Head of Compliance & MLRO Designate London

This specialist global principal trading firm is hiring a Head of Compliance to lead the second-line function for its UK-authorised investment firm. The role holds SMF16 approval, reports directly to the Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, and sits at the centre of a lean, high-performing London operation. The firm trades actively across European venues, runs a sophisticated algorithmic book, and operates in a regulatory environment where compliance is a genuine business enabler. You will own the framework end-to-end, be the firm's voice with the FCA, and have a real seat at the table on commercial decisions.

Role

1. True ownership. You are the senior compliance voice in the UK — no layers above you locally, no committee diluting your judgement.
2. Direct line to the CRCO and the trading leadership. Compliance is treated as a strategic function, not a checkbox.
3. Small team, sharp people, fast decisions. The kind of environment where good ideas get implemented in days, not quarters.
4. Genuine technical interest — algorithmic surveillance, RTS 8 monitoring, ICARA design, and a regulatory perimeter that rewards people who understand how markets actually work.

The mandate

1. Lead the firm's compliance framework, monitoring plan, and FCA engagement; hold SMF16 and discharge SM&CR responsibilities for the legal entity.
2. Support the risk management framework and ICARA process under IFPR, including the annual MIF007 return.
3. Oversee market making obligations under MiFID II RTS 8 across all trading venues — quoting, spreads, stressed-market rules.
4. Own the market abuse surveillance programme; calibrate alerts for algorithmic activity, manage STOR submissions, and engage with the FCA on UK MAR.
5. Lead the financial crime programme (AML, sanctions, ABC); act as MLRO or oversee the MLRO function.
6. Drive operational resilience, third-party risk, and the regulatory training programme.
7. Set the conduct and control tone for the UK entity.

You will likely have

1. Current or prior FCA SMF16 & 17 approval
2. 15+ years in compliance and/or risk at an FCA-authorised investment firm, with genuine senior leadership scars.
3. Direct experience inside an algorithmic market making, principal trading, or sell-side electronic trading business. You understand what a market maker actually does and why the regulatory architecture looks the way it does.
4. Deep working knowledge of MiFID II/MiFIR, UK MAR, IFPR/MIFIDPRU, and the FCA Handbook
5. A track record running an ICARA and submitting MIF returns
6. Hands-on experience designing market abuse surveillance for algorithmic flow.
7. The temperament for a small, high-trust environment.