Head of Compliance and Chief Risk Officer

Head of Compliance & Chief Risk Officer

Location: Republic of Ireland

Company: LM Operations (sister company of Marsh Finance)

Employment Type: Full-time Senior Leadership Role

About Us

LM Operations provides motor finance solutions to car dealerships, brokers, and manufacturers. We are an independent, privately owned and well-capitalised finance company with our registered office in the Republic of Ireland.

The Role

The Head of Compliance & Chief Risk Officer will be responsible for designing, implementing and overseeing LM Operations' compliance and risk management frameworks to ensure full adherence to legal and regulatory requirements.

This role will provide expert guidance to Senior Management and the Board, ensuring that risk management is embedded across all business activities and aligned with the organisation's strategic objectives.

The position involves significant interaction with regulators, the Board of Directors and internal departments, and plays a critical role in safeguarding the organisation's regulatory standing and operational resilience.

This role is a Pre-Approved Controlled Function (PCF) as defined by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Key Responsibilities Regulatory Compliance

• Promote ethical behaviour and a strong culture of regulatory responsibility across the organisation
• Manage and oversee the company's compliance programme, ensuring adherence to all regulatory requirements
• Act as the principal liaison with the Central Bank of Ireland on regulatory matters
• Complete and submit regulatory returns and ensure timely reporting
• Maintain and update compliance policies, frameworks and governance standards
• Monitor and interpret regulatory developments and advise the Board on emerging obligations
• Maintain the risk assessment framework, including oversight of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) policies and suspicious transaction reporting
• Oversee data protection compliance and conduct risk management
• Ensure staff maintain appropriate knowledge of regulatory obligations through training and awareness programmes
• Develop, implement and continuously enhance the organisation's enterprise risk management framework
• Define and maintain risk appetite, policies, processes and reporting structures
• Oversee the risk register and compliance monitoring plans
• Ensure alignment between risk management strategy, business objectives and regulatory requirements
• Monitor and report on key risk indicators and exposures
• Identify and manage emerging risks across the business

Strategic Leadership

• Provide expert advice and strategic recommendations on credit risk and broader risk management matters
• Support senior leadership and the Board in risk-informed decision-making
• Ensure risk considerations are embedded into strategic planning, product development and business initiatives

Operational Oversight

• Maintain registers of conflicts of interest and operational incidents
• Coordinate with internal and external auditors on risk and compliance matters
• Foster a strong culture of integrity, accountability and risk awareness across the organisation

Complaints Oversight

• Oversee the organisation's complaint handling framework and ensure fair, timely resolution
• Analyse complaint data and customer feedback to identify trends and drive service improvements
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, regulatory standards and internal policies
• Manage complex or escalated complaints where required

Leadership & Reporting

• Report regularly to the Board on risk exposure, compliance performance and mitigation strategies
• Provide leadership, direction and governance oversight across compliance and risk functions
• Support the organisation in maintaining a strong regulatory relationship and reputation

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Third-level qualification in Business, Finance, Law or a related discipline
• Professional qualification in Compliance (e.g., Professional Diploma in Compliance or equivalent)
• Experience in a senior compliance and/or risk role within the financial services sector
• Experience operating within a regulated financial services environment
• Previous experience holding, or eligibility to hold, one or more of the following Pre-Approved Controlled Functions (PCF) roles:
  • Head of Compliance (PCF-12)
  • Chief Risk Officer (PCF-14)
  • Head of Anti-Money Laundering / Counter-Terrorist Financing (PCF-52)
• Demonstrated ability to obtain regulatory approval from the Central Bank of Ireland

Key Skills & Attributes

• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills
• Deep understanding of financial services regulation and risk management frameworks
• Strategic thinking with strong commercial awareness
• Excellent communication and Board-level reporting capability
• High integrity, professionalism and sound judgement