The Royal College of Surgeons of England
Risk and Compliance Lead
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Job Title – Risk and Compliance Lead
Salary – from £58,786 per annum
Contract Type – Permanent, full-time (35 hours)
Location – We fully support flexible working, from our superb offices in Holborn and from home. We do require staff to spend 20% of their time in the office, subject to role requirements. This role will require to be in the office 2 to 3 days per week.
About Us
Do you want to change healthcare for the better?
Join the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) and you will be part of a professional membership organisation and registered charity that is committed to advancing surgical care. We provide world-class education, assessment and development to 30,000 surgeons and dental surgeons at all stages of their career. Our vision is to see excellent surgical care for everyone. We do this by setting professional standards, facilitating research and championing the best outcomes for patients.
Our heritage home in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Holborn
Nestled in the heart of bustling London, our beautiful heritage building in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Holborn, offers an easily accessible location steeped in history. Now transformed into a centre of excellence for surgery, it provides a welcoming place for all our members to train, meet or network, wherever they live and work.
About The Role
The Risk and Compliance Lead is a specialist role responsible for leading the operational delivery, implementation and continual development of the College's risk management, compliance, assurance and business continuity frameworks. Reporting to the Head of Governance, Compliance and Risk, the post holder will operate with a high degree of autonomy and professional judgement, providing expert advice and support to senior leaders across the College. The role will lead on embedding effective risk management practices, strengthening organisational resilience, coordinating assurance activities, overseeing compliance monitoring, managing internal audit activity and supporting the delivery of a strong governance and control environment. Working closely with Executive Directors, senior managers, committees and external assurance providers, the post holder will play a key role in enhancing organisational maturity, resilience and accountability across the College.
Duties And Responsibilities
Risk Management
- Lead the implementation and continuous development of the College's Risk Management Framework.
- Maintain and oversee the College's strategic and operational risk registers, ensuring effective risk identification, assessment, mitigation and reporting.
- Provide expert advice and challenge to senior managers and Executive Directors on risk management and organisational resilience.
- Prepare risk reports and analyses for the Executive Team, Audit and Risk Committee and Trustee Board.
- Promote and embed a positive risk culture through guidance, training and engagement with colleagues across the organisation.
Compliance and Assurance
- Lead the development and operation of compliance monitoring and assurance arrangements across the College.
- Maintain oversight of key compliance obligations, supporting managers to identify, manage and mitigate compliance risks.
- Coordinate organisational assurance activity and provide reports on compliance, risk and control effectiveness.
- Monitor developments in regulation, governance and best practice, advising on organisational implications and improvements.
- Develop and review key organisational compliance policies and processes, and support and monitor their effective communication and adoption, including ensuring training and support.
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Internal Audit
- Act as the lead co-ordinator for the College's internal audit programme and relationship with internal auditors.
- Monitor implementation of audit recommendations and agreed management actions, ensuring progress is reported and tracked.
- Support external audit and other assurance reviews as required.
Audit and Risk Committee Support
- Act as the lead officer supporting the Audit and Risk Committee, coordinating risk, compliance, assurance and internal audit reporting, managing the committee's forward programme of business, and ensuring actions and recommendations are effectively monitored and progressed.
Business Continuity and Resilience
- Lead the implementation, maintenance and testing of the College's business continuity arrangements.
- Support directorates in developing local business continuity plans and resilience measures.
- Coordinate business continuity exercises, reviews and lessons learned activity to strengthen organisational preparedness.
- Co-ordinate and support the Business Continuity Steering Group’s meetings and associated activities.
Corporate Responsibilities
- Co-ordinate and support the work of the Audit and Risk Committee
- Build effective relationships with stakeholders across the College to support delivery of governance, risk and compliance objectives.
- Support the Head of Governance, Compliance and Risk in the continuous improvement of the College's governance, assurance and control environment.
- Lead or contribute to organisational improvement projects and other duties commensurate with the seniority of the role.
Qualifications
About you
- Essential: Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience. Relevant qualification or professional training in risk management, governance, compliance, audit or business continuity, or willingness to work towards one
- Desireable: IRM, ICA, IIA, CIPFA, CGI, CBCI or equivalent professional qualification
Skills/Experience
- Significant experience in risk management, compliance, audit, assurance, governance or a related field. Experience of implementing frameworks, policies and improvement programmes across an organisation.
- Experience of working with senior stakeholders and influencing decision making.
- Experience of analysing complex information and producing high-quality reports and recommendations.
- Experience of coordinating assurance or audit activity and monitoring action plans
- Strong understanding of risk management principles and frameworks.
- Knowledge of governance, compliance and assurance practices.
- Ability to interpret regulatory and policy requirements and translate them into practical organisational arrangements.
- Strong analytical, reporting and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent IT skills including use of reporting and risk management systems
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Ability to build credibility and influence stakeholders at all levels.
- Able to work independently and exercise sound judgement.
- Strong organisational and planning skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Collaborative approach with a commitment to continuous improvement.
- High levels of integrity, discretion and professionalism.
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What’s in it for you?
- 27 days paid holiday + bank holidays and up to 4 college closure days over the festive period & other leave entitlements (carers leave, fertility treatment leave, etc.)
- Hybrid and flexible working. We require staff to spend a minimum of 20% of their time in the office, subject to role requirements.
- Enhanced contributory pension scheme
- Equal access to enhanced parenthood leave
- A range of staff and peer networks
- Employee health and wellbeing committed (Healthcare cash plan, menopause friendly, disability confident employer, mental health first aiders, EAP etc.)
- Retail discount platform
- Sabbatical and volunteering opportunities
- Variety of learning and development opportunities
Interested Candidates
If you wish to apply or if you have any questions about this position please email your CV together with a cover letter to RCSHR@rcseng.ac.uk.
Any personal data collected from you, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us in accordance with our recruitment processes. If unsuccessful in your application, your information will be held by us on our database for a period of 6 months before deletion. If you would like your information removed sooner, please contact RCSHR@rceng.ac.uk
Closing date: Friday 16 October 2026 (by midday)
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We are open to all talent and we actively ensure that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regards to age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. The Royal College of Surgeons of England is committed to protecting your privacy. We are registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). All College employees are responsible for records held, created and used as part of their work for the College including patient/client, corporate and administrative records. Records are managed according to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018 and ensure confidentiality. The College ensures that staff are trained to handle the information you submit to us with care and discretion, seeking advice where necessary.
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