NEDs in FS

The role of the NED is to:

• Bring independent oversight and constructive challenge to the Executive Directors and Senior Leadership Team.  
• Provide a creative and informed contribution to strategy formation and act as a constructive critic in looking at the objectives and plans devised by the Chief Executive and the Executive Team. 
• Monitor the performance of executive management, especially with regard to the progress made towards achieving the determined strategy and objectives.
• Satisfy themself on the integrity of financial information and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible.

Successful candidates will have experience and understanding of risk and compliance in the context of PRA regulation, preferably gained in a bank or building society. You are likely to have experience of credit risk, Consumer Duty or Conduct of Business rules. You will have had exposure to and an understanding of a Board-level Risk Committee in a regulated financial services firm. 

​You will share a commitment to the Society’s mission and be motivated by a desire to further it. You will act with the highest levels of integrity and personal accountability, candour, appropriate challenge, rigour and the timely sharing of information and concerns; and with the willingness to work together in the best interests of the Society and its Members.

Applications are now closed

Key Responsibilities:

1. Leadership & Governance: Lead and chair the Board Risk Committee to ensure effective risk management practices. Ensure robust oversight of risk management functions, facilitating discussions and decision-making processes that promote a culture of risk awareness across the bank.

2. Risk Oversight: Oversee the identification, assessment, and mitigation of key risks, including credit, liquidity, market, and operational risks in alignment with the bank’s risk appetite and regulatory expectations. Ensure effective implementation of the bank’s risk management framework, with regular reviews and adjustments to ensure its continued effectiveness.

3. Regulatory Compliance: Monitor adherence to PRA/FCA regulations and ensure the bank’s risk management practices meet regulatory standards. Oversee the annual stress testing and assessment of the bank’s resilience against key risks and emerging threats.

4. Strategy & Risk Appetite: Lead the process of articulating the bank’s risk appetite, ensuring it is integrated into business strategies and operations. Ensure alignment of risk appetite with the bank’s strategic objectives and regulatory expectations.

5. Reporting & Communication: Provide bi-annual reports on the assessment of the bank’s strategy and performance, highlighting key risks and mitigation measures. Ensure accurate, timely, and transparent communication regarding risk matters to the Board and relevant stakeholders.

6. Collaboration & Risk Culture: Foster a culture of open discussion and challenge around risk within the Board and senior management team. Ensure effective collaboration with the CEO, HORC, COO, and other key executives to support risk awareness and decision-making.

7. Continuous Improvement: Promote continuous improvement in the bank’s risk governance framework and ensure that best practices are adopted. Champion the integration of risk management processes in all business areas, ensuring long-term sustainability and compliance.

Regulatory Requirements: This is a Senior Management Function (SMF10) role, subject to approval by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The successful candidate must demonstrate fitness and propriety in accordance with the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR).

Applications are now closed

This role may appeal to a candidate who is a qualified accountant with substantial experience in regulated financial services. Ideally, your background will include working in fund management, wealth management, ACDs, or financial operations within a similar investment or regulatory environment. While prior Independent Non-Executive Director experience is not obligatory, expertise in governance, committees and comparable leadership roles will be highly regarded. Experience working withing rapidly growing businesses, commercial insight, and a reasonable grasp of the UK regulatory landscape for investment firms.

As an Independent Non-Executive Director, your role encompasses providing oversight, offering challenge and different perspectives to shape strategic decisions and represent investor interests. Drawing on your background, you will enhance regulatory compliance, risk management, and financial performance evaluation.

Preferred skills and experience

Finance, Accounting & Audit: Professional accountancy qualification with post-qualification experience in senior finance roles; in-depth understanding of financial reporting, fund accounting, audit processes and internal controls; ability to lead or contribute to audit and risk committees, and provide financial challenge to strategic decisions; familiarity with capital and liquidity planning, management accounts, and performance monitoring.

Financial Services Regulation & Compliance: Strong understanding of FCA regulations, including CASS, COLL and SYSC requirements as they relate to fund managers and ACDs; experience navigating financial regulatory reporting, governance, and risk management in investment firms; prior exposure to regulatory engagement, compliance frameworks and oversight functions.

Governance and Strategic Oversight: Previous experience as a Non-Executive Director or member of a governance, audit, or risk committee preferred; sound judgement and experience providing independent oversight in regulated entities; ability to contribute to board-level strategy discussions, with an understanding of risk-reward trade-offs.

