Risk and Compliance Executive

Schillings is a multidisciplinary advisory firm with expertise in reputation, privacy and security.

We work with UK and international clients to successfully manage high-stakes opportunities and threats, using a unique combination of capabilities: legal; intelligence; communications; security and diplomacy.

We believe everyone has a right to fair treatment of their reputation, to a reasonable expectation of privacy and to feel safe.

Our experts sit within their specialist team but day-to-day work in multidisciplinary teams solving client problems. They are supported by our business services teams: Clients and Markets, HR, Finance, Risk and Compliance, IT and Client Services. 

Because we are a growth business, opportunities appear in all areas and at all levels.   We have the largest team of specialist media lawyers in the world, an expanding Intelligence & Investigations team, a growing Critical Risks unit, an evolving Digital Resilience practice, and a new communications agency – Schillings Communications – that will grow significantly in the next three years. 

Schillings is a collaborative, fun and welcoming place to work, with a positive culture, strong values and a developed service ethic.  We require commitment, diligence, agility and professionalism, and in return provide competitive packages and incredibly stimulating and interesting work.  We are committed to sharing learning and creating development opportunities so you can progress your career with us. Our people’s career trajectory and longevity at Schillings is a good example of this: a third of our people have been at the business for over five years. Join us and become part of our story.

Job Title: Risk & Compliance Executive

Contract: Permanent, full-time

Reporting to: Senior Risk & Compliance Manager

Salary: £35,000 - £40,000

Job Purpose:

The growth of our business both in the UK and internationally, as well as expanding the services we provide to our clients, necessitates an increasingly specialised and professional risk and compliance function. The Risk & Compliance team protects the interests of Schillings, while also ensuring the business can operate effectively and continue to pursue exciting opportunities within a regulated environment.

The Risk & Compliance Executive will serve as the first port of call for client and matter opening, and supplier onboarding, working collaboratively with all areas of the firm to onboard clients and third parties in a professional and timely manner. The Executive will have the unique opportunity to develop and lead on the firm's KYC/AML policies, processes and systems alongside the firm’s newly placed Onboarding Manager, providing in-house advisory support, giving commercial risk and compliance advice and training to internal stakeholders.

The Risk & Compliance Executive will be able to work quickly and efficiently within a team environment and will support the Risk & Compliance team in providing a high-quality service to our internal and external clients.

Role Accountabilities:

• Coordination of the client onboarding process, which includes:
• Daily coordination of the end-to-end client and matter opening process, including running due diligence and risk checks for all new work opportunities, conducting initial assessment of results and determining any next steps or actions required
• Contributing to ongoing improvements to the client and matter opening systems and processes
• Reviewing and updating the firm's AML risk assessment and source of funds checks
• Daily monitoring and reporting on OFSI / OFAC / EU sanctions lists
• Ensuring matter opening risk assessments are completed
• Co-ordinating file transfers – recalling files from archives and organising resourcing
• Adding client and matter risk flags to the client relationship management (CRM) system and monitoring deadlines
• Conducting matter risk reviews, including regular high-risk matter reviews, and file reviews, providing advice on key risks and mitigations to matter teams.
• Coordination of the supplier onboarding process, which includes:
• Liaising with internal stakeholders and with suppliers, advising on onboarding requirements
• Sending out due diligence questionnaires using the firm’s third-party due diligence software, reviewing due diligence information
• Reviewing contractual agreements, terms of business and confidentiality agreements, advising on risk areas and drafting amendments
• Assisting with the development of system and process improvements on the supplier onboarding platform
• Entering information into CRM, monitoring renewal deadlines and review dates
• Assisting with various Team administration tasks, which includes:
• Monitoring team inbox
• Taking enquiries and escalating to other team members as appropriate
• Scheduling meetings both externally and internally, circulating agendas and minute-taking
• Managing and updating the team intranet page as necessary
• Filing Risk & Compliance documents
• Ad hoc cover and overflow support for other members of the Risk & Compliance team.
• Ad hoc administrative tasks.
• Assisting with various business administration tasks, which includes:
• Updating the firm’s SRA profile including adding or removing solicitors from the organisation page
• Collating information and drafting responses to third party requests including client requests for information and insurance-related enquiries.
• Providing advice and recommendations to management and staff on a range of risk and compliance matters, acting in accordance with established policies and procedures, legislative requirements and professional standards.
• Working with the Senior Risk & Compliance Manager and Onboarding Manager to keep the firm’s risk and compliance programme under review, ensuring that it continues to meet all relevant standards and legislation. This includes supporting with:
• Developing, maintaining, and revising policies and procedures covering all areas of compliance and business risk.
• Delivery of training as required, promoting awareness of internal controls and policy requirements and ensuring employee engagement and commitment to best practice.
• Keeping abreast of regulatory developments and understanding how the firm may be impacted – this may involve being proactive in updating colleagues on relevant regulatory changes and industry news.
• Identifying and implementing improvements across the risk and compliance function, including technical and systems improvements, consulting with stakeholders across the business as appropriate.
• Working with team members to deliver projects, including project planning, identifying key actions, milestones and KPIs, and updating stakeholders.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

Essential:

• At least three years’ experience in a risk and compliance, client onboarding or audit function in a regulated law firm
• Experience of working in compliance with SRA regulations, particularly around KYC/CDD, conflicts of interest and sanctions compliance
• Unflappable and confident interacting with colleagues across the business, able to manage various stakeholder expectations
• Excellent problem-solving, negotiation and communication skills
• Methodical, highly organised and excellent attention to detail
• A good team player who is proactive and flexible in approach to work.

Desirable:

• Experience of third-party risk management, contractual negotiation and data protection compliance
• Interest in seeking to identify and resolve process inefficiencies
• Familiarity with compliance and due diligence databases and systems, including but not limited to Legl, OneTrust, World-Check, and Companies House.

Life at Schillings

Given our audacious (and successful) business strategy, it is not surprising that Schillings has a very strong culture. The atmosphere is highly collaborative and focused on excellence. We have worked hard over the years to develop a coaching culture and are remarkably non-hierarchical, especially given our roots as a law firm. Schillings has adopted a set of values to put at the heart of this change and they reflect the intention and tenor of our ambitious plans. They are: ‘Innovative; Bold; United; and Excellent’. Our client list speaks for the outstanding results that have been delivered over many years and the task now is to grow without losing any of the commitment to delivering for clients or the service ethos. Finding people who share our values and can thrive in this environment is key to our success.

It takes a unique mix of people to create something truly great. We appreciate that diversity of thought, background and culture creates the best environment to truly innovate, solve problems and achieve our goals. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds – if you are driven and want to achieve your best then we will give you the platform and support to succeed.

Please let us know if there are any extenuating circumstances we should consider, or any adjustments we may need to make to our selection process, when making your application.

Find our candidate privacy notice here, Candidate Privacy Notice (schillingspartners.com)