Head of Compliance & MLRO Designate — London - Tallentire

This specialist global principal trading firm is hiring a Head of Compliance to lead the second-line function for its UK-authorised investment firm. The role holds SMF16 approval, reports directly to the Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, and sits at the centre of a lean, high-performing London operation. The firm trades actively across European venues, runs a sophisticated algorithmic book, and operates in a regulatory environment where compliance is a genuine business enabler. You will own the framework end-to-end, be the firm's voice with the FCA, and have a real seat at the table on commercial decisions. Role • True ownership. You are the senior compliance voice in the UK — no layers above you locally, no committee diluting your judgement. • Direct line to the CRCO and the trading leadership. Compliance is treated as a strategic function, not a checkbox. • Small team, sharp people, fast decisions. The kind of environment where good ideas get implemented in days, not quarters. • Genuine technical interest — algorithmic surveillance, RTS 8 monitoring, ICARA design, and a regulatory perimeter that rewards people who understand how markets actually work. The mandate • Lead the firm's compliance framework, monitoring plan, and FCA engagement; hold SMF16 and discharge SM&CR responsibilities for the legal entity. • Support the risk management framework and ICARA process under IFPR, including the annual MIF007 return. • Oversee market making obligations under MiFID II RTS 8 across all trading venues — quoting, spreads, stressed-market rules. • Own the market abuse surveillance programme; calibrate alerts for algorithmic activity, manage STOR submissions, and engage with the FCA on UK MAR. • Lead the financial crime programme (AML, sanctions, ABC); act as MLRO or oversee the MLRO function. • Drive operational resilience, third-party risk, and the regulatory training programme. • Set the conduct and control tone for the UK entity. You will likely have • Current or prior FCA SMF16 & 17 approval • 15+ years in compliance and/or risk at an FCA-authorised investment firm, with genuine senior leadership scars. • Direct experience inside an algorithmic market making, principal trading, or sell-side electronic trading business. You understand what a market maker actually does and why the regulatory architecture looks the way it does. • Deep working knowledge of MiFID II/MiFIR, UK MAR, IFPR/MIFIDPRU, and the FCA Handbook • A track record running an ICARA and submitting MIF returns • Hands-on experience designing market abuse surveillance for algorithmic flow. • The temperament for a small, high-trust environment.