Head of Risk

Sector:AML & Conflicts, Regulatory Risk
Salary/Rate:Up to £110,000
Job type:Permanent
Location:Leeds
Region:South Yorkshire
Reference:1523
Post Date:19. 05. 2026
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About the Role

We are working with a growing law firm to hire a Head of Risk. In this role, you will work closely with the Director of Risk to lead the day-to-day operational management of the Risk & Best Practice function, delivering a first-class regulatory service across all legal and business departments.

The firm is looking for an experienced risk lawyer or senior compliance professional who has advanced their career within a law firm environment. You should be a methodical professional with excellent planning and coordination skills, capable of staying calm under pressure and providing succinct, commercially focused solutions to senior stakeholders.

The responsibilities will include:

  • Overseeing the daily operations of the risk teams to ensure seamless firmwide delivery of regulatory compliance.
  • Deputising for the Director of Risk and supporting critical reporting for the Board and the Audit & Risk Committee.
  • Acting as the senior escalation point for significant regulatory, ethical, professional liability, and reputational risks.
  • Managing day-to-day incidents, near misses, data breaches, and the implementation of information barriers.
  • Maintaining specialist governance over anti-money laundering frameworks, data protection requirements, and information security standards like ISO 27001.
  • Coordinating internal audit planning and managing the firm's quality and environmental management systems.
  • Leading the firm's professional indemnity insurance renewals, claims handling, and the administration of the complaints-handling process.
  • Providing senior-level advice on client contracts, tenders, outside counsel guidelines, and complex ethical queries.
  • Driving the performance, recruitment, capacity management, and professional development of the compliance team.

Please submit your application today to start a confidential discussion.

Ref: 1523

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