Head of Standards

We are currently recruiting a Head of Standards for a Permanent contract. 

This role is hybrid, both working from home and in our Edinburgh hub. They will need to be in the hub at least monthly.

We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly between home and the hub to suit their needs and preferences, in line with our hybrid working policy.

Colleagues are able to work their hours flexibly, in line with core business hours and requirements. We also offer formalised flexible working agreements.  

The starting salary is £82,935

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter to HRsupport@actuaries.org.uk by the closing date of Sunday 8 February. Interviews will take place on 17 and 19 February.

Purpose of the job

This role holder will be responsible for ensuring that a robust and proportionate professional standards and discipline framework is in place at the IFoA, demonstrably serving the public interest and upholding standards on behalf of the profession, protecting its brand and reputation.

This is the senior manager within the Executive responsible for the IFoA’s professional standards and discipline frameworks, which currently includes the Disciplinary Scheme, Disciplinary Regulations, the Actuaries Code, Actuarial Profession Standards (APSs) and regulatory guidance. 

The role holder will also be responsible for delivery of the IFoA’s disciplinary investigations function. 

Dimensions

• Responsible for ensuring the IFoA has in place robust and proportionate professional standards (currently including the Actuaries Code, APSs and regulatory Guidance) that meet best practice for a Royal Charter professional body of the IFoA’s standing.
• Ensuring that the standards framework is informed by: the IFoA’s public interest horizon-scanning work, relevant information gathered through its thematic reviews of actuarial work; and practical expert insight from the IFoA’s Members.
• Leading on engagement with the FRC’s Supervision and Standards teams in relation to the IFoA’s standards and disciplinary functions.
• Involved in progressing updates to Memorandums of Understanding with fellow regulators and with our oversight body.
• Responsible for maintaining an appropriate disciplinary framework and ensuring that there are appropriate policies and procedures in place in relation to the IFoA’s enforcement of its professional standards.
• The role holder will act as Head of Disciplinary Investigations for the purposes of the Disciplinary Scheme, with specific formal responsibilities for key disciplinary investigations decisions in terms of the current disciplinary process.
• The role holder will also lead on the investigation of more complex and sensitive disciplinary complaints.
• The role holder may also be expected to present, or instruct Counsel to present, more serious or difficult cases at disciplinary hearings.
• Responsible for coordinating with relevant statutory/professional regulators, including the FRC’s Actuarial Discipline team and/or relevant law enforcement agencies in relation to connected investigations/proceedings.

Principal accountabilities

• Providing expert advice to the IFoA’s leadership and appropriate Boards and Committees on strategy and best practice around standards and discipline. 
• Providing regulatory and disciplinary legal advice to the IFoA. 
• Leading on the IFoA’s approach to maintaining standards, including change initiatives.
• Leading and inspiring the team delivering the IFoA’s activities relating to standards and disciplinary investigations.
• Member of the IFoA’s Senior Leadership Team.
• Managing the pool of Investigation Actuaries.
• Managing external legal suppliers.
• Engaging with regulators and other stakeholders to ensure co-ordination of activities and to share relevant information. 
• Engaging with Members and presenting on the IFoA’s standards and disciplinary processes, particularly new developments. 
• Maintaining expertise on the wider professional regulation landscape as well as on developments in relation to discipline and relevant wider industry regulation. 

Main contacts

Internal: 

• Chairs and members of the Regulatory Board and Disciplinary Committee 
• Executive Leadership Team 
• Senior Leadership Team
• Regulation, Policy and Risk Group
• Legal Services Team 
• Judicial committees Team

External: 

• External Legal advisors
• Relevant regulators and other professional bodies 
• Participants in the disciplinary process (Panel members, IFoA Members, members of the public)
• Volunteers involved in development of standards framework 
• IFoA Members as part of engagement activity 

Decision-making and complexity

• Role holder will be the senior member of the executive responsible for the IFoA’s discipline and standards. 
• There will be a specific role in making certain decisions on disciplinary investigations, including whether complaints are accepted for investigation under the disciplinary process. 
• Providing advice to the Chairs of the relevant Boards and Committees on the IFoA’s disciplinary and standards frameworks. 
• Leading a team of experienced professionals and subject-matter experts.
• Managing the most difficult or sensitive issues that arise in relation to disciplinary investigations and professional standards.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues in different teams. 
• Making sure the disciplinary processes and standards framework are well understood by colleagues and Members. 

Impact

The role is visible amongst the IFoA’s senior leadership and relevant senior office holders, and is key to ensuring the delivery of a critical IFoA function. The role relates to an area where there is particular reputational and financial risk to the IFoA, including scope for legal challenge and public criticism, if it is not delivered appropriately and effectively. It is also a critical to the IFoA meeting its Royal Charter objective ‘to regulate’ the profession. 

Knowledge and experience

Essential:

• Experience of working within professional regulation 
• A relevant legal qualification (or, for exceptional candidates, equivalent practical experience operating in a regulatory or disciplinary legal environment)
• A deep knowledge of professional discipline and of best practice for disciplinary processes 
• A sound understanding of professional regulation and standards-setting 
• Ability to lead a high-functioning team of professionals and subject-matter experts
• Advocacy and presenting skills
• Ability to foster and maintain good relationships with both colleagues and external stakeholders – engaging and approachable while remaining able to “get things done”
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to deal effectively and sensitively with challenging matters and to manage difficult discussions 

Desirable:

• An appropriate qualification in professional regulation 
• Experience of managing disciplinary investigations, presenting professional disciplinary cases and/or of representing respondents in professional disciplinary cases
• Experience of reporting or presenting to Boards and Committees
• Experience of delivering presentations at conferences or events
• Experience of working for a Membership body
• Experience of working for a regulator in a relevant industry
• Understanding of actuaries and their work 

IFoA’s values

The role holder must be an ambassador for and demonstrate the IFoA Values in all aspects of their work.

• Member-focused: We put members at the heart of everything we do
• Action-oriented: We work hard, we work smart, and we take pride in getting things done, valuing action over perfection
• Forward- and outward-looking: We’re always looking to be bold and improve, innovate and take the next step
• Team-driven: We work in partnership, advancing together as one IFoA

Alternative format and adjustments

Please email the HR Team if you require:

• any information regarding our vacancies in an alternative format
• any adjustments to support you to fully participate in any part of the application and recruitment process

Any information shared will be used only to enable us to make reasonable adjustments to support candidates to participate in the recruitment process. It will not inform selection decisions.

You can reach us at HRsupport@actuaries.org.uk.