’s.