> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/3251222-head-of-risk-compliance](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/3251222-head-of-risk-compliance). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Head of Risk & Compliance - **Company:** Lawhive Ltd - **Location:** UK - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** £90,000.0 - £120,000.0 - **Contract:** Temporary contract - **Skills:** Encodings, Workflow Management Systems, SARS Software Products, Slack, Airtable - **Published:** September 5, 2026 - **Apply:** https://startup.jobs/head-of-risk-compliance-6-month-ftc-lawhive-co-uk-9913662 ## About the Role * Experience: Substantial hands-on compliance experience in an SRA-regulated law firm (normally 7+ years), including holding COLP, MLRO, or MLCO roles, or acting as a senior deputy with significant responsibility for them. * Regulated Role Capability: Proven experience exercising independent regulatory judgement and engaging senior stakeholders where regulatory and commercial considerations conflict. * Knowledge: Strong generalist knowledge across SRA Standards and Regulations, SRA Accounts Rules, MLR 2017, and UK GDPR. * Governance Understanding: Clear grasp of the 3LoD framework and the distinction between First Line supervision and Second Line independent oversight. * Operational Focus: Proven ability to manage SARs, evaluate breaches, handle FIU/SRA correspondence, oversee registers, and embed system-led controls. * Mindset: Pragmatic and commercially solutions-focused while maintaining uncompromising ethical and regulatory standards. Nice to Have: * Previous experience formally holding a COLP, MLRO, MLCO, or DPO role. * Experience working within a technology led, hybrid, or fast-paced legal startup environment. * Familiarity with modern operational and workflow tools (e.g., Intercom, Airtable, Slack). ## Description As Head of Risk & Compliance, you will serve as the reliable, independent Second Line authority for compliance across Lawhive Legal Ltd. Holding the core statutory roles (COLP, MLCO, MLRO, and DPO), your mission is to maintain uncompromised adherence to regulatory principles while demonstrating sharp commercial awareness to enable business growth safely. Having nearly completed an extensive programme to strengthen our firm-wide framework, this role offers a high degree of ownership and direct access to the Board., * Statutory Compliance: Hold the COLP, MLCO, MLRO, and DPO roles for Lawhive Legal Ltd with direct Board access, managing SRA relations and regulatory notifications, ownership of the EWRA. * Control Embedding & System Adoption: Partner with tech and ops teams as platform features land, ensuring automated compliance gates for onboarding, AML, conflicts, and client money are fully embedded and operationalised. * Commercial 2LoD Oversight: Deliver independent Second Line monitoring, challenge, and advice across regulatory, conduct, and financial crime risks. * Financial Crime & SAR Management: Evaluate internal SARs, file external SARs, manage high-risk AML escalations, and maintain financial crime risk registers. * Breaches & Escalations: Own the compliance breach framework, oversee incident/complaint reporting, and manage SRA reportability assessments. * Pragmatic Advisory: Provide authoritative regulatory guidance to business leaders and legal teams to support innovation while safeguarding standards. * Independent Judgement: Exercise independent regulatory judgement, challenge senior stakeholders constructively, and escalate issues when required. What You'll Bring Someone who will establish themselves as the go-to Second Line compliance authority across Lawhive Legal Ltd. You are unflinching on core regulatory principles, yet possess the commercial dexterity to help a fast-scaling tech platform thrive within regulatory boundaries. You enjoy taking ownership of established systems, embedding new tools, and running tight compliance operations autonomously with sound judgment. ## Related Videos - [A Brief History of Data Storage](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/974-a-brief-history-of-data-storage) - [The Vonage Trivia Voyage: Quiz Your Way to the Top!](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/761-the-vonage-trivia-voyage-quiz-your-way-to-the-top) - [Stack Overflow: Community and AI](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/600-stack-overflow-community-and-ai) - [Great DevEx and Regulatory Compliance - Possible?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1426-great-devex-and-regulatory-compliance-possible) - [My Lawyer Merged My PR: Automating OSS Compliance at Scale](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100181-my-lawyer-merged-my-pr-automating-oss-compliance-at-scale) - [JSON and Beyond](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/968-json-and-beyond) ## Related Articles - [Best Companies to work for in London: Top 25 Companies in 2023](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/187-best-companies-to-work-for-in-london-top-25-companies-in-2023) - [13 AI Tools You Have to Try](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/219-13-ai-tools-you-have-to-try) - [UK Business Culture and Etiquette](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/326-uk-business-culture-and-etiquette) - [Fully Remote Software Engineer Jobs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/447-fully-remote-software-engineer-jobs) - [Software Engineer Salary London](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/252-software-engineer-salary-london) - [The Best Co-Working Spaces in London](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/296-the-best-co-working-spaces-in-london)