Strategic Vision and Leadership: Demonstrated ability to contribute to strategic discussions and long-term planning, ensuring alignment with the company’s goals and objectives; strong communication skills to facilitate effective collaboration with fellow board members, executive management, and stakeholders; a history of providing independent and impartial insights, enhancing the board’s decision-making processes.

Industry Network and Reputation: A well-established professional network within the accounting and audit sector, including connections with industry experts, regulatory bodies, and potential partners; a strong personal reputation for integrity, ethics, and credibility, contributing to the company’s image and relationships with stakeholders.

Job Specification

As an Independent Non-Executive Director, you will play a crucial role in providing oversight, governance, and strategic guidance to this FCA-regulated company. Your responsibilities will include:

• Attending regular board meetings to review client outcome delivery, financial performance, compliance, risk management, and strategic initiatives. Meetings will be held in person quarterly and scheduled well in advance.
• You should also expect to be asked to attend several ad-hoc meetings each year, which at times may only offer short-notice, where situations demand it.
• Serving and potentially chairing other governance oversight committees, particularly the Finance Committee.
• Offering independent insights and recommendations to support and challenge the board’s decision-making processes.
• Monitoring and ensuring the company’s adherence to FCA regulations, industry best practices, and corporate governance standards.
• Overseeing executive management’s operational processes, risk management frameworks, and compliance procedures.
• Contributing to the development of the company’s long-term strategy, identifying growth opportunities and potential areas of improvement.
• Building and maintaining relationships with fellow board members, executive leadership, industry peers, and regulatory authorities.
• Demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning and staying updated on relevant regulatory changes and industry trends.

Job requirements

It is expected that the role will require the equivalent of 4-6 working days per quarter. Office attendance (Birmingham) for scheduled committee meetings and you should expect to attend the office to speak to management and staff where this will aid your role. You will be an employed member of the company and will receive a regular competitive PAYE salary and other benefits. You will be expected to commit to professional learning and development, including scheduled annual training provided by the company in areas of compliance, anti-money laundering, fraud and financial crime, operational resilience and cyber-crime.

Applications are now closed.

Knowledge and skills required:

• Significant experience of chief executive officer roles in one or more organisations
• Independent Non-Executive experience in Insurance, ideally personal lines with affinity distribution channel experience
• Financial acumen
• Customer-centric, commercial and digitally focused with direct experience or oversight of transformation
• Commitment to ethical business practices and social responsibility.
• Be able to strike the right balance of governance and risk advocacy
• Enjoy working within an entrepreneurial, agile culture
• Be an active contributor with a constructive challenger mind set
• Be pragmatic over principled
• Have experience of strategic challenge whilst being able to build consensus with a broad range of stakeholders
• Extensive network within the Insurance/Financial Services sectors
• Experience of M&A
• International experience within Europe and operates with a global outlook.

Applications are now closed.

Candidate criteria:

• Deep knowledge of wholesale markets, including: agency brokerage in global equities, derivatives and commodities for a diverse institutional client base; investment management services for UCITS funds and SMAs; and corporate brokerage services to LSE/AIM listed companies.
• Experience working with entrepreneurial boards of similar size and complexity.
• A sound understanding of the UK regulatory landscape and FCA expectations, including experience supporting firms through evolving compliance or governance requirements. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the firm’s governance during a period of growth and evolution.

Applications are now closed.

The roles

The FOS is looking for two dynamic Non-Executive Directors whose skills and experience will complement the diversity of the current Board, bringing strong oversight, support and challenge, as they work to meet their strategic objectives and deliver on their core purpose. They are interested in individuals with Executive and/or Board level experience who bring an understanding of working in complex, highly regulated environments, and who have specific experience and knowledge of one or more of the following areas: workforce and HR, remuneration or legal.

The appointment of the NED’s of the Financial Ombudsman Service will be made by the FCA. The recruitment process is being handled by Gatenby Sanderson and more information about the role and application process is available at GatenbySanderson.com. Applications are now closed.

Main responsibilities include:

• Providing strategic advice and support to the board of directors, often with a focus on checking and challenging to ensure adequate and effective controls are in place
• Ensuring the company operates in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements, and that internal controls are effective
• Identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks to the company
• Maintaining relationships with shareholders, executive directors, and regulatory bodies.

Candidate criteria:

• Experience serving on boards, understanding governance considerations, and ensuring high performance.
• Proven experience working in the financial services industry, with a focus on the Consumer Finance Sector.
• Familiarity with diverse business functions such as Audit, Compliance, and Risk.

How to apply: this role is being handled exclusively via CLARC recruitment. Applications are now closed.