HR Regulatory Compliance Specialist

Location: Hybrid to Manchester/Peterborough/Tunbridge Wells

Role Overview

We are seeking a HR Regulatory Compliance Specialist who will play a key role in the development and execution of the people strategy, ensuring alignment with both business and regulatory compliance objectives. This role requires deep expertise in core people functions and their alignment with regulatory frameworks, governance and risk management, alongside strong commercial acumen.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Executive and Risk and Compliance teams and will act as a strategic partner on teams to ensure effective management of people related risks, application and further embedding SM&CR requirements and to lead on people related regulatory change.

The role will be involved in the implementation of the Target Operating Model providing input to people, structure, governance processes to ensure regulatory requirements are met. They will include large scale transformation initiatives across a complex environment.

Key Responsibilities

Shape and deliver the organisation’s people, culture and compliance strategy, ensuring strong alignment to business priorities, Target Operating Model objectives and regulatory expectations
Act as a trusted advisor to the executive team on people-related regulation, governance and workforce challenges, providing pragmatic, actionable guidance to enhance organisational effectiveness
Own and oversee people-related compliance, culture and governance within a highly regulated environment, ensuring adherence to frameworks such as SMCR, PRA, conduct risk and governance standards
Establish and maintain robust governance, controls, documentation and audit‑ready processes across people, compliance and transformation activity
Serve as a key point of contact for regulators on matters relating to people, culture, conduct and organisational effectiveness
Partner closely with Risk and Compliance functions to identify, assess and mitigate people‑related risks throughout business as usual and transformation activity
Lead enterprise-wide change and regulatory aligned transformation initiatives, combining strategic oversight with hands on delivery of critical programmes where required
Contribute to and assure the delivery of the Target Operating Model, embedding regulatory requirements, clear accountability and evidence of compliance throughout
Track delivery against defined milestones, managing risks, dependencies and stakeholder expectations to ensure disciplined execution and strong adoption
Ensure transformation initiatives are delivered with minimal disruption to the business, maintaining regulatory alignment, operational stability and sustained outcomes

Key Skills and Experience

Essential:

Senior, hands‑on HR and compliance leader with significant experience in large, complex and highly regulated UK financial services organisations
Proven leadership experience within a UK‑regulated bank or financial institution, operating credibly under FCA and PRA scrutiny
Demonstrable accountability under the Senior Managers & Certification Regime, with strong understanding of senior manager responsibilities, conduct rules and certification
Strong track record of delivering enterprise‑wide transformation, including Target Operating Model implementation, restructuring and operating model change
Extensive core HR / people function expertise, including governance, workforce strategy and organisational effectiveness within a regulated environment
Solid understanding of conduct risk, culture and governance frameworks in financial services
Proven experience managing regulatory interactions, audits and remediation activity with successful outcomes
Strong knowledge of UK employment law and its practical application within regulated institutions
Experience leading complex programmes or projects, with a disciplined approach to governance, risk management and audit readiness
High integrity and resilience, with a strong focus on conduct, ethics and delivery at pace
Clear, confident communicator, able to translate complex regulatory and organisational issues for senior stakeholders

Desirable:

Experience aligning people strategy with operational resilience, outsourcing and third party risk requirements
Experience delivering cost optimisation and large‑scale organisational redesign
Hands on experience implementing people processes through HRIS platforms (Dayforce desirable but not essential)
Background working closely with Risk and Compliance functions in a second or first line capacity