Job Description

Head of Compliance

Location for this role Hybrid Manchester / North West

Office Locations:

Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Bolton, Southport, Newcastle, Reading, Birmingham, Northampton, and Cambridge

Hybrid working available

with the flexibility to work from home and collaborate in-office when needed. We believe we offer our colleagues the best hybrid and flexible working practices, balancing working from home with time collaborating and socialising with colleagues in our modern offices.

Fletchers Group have a fantastic opportunity to join our growing Team.

We are seeking a senior compliance professional with substantial experience gained within a

law firm or legal services environment

to take on the role of Head of Compliance. This is a critical leadership position for someone who understands the practical realities of legal practice and has a proven track record of managing regulatory risk, governance, and compliance within a regulated law firm setting.


Reporting directly to the Director of Compliance and working closely with the Chief Legal Officer, you will play a central role in shaping and embedding a robust compliance framework across the Group. You will act as a trusted adviser to partners and senior leaders, ensuring compliance with SRA, FCA and wider regulatory obligations, while supporting the firms continued growth, operational transformation and M&A activity.


This role is ideally suited to a compliance leader with hands-on experience in a legal compliance function potentially with a background in private practice or in-house within a law firm who can balance regulatory rigour with commercial awareness. The position is offered at Head of Compliance level, with the potential to open up Associate or Partnership status for the right candidate. You will lead by example, champion best practice, and drive a strong culture of ethical and compliant legal service delivery across the business.


If you are a proactive, commercially astute compliance professional with deep experience of law-firm regulation and a passion for continuous improvement, we would love to hear from you. Join us in shaping a safe, compliant and forward-thinking future for one of the UKs leading legal services groups.

In return Fletchers offers:

35 hours working week Bonus scheme (subject to targets being met) 35 days holiday a year including bank holidays and Christmas Closure, you also have an option to purchase up to 3 extra days holiday per year, until you long service award the 3 days after your 5th, 7th, and 9th full year of employment Pension scheme with tax-efficient salary sacrifice option Life Assurance Policy Medicash policy to cover some dental, optical and other medical expenses Company sick pay Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and IVF schemes Flexible, agile working environment with a positive work-life balance Varied calendar of funded company social events (check out Fletchers Group on LinkedIn) Monthly voucher awardsfor winning nominees A genuinely supportive and friendly culture Ongoing training and professional development opportunities

Main Responsibilities

:

Strategy & Leadership

Supporting Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) on all legal and compliance matters to ensure delivery of Fletchers strategy Close collaboration with ELT, Chief Legal Officer (CLO), Director of Compliance, Managing Director of Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and other members of ELT and SLT on all legal and compliance aspects of M&A transactions Cross-functional support on key projects, especially for the Legal Transformation, Legal Strategy and Legal Operations Teams. Supporting the CLO/COLP and Director of Compliance with all compliance and regulatory aspects of Fletchers strategy to ensure business facilitation is achieved in a safe, compliant way Working with Learning & Development Team to provide training on various matters relevant to role Working with two other Heads of Working at the start of the firms processes when dealing with cases, looking at systems and procedures to ensure compliance

People Management

Lead the team, managing the team members Develop junior support as required Coach, develop and support team members

Technical

Required level of knowledge and expertise in relevant aspects of compliance and regulation, including SRA and FCA together with ICO matters and relevant legislation including LASPO, etc. Review and advise upon all aspects of business compliance with GDPR and data privacy law Assist in drafting policies, procedure and documents in support of the business compliance with any statutory or regulatory obligations Liaise with other business stakeholders in respect of any effects of statutory or regulatory changes to their business areas and, where necessary, assist in change implementation. Review and report on any statutory or regulatory considerations in planned business changes Assist with the implementation of any matters raised by the Risk Team or the ELT Board Assist in reporting to the CLO and Risk Team (monthly) in respect of business risks and compliance-based issues Assist the legal teams and wider business in managing proactively the wider business risks Manage risk relationship with our professional indemnity insurers, and deal with any formal negligence claims Assist in dealing with day to day risk matters raised across the business with a view to reducing risk level Reporting to the Senior leadership team monthly in respect of day to day risk matters raised in their business area Build positive working relationships with all key stakeholders across the business To act as a champion for good legal practice To deliver key compliance KPIs alongside project specific KPIs

Essential Skills and Experience:

Demonstrable, senior-level compliance experience gained within a law firm or regulated legal services environment Comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of legal and regulatory compliance, with practical experience of SRA regulation and, where applicable, FCA requirements Proven experience of leading or significantly contributing to a legal compliance function, including advising senior stakeholders on regulatory risk and governance matters Strong understanding of how compliance operates in practice within a fee-earning legal environment, balancing regulatory obligations with commercial and client-driven priorities Experience of working closely with partners, solicitors, and senior leadership teams to embed a culture of ethical and compliant legal practice Ability to interpret and apply complex regulatory and legislative requirements in a pragmatic, solutions-focused manner Experience of developing, implementing and maintaining compliance policies, procedures and controls within a law firm Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge appropriately and manage sensitive compliance issues within legal practice Experience of coaching, mentoring and developing compliance professionals within a legal or professional services setting Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess risk and support informed decision-making High levels of professionalism, discretion and integrity, with a clear commitment to promoting best practice and regulatory excellence Technologically literate, with experience using systems and data to support compliance oversight and reporting within a legal services environment

Desirable Skills and Experience:

Ideally qualified as a Solicitor or a CILEX Lawyer

We reserve the right to close this role before the date specified depending on the calibre and volume of candidates.

About Fletchers Group

Fletchers is a fast-growing, dynamic law firm specialising in personal injury and clinical negligence law, with outstanding rankings in both The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. Following several strategic acquisitions, weve evolved into the Fletchers Group, with ambitious plans for continued growth and innovation.


We aspire to be the best place to work in the legal sector.


Our workplace culture is inclusive, informal, and supportive, with a strong focus on colleague wellbeing and happiness. We are proud to offer some of the best hybrid and flexible working arrangements in the industry because we understand that balance drives performance.


At Fletchers, we also value connection and collaboration. We create exciting opportunities for teams to come together and thrive. Whether youre starting your career or aiming for leadership, youll find a clear path to progress and development here from apprenticeships and professional qualifications to senior roles and Partnership.


We seek out a broad range of challenging, high-quality legal work, enabling our people to build meaningful and progressive careers. And we dont just talk about development we invest in it, with a significant proportion of our colleagues working towards relevant qualifications at any given time.


We reward those who help build our success and live our values. Our benefits package is designed to grow with you, offering real opportunities to share in our long-term strength. Our base pay and bonus structure is built to recognise and reward high performance.


Join us and be part of a law firm thats not only growing, but redefining what it means to work in legal services.


Fletchers Group is an inclusive employer with a diverse workforce: we welcome applications from any and all backgrounds. Were committed to providing a culture and environment where everyone can thrive, understanding and celebrating that no colleague is the same. Were proud of our work on the Disability Confident scheme, and we are signing up to other diversity standards to reflect our ethos.