Interim Risk & Compliance Manager

Birketts is a full service UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning over 160 years we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol Cambridge Chelmsford Ipswich London Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: real estate corporate services dispute resolution and private client.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes challenges and opportunities they may face. Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do.

With our ambition to succeed comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our Responsible Business strategy. Birketts is a certified B Corporation and diversity plays an integral part in all that we do with female partners comprising 45% of our partnership as of 1 April 2026.

Our Risk and Compliance team sits within our wider Business Services Division and is responsible for ensuring that the firm retains accreditation against the Law Societys Lexcel and Conveyancing Quality Scheme Standards and manages the internal audit processes to ensure this. They also provide support to other internal audit functions within the firm through assessing upcoming regulation and high-risk corporate issues.

You will work closely with the other Risk and Compliance Manager and Head of Risk and Compliance to manage a team of compliance colleagues. The role will require a strong technical expertise excellent judgment and a proactive approach to developing and embedding best practice across compliance risk management and business / client onboarding. You will help to lead a high-performing team in a culture that values professionalism innovation and collaboration.

• Assist the Head of Risk and Compliance and advise on regulatory compliance under the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Standards and Regulations 2019 including conflict checks confidentiality and due diligence.
• Manage client and matter onboarding processes AML compliance and adherence to professional standards.
• Use and develop systems within Intapp for conflict management business intake workflows and continuous improvement of compliance processes.
• Provide guidance on financial crime compliance and other regulatory issues.
• Act as a senior point of contact for risk and compliance queries from partners and fee-earners providing pragmatic business- focused advice.
• Support and enhance the firms policies and procedures relating to conduct client engagement and terms of business.
• Support the Head of Risk and Compliance on the response to internal audits external audits and external regulatory reviews ensuring timely and accurate reporting.
• Promote best practices across the firm ensuring an integrated approach to regulatory compliance professional ethics and commercial delivery.
• Contribute strategically to the firms risk management framework and play a key role in R&C team training policy development and implementation.
• Assist with annual review of software providers to the R&C team as required.
• Identify improvements to policy and process assess effectiveness of current policies and processes make recommendations to the Head of Risk and Compliance and implement approved required changes.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

• Qualified Solicitor / Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (or equivalent foreign qualification) with at least 5 years PQE ideally gained within a UK law firm.
• Knowledge / experience of AML regulations and the sanctions regime
• Demonstrated compliance and risk management experience preferably within a law firms R&C team or in-house legal function.
• Proficiency with Intapp systems and strong working knowledge of client/matter onboarding processes including AML sanctions screening and conflict checking
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite of software (including Outlook Excel & Word) & DMS
• Proven experience of managing and developing a team with excellent leadership and delegation skills.
• Strong understanding of the SRA Standards and Regulations Code of Conduct financial crime regulations and sanctions regime.
• Self-motivated ability to use initiative and provide pro-active support to fee earners and other colleagues.
• Strong written and oral communication skills. Ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels of seniority with other internal departments and external contacts and advise confidently.
• Highly organized commercially astute and detail orientated with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Proactive resilient and collaborative with a commitment to continuous learning and improvement.

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. This role attracts a split of 60% office days and 40% working from home days per week.

We welcome applications from people looking for flexible agile and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.

As a Birketts colleague you will be eligible to receive a wide range of benefits:

• 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays
• Long Service holiday award 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid CSR Day
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Subsidised gym membership
• Electric car scheme
• Dress for your Day Policy

You can find out more on our website: and Culture

As a B Corporation our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success development and wellbeing of our colleagues helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth.

Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age disability sex race religion or belief gender reassignment marriage or civil partnership pregnancy or maternity or sexual orientation.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all valuing the right mix of talent skills and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.

If you require this advert in an accessible format please visithttps:// Intelligence (AI)

At Birketts we recognise the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal profession and recruitment. We welcome innovation and understand that candidates may use AI tools to support their job applications. However we expect all applicants to use AI responsibly and ethically.

Our expectations regarding AI use in applications:

• Your application should reflect your own voice experiences and insights. AI may assist in structuring or refining your responses but it must not replace your personal input.
• Do not use AI to misrepresent your qualifications experiences or skills. Any form of exaggeration or fabrication may result in rejection from the process.
• If you have used AI tools to assist with your application be prepared to discuss how and why you used them during the interview process.
• Do not submit content generated by AI tools that may include personal or sensitive data not intended for public disclosure.
• AI-generated content should be reviewed and edited by you to ensure accuracy relevance and alignment with the role and our firms values.

We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment practices. The use of AI should enhance not compromise your application. We encourage candidates to demonstrate critical thinking commercial awareness and a genuine interest in our firm.

If you have any questions about our expectations or the use of AI in your application please contact our Talent Acquisition Team via