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Compliance Recruitment

The Market Leader in Senior Compliance Appointments

​Rutherford, a leading compliance search firm in the UK, has built an extensive track record in the recruitment of compliance professionals in London and across the United Kingdom.

For over a decade, our expert market knowledge has enabled us to build a vast and carefully curated network of regulatory talent within financial and professional services, solidifying along the way our position as one of the UK's leading compliance and risk recruitment agencies. Our aim has always remained the same: to provide premium regulatory recruitment services to our clients all whilst offering compliance professionals the best regulatory jobs.

Our Compliance Executive Search Services

At Rutherford, we take the time to truly grasp the needs of the client and the background, skills, personality, and motivators of the candidate to find a readymade cultural fit. 

We offer best-in-class compliance executive search services to our clients, whether they take the form of retained search or contingent recruitment

No matter what option you may choose, our established compliance recruiters will headhunt the top compliance professionals in the sector, thanks to their deep market knowledge and extensive network in the industry.


Compliance Roles We Place

Chief Compliance Officer
​The Chief Compliance Officer will be leading the compliance function by overseeing the management of the firm’s compliance and governance frameworks across their business lines.
Head of Compliance
​The Head of Compliance is responsible for ensuring a business has effective systems, procedures and controls for compliance with requirements and standards under the regulatory system, including risk management, governance, Anti-Money Laundering and Data Protection.
Compliance Manager
Compliance Officer
Compliance Associate
Compliance Analyst

Find Compliance Jobs in London

Whether you are a seasoned regulatory professional or a graduate interested in joining the industry, our team of consultants will make sure to bring you the best regulatory compliance jobs available in the City covering all sectors from legal compliance jobs to financial crime compliance jobs.

Our compliance recruitment agency in London works with some of the most esteemed financial and professional services businesses in the world, allowing you to heighten your career and take on new challenges. 

Click here to see all the regulatory compliance jobs in London.

​What Is the Importance of Compliance Teams in Financial Services?

Compliance is the departmental embodiment of an organisation's moral compass. It is tasked with protecting a business and its stakeholders, both internally and externally. 

​What Does a Compliance Professional Do?

The person leading a compliance regulatory function will have to internalise conflicts and exercise supreme judgement in balancing the need to allow its business to flourish in an increasingly complex regulatory environment, whilst avoiding the potentially devastating consequences of non-compliance. 

Why Is Regulatory Compliance Recruitment Important?

The regulatory compliance sector is one that is constantly evolving, making it a very interesting field to work in. Every year, new regulations and rules are being introduced, meaning compliance professionals must always be on top of the ever-changing sector to properly assess how any regulatory update can affect a business and its activities. 

Looking for specialised compliance executive search firm in the UK? 

Requirements for Compliance Officers and other types of professionals in the industry are becoming more robust to match the fast pace of the sector, meaning it can be hard for a firm to keep ahead of its compliance recruitment efforts. Since compliance professionals require a set of niche skills, it is much easier to trust specialist compliance recruiters with talent acquisition efforts. Get in touch today with Rutherford's compliance and risk recruitment agency for your hiring needs.

The Rapid Growth Within London's Financial Services Industry 

The financial services industry is ever-evolving, with traditional practices being constantly challenged and disrupted to better serve the end customer. 

We have seen in the last decade an increasing number of start-ups and fintechs introducing new types of services to personal and professional consumers. 

What Does This Mean For Compliance Teams?

Compliance jobs have been booming in recent years mostly because of this increased action in the space and the introduction of new players in the financial services world: these firms need to be regulated in order to protect customers' assets. 

Are There Many Compliance Jobs in the Finance Sector?

The amalgamation of changed consumer habits and increased financial products offering has led to the introduction of new regulations to better protect the population. 

Financial services firms have therefore expressed the need for increased activity in compliance professionals recruitment, as they help businesses navigate through a constantly changing regulatory landscape.

Is It a Good Time to Contact Compliance Recruitment Agencies in London?

Now is the perfect time to get into compliance: we expect the sector to continue its growth trajectory as the financial services industry will continuously introduce new players and regulations. If you are interested in making a move in the field, see Rutherford's London compliance jobs

Why Trust Rutherford for Your Compliance Team Professional Recruitment Needs?

For over a decade, our compliance search firm have built an extensive track record in compliance executive search placements in the United Kingdom, in the United States and in China.

Whether you are looking to appoint a Chief Compliance Officer, a Compliance Assistant, or a Financial Crime Compliance Officer get in touch with our compliance  team to learn more about our recruitment services. 

Discover how our compliance recruitment agency in London can help you with your upcoming executive compliance professionals search.

Discover which service, Contingent Search and Retained Search, is better suited for your regulatory compliance and risk recruitment needs.​

Our compliance and risk recruitment agency in London will always aim to provide the best jobs on the market, allowing you to join some of the most renowned financial services firms in the City.

Need Help Finding a Legal Role in the US?

Contact our specialists' US compliance headhunters or see Rutherford's US regulatory compliance jobs.

94%

of permanent placements made in the last two years are still in position

89

is our Net Promoter Score (NPS) with Candidates

91

is our Net Promoter Score (NPS) with Clients

57%

of our placements so far in 2023 are from a diverse background

Compliance consultants

Testimonials

Rutherford was unreal. Recruitment does not have a great rep in my opinion with a number of folks within the sector making everyone look bad for many reasons.

