Governance and Compliance Senior Manager

Governance and Compliance Manager A leading accountancy and advisory firm is seeking a Governance and Compliance Manager to play a pivotal role in strengthening regulatory frameworks, supporting senior statutory roleholders, and ensuring the business continues to grow with confidence and integrity. This position offers you the chance to work within a certified B Corp environment that values sustainability, transparency, and responsible governance. You will benefit from flexible hybrid working arrangements, a people-first culture, and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing and professional development. If you are passionate about making a meaningful impact through robust compliance practices while enjoying genuine opportunities for career progression, this is an exceptional opportunity to join a forward-thinking organisation where your contributions truly matter. * Join a top 40 accountancy and advisory firm with over 130 years of history, committed to balancing profit with purpose as one of the few Certified B Corporations in the sector. * Enjoy flexible hybrid working options, generous holiday entitlement that increases with promotion, enhanced family leave policies, private medical insurance including mental health cover, and access to sustainable transport schemes. * Benefit from clear development pathways, professional qualifications support, internal mentoring programmes, and leadership development initiatives that empower you to shape your career journey.

What you'll do:

As Governance and Compliance Manager you will be instrumental in ensuring that systems, processes, and controls underpinning regulatory compliance operate seamlessly throughout the organisation. Your day-to-day activities will involve collaborating closely with senior statutory roleholders—such as Practice Assurance Principal, Audit Compliance Partner, Ethics Partner, Bribery Officer, and MLRO—to ensure frameworks remain current and consistently applied. You will coordinate internal audits across multiple disciplines; prepare for external regulatory visits; manage policy lifecycles; oversee risk registers; analyse governance data; handle complaints logging; support M&A due diligence; lead integration work for new teams; drive project management initiatives; communicate regularly with stakeholders; embed good governance into everyday practice; provide clarity on emerging issues; escalate risks appropriately; deliver training sessions; maintain registers related to gifts or hospitality; ensure all filings are up-to-date; track progress against governance measures; prepare board-level insights; facilitate smooth operations so senior leaders can focus on strategic engagement. Your success in this role will come from your ability to bring structure, clarity, empathy, collaboration skills—and above all—a constructive mindset that helps foster trust across teams.

• Act as the operational lead for the firm's regulatory calendar by tracking deadlines and obligations, preparing materials for review and signoff by statutory roleholders.
• Manage annual returns, forms, and day-to-day liaison with regulatory bodies such as ICAEW, ensuring all documentation is accurate and timely.
• Coordinate internal reviews and audits across areas like DPB, Client Money, and Probate by gathering evidence, maintaining records, and quality checking outputs.
• Prepare regulatory readiness packs and documentation for external visits from bodies such as ICAEW/FRC/DPB in close collaboration with statutory officers.
• Work alongside company secretarial teams on annual filings while keeping regulatory and legal structure information up to date at all times.
• Own the policy lifecycle by drafting, updating, maintaining version control, coordinating publication, and communicating changes effectively across the business.
• Carry out gap analyses on policies and support training initiatives so teams understand how regulations apply to their daily work.
• Oversee the Gifts & Hospitality policy by maintaining registers and ensuring compliance with internal standards.
• Maintain the firmwide risk register by coordinating departmental inputs, tracking mitigation actions, developing insights for leadership, and supporting continuous improvement of risk processes.
• Lead governance-related projects from scoping through delivery by bringing structure, clear milestones, regular updates, and effective change management.

What you bring:

To succeed as Governance and Compliance Manager you will bring proven experience gained within governance or compliance functions—ideally within professional accountancy services—where you have developed a deep understanding of regulatory environments such as those governed by ICAEW. Your background should include hands-on involvement in managing complex calendars of obligations; preparing detailed submissions for statutory review; conducting internal audits or reviews; overseeing policy lifecycles from drafting through communication; analysing trends in governance data; handling sensitive complaints processes; supporting due diligence during mergers or acquisitions; leading multi-team projects requiring careful planning. Your interpersonal skills will enable you to collaborate effectively across departments while guiding others through change. You will demonstrate empathy when supporting colleagues’ understanding of policies or regulations. Your written communication must be clear enough for both technical experts and non-specialists alike. Analytical thinking allows you to spot trends or risks early while your commitment to inclusion ensures everyone feels welcome. Experience negotiating contracts adds value but is not essential if you show willingness to learn. Above all else your reliability—combined with sensitivity towards others’ needs—will make you an integral part of this supportive team.

• Experience in governance, compliance, risk or quality roles within professional accountancy services is essential for this position.
• A strong understanding of ICAEW environments along with familiarity with relevant regulatory frameworks is required to excel in this role.
• Proven ability to act as an operational lead supporting statutory roleholders while preparing high-quality materials for senior regulatory review is highly valued.
• Excellent analytical skills enabling you to turn complex data into meaningful insights that inform decision-making are crucial.
• Experience with contractual drafting and negotiation—including supplier agreements or client terms—is desirable but not mandatory.
• Outstanding written communication skills allowing you to create clear policies and practical reports are necessary for success.
• Confidence when working with senior leaders combined with the ability to guide teams through periods of change is important.
• A constructive approach focused on solutions coupled with calm management of multiple priorities will help you thrive here.
• Commitment to inclusion, diversity and talent development aligns well with organisational values.
• Ability to support GDPR compliance through ongoing training ensures all work meets data protection obligations.

What sets this company apart:

This organisation stands out as one of the few Certified B Corporations within its sector—a testament to its unwavering commitment to balancing profit with purpose. With over 130 years of heritage yet a thoroughly modern outlook rooted in sustainability and transparency, it supports clients ranging from entrepreneurs to multinational groups both locally and internationally. Employees enjoy flexible hybrid working arrangements that allow them to balance life’s demands alongside fulfilling careers. The benefits package is thoughtfully curated: private medical insurance (including mental health cover), health cash plans covering everyday costs like dental or optical care plus an Employee Assistance Programme for wellbeing support. Generous pension contributions help secure your future while group life assurance provides peace of mind for loved ones. Cashback portals offer savings at hundreds of retailers while cycle-to-work schemes promote healthy commuting options—including electric vehicle schemes for sustainable travel. Free mortgage advice assists home-buying journeys while season ticket loans ease travel expenses. Enhanced family leave policies reflect genuine care for employees’ lives outside work. Holiday entitlements increase as you progress—rewarding loyalty over time. Professional growth is prioritised via clear development pathways supported by study funding for qualifications plus mentoring/coaching schemes tailored around your goals—not just metrics. Leadership programmes nurture future talent while regular check-ins ensure ongoing feedback loops between staff members at every level. Inclusion isn’t just encouraged—it’s embedded into every aspect of workplace culture so everyone can thrive regardless of background or identity.

What's next:

If you are ready to take your next step in a supportive environment where your expertise makes a real difference every day—apply now!

Apply today by clicking on the link provided—your future career could start here.

Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates