FCA Compliance Counsel

Retail finance / Consumer Credit solicitor sought for FCA Compliance Counsel opportunity at FTSE listed JD Sports Fashion PLC (JD). Greater Manchester with hybrid working available.


BCL Legal is delighted to partner with The JD Group, one of the North West's largest and most successful listed businesses. The company has once again posted record revenues, and continues its phenomenal growth globally.

JD Sports Fashion Plc (JD) is a leading FTSE 60 international multichannel retailer of sports, fashion and outdoor brands. Established in 1981, with a single store in the North West, JD now operates internationally in over 32 territories. The JD Group has over 3,400 stores across a number of retail fascias and embraces the latest online and instore digital technology, providing it with a truly multichannel and international platform for future growth. They combine globally recognised brands such as Nike, adidas, Puma and The North Face, with strong private labels such as Pink Soda and Supply & Demand.

JD has a dynamic, forward thinking culture and working environment, at the cutting edge of retail and technology. It also has an impressive and ongoing track record of making acquisitions, and it is committed to improving and maintaining high levels of corporate governance.


Role - FCA Compliance Counsel

As JD's first FCA Compliance Counsel you will report directly to the Head of Legal Compliance (a newly created role) and will play a key role in JD's management of FCA compliance risk. You will help establish a culture at JD that is FCA compliant, and you will be responsible for identifying and advising on FCA compliance risks, designing and implementing an FCA compliance programme, investigating suspected FCA compliance breaches, monitoring FCA compliance and continually improving FCA compliance measures.

You will work collaboratively with colleagues in the Group Legal Team and the wider business, helping to ensure that financial services related legal and regulatory changes are effectively identified and implemented - in particular, those that relate to existing and future consumer credit products.

More specifically, you will: advise on product development, design, financial promotions and product servicing; prepare compliance reporting to meet both internal and external regulatory requirements; draft consumer contracts and other relevant documentation; advise on FCA risk management; provide regular updates to the FCA; ensure relevant stakeholders are aware of regulatory changes; design and deliver an effective and engaging FCA compliance programme, and education and training programme; lead any FCA investigations for the JD Group; undertake "horizon scanning" for future developments; and generally promote an FCA compliance culture within JD.


About you:

JD seeks to recruit an experienced lawyer with a retail finance and consumer credit background to join it's fast-paced Legal Team as FCA Compliance Counsel.

We are looking for candidates who can provide expert advice, guidance and strategy to the Company's Senior Management Team and Board on all areas of FCA compliance, and applications are encouraged from UK qualified solicitors with at least 4 years' PQE, ideally working in the financial services department of a large international/national law firm, preferably with in-house Consumer Credit Act experience in a customer facing industry sector.

It is essential that you have extensive technical knowledge of consumer credit, retail finance and FCA policies, and you must demonstrate the ability to understand how to manage FCA compliance risks.


Location:

The JD Group office is situated in Bury, Greater Manchester. Hybrid working is available and applications from lawyers based in other areas of the UK are welcomed.

As JD Group is an international business, an element of international travel is required in this role.


If you have experience in the areas above, and you are a qualified lawyer from an international practice and/or large in-house organisation, please get in touch for a confidential discussion with Alison McKee or Craig Wilson at BCL Legal.

This assignment is being handled exclusively by BCL Legal.