Rutherford was different they worked as if it was their last placement ever. Produced more than any other agency I have ever worked with. Credit to them.

Head of Information Security, Software Company

​Rutherford sends strong candidates, they have a good conversion rate, represent us well, follows instruction and are generally really pleasant to deal with.

Experienced Hire Recruitment, Quantitative Trading Firm

Rutherford was v easy to work with, adapted to my schedule and messaging preferences and helped to prep me for the interview.

Technology, Quantative Trading Firm

I have worked with Rutherford on a number of compliance and legal searches over the years.


They have consistently helped recruit top quality individuals into the firms I have worked for. Their knowledge of the market is fantastic and, importantly, they spend time getting to know the vacancy and the firm to ensure that they put forward the right candidates.


Highly recommend their compliance recruitment firm.

COO, TT International

​There aren't enough words to express my sincere gratitude and thanks to Rutherford for their assistance in helping me land an amazing role at a phenomenal private equity firm.


Rutherford's Compliance recruitment consultants were friendly, proactive, encouraging, and extremely helpful in guiding me through the recruitment process. I never once chased them and was consistently on the receiving end of calls, getting regular updates on the progress made. They kept an open and honest line of communication and spent a considerable amount of time prepping me at each stage of the process.


Their technical knowledge coupled with their down-to-earth personality makes Rutherford undoubtedly an amazing choice of a compliance recruitment firm if you're considering a career move in the legal or compliance sectors.

Compliance Associate, Leading European Private Equity Firm

​During the time I have known Rutherford, their compliance recruitment team have shown a combination of efficiency, consistency and a frankness which is rarely found amongst their competitors. I have been consistently impressed by my compliance headhunter's attitude whenever we have interacted. He was very encouraging and patient, just a genuinely nice person too. Would highly recommend him and Rutherford, and will be eternally grateful to them for helping me secure a role at my dream firm.

Compliance Director, Generation Investment Management

Rutherford's compliance recruitment team knows the market extremely well. They know all the players in the space and can speak to each's professional history and personality. They are very open and honest when communicating roles as well as any feedback a firm has after reviewing your resume or an interview. They always make a case for their clients and are extremely thoughtful in the roles they put you up for. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to move to London! I would recommend them to any colleague or friends in the Compliance space.

Vice President - Compliance, SoftBank Investment Advisers

​Working with Rutherford was an absolute pleasure, helping me secure my new position. They were very responsive and gave a lot of support throughout each stage of the recruitment process.


I would definitely recommend their compliance recruiters to those seeking a professional move!

Compliance Professional, Lansdowne Partners

I approached Rutherford in September 2020 looking for a new role and they couldn't have been more attentive. They kept me updated, ensured clear communication through the process - from introduction to offer - and ensured I moved to the best opportunity. The team is highly attentive and hard working.

Control Room Analyst, Citadel

​We have worked with Rutherford Search on a number of occasions to find candidates for regulatory/compliance positions and I’ve always found their London compliance recruitment team to be professional and helpful. They’ve done a great job of helping us find the best possible candidates and we have always been very pleased with the service offered.


Their compliance recruiters is proactive and reliable, invested in understanding and meeting our needs as a client and, most importantly, they are able to find and suggest great candidates which meet our specific briefs. The quality of service and candidates that we have received has always been high and this is indicative of Rutherford’s well-deserved reputation in the market.

Global Head of Compliance & Regulatory, FTSE 250 Asset Manager

​Rutherford recently placed me into my future role. At all stages of the recruitment process, they has been extremely positive, has provided excellent guidance with regards to interview preparation, and ensured I was kept up to date with news from the company throughout the selection process, providing timely feedback after the end of each stage. They have been an absolute joy to work with, and if you are looking for a new Compliance role, I can’t recommend them enough!

Financial Crime Manager

Having worked in the interim MLRO/Financial Crime market for more than 10 years, I have worked with a number of recruiters and sourcing agencies. However, amongst them I found Rutherford to be more professional than most I have encountered.

I have no hesitation in recommending associates to contact them if they are looking to recruit, as I am at times when in an interim role, or if they are looking for AML or other financial crime roles in the financial services sector.

Interim MLRO, DNB

​Having made two excellent Compliance hires for our firm in London, Rutherford will be my go-to recruitment partner in the future. They fully understood our briefs and the culture they were recruiting for, which made the process efficient and transparent. My candidates were also happy with their interactions with the team, which were professional yet friendly. It was a pleasure working with them, and they would be the first firm I would recommend to others embarking on a recruitment process.

Chief Legal Officer, Eton Park International LLP

​Rutherford was instrumental in assisting Liquidnet Europe Limited in our search for a Head of Regulatory Compliance and Legal Affairs. They presented a selection of candidates with a range of experience. Each CV was a match to our requirements and to our cultural fit. This was no small feat considering the hybrid legal and compliance profile we were seeking. In the end, each area of our spec was met and the incumbent in the role is settling in nicely.

Subsequent to this search, Rutherford has also placed a contract surveillance person - again, superb match of skills to spec. The Rutherford team is personable, responsive and I highly recommend their services.

Head of HR - Global Talent Engagement, Liquidnet Europe Limited

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