Senior Compliance Counsel - US

Permanent role; based in US (EST zone); 10+ years PQE, minimum of 5 years current in-house experience in a compliance specialist role in a global company

Competitive market salary and benefits package reflecting qualifications and experience

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity for a Senior Compliance Counsel with significant experience in compliance and ethics to join our dynamic Legal Group. 

This role, reporting to the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer based in London UK, is responsible primarily for ERM’s regulatory compliance and ethical business conduct in the US.

ERM is a fast paced, commercially focused, and highly collaborative environment, with business operations in over 40 countries. You will act as a trusted adviser throughout the business at various levels of seniority, working with clients, service providers and external legal counsel.

While the primary focus of this role will be on ERM’s dynamic business in the US, you will be part of a global team and will regularly support regulatory compliance and business conduct matters in countries outside the US where ERM operates.

Responsibilities:

• Compliance Leadership: provide strategic guidance and leadership on all aspects of the compliance programme, including AML, anti-bribery, anti-corruption, data privacy, trade sanctions, regulatory and compliance initiatives.
• Policy Development: develop and update compliance policies, procedures, and guidelines, ensuring they are aligned with evolving regulatory requirements, best practices, and continuing improvements.
• Training and Education: create and deliver training programmes to educate employees and stakeholders on compliance and ethics matters. Promote awareness of compliance risks and best practices.
• Risk Assessment: identify, assess, analyse, and manage potential compliance risks, working to develop and implement mitigation strategies and effective monitoring. Support commercial risk analysis of trade sanction compliance, business conduct issues or reporting, conflict of interest, and business integrity issues.
• Regulatory Compliance: stay up to date with international and regional laws and regulations and ensure ERM’s adherence to these requirements.
• Investigations: support internal audits and lead or assist in conducting internal investigations as necessary.
• Reporting: prepare and submit compliance reports to senior management and relevant authorities, ensuring accuracy, transparency and accountability.
• Data Privacy: working with data privacy specialists, provide data privacy legal advice and support to the business, which includes data privacy and security issues and the development of data protection policies and procedures. Promote awareness of data privacy risks and best practices.

What you’ll need:

• US qualified lawyer with at least 10 years PQE.
• To be currently in a compliance specialist role in a global company with a minimum of 5 years in-house experience.
• Cross-jurisdictional experience at a senior level supporting regulatory compliance and ethical business conduct globally, with an emphasis on the US.
• To be located in EST zone of the US.
• High personal integrity.

This job is a good fit for you if:

• You are an excellent communicator with proven technical and organisational skills, with the ability to be open and candid whilst demonstrating respect for others and cultivating a culture of inclusion and trust.
• You are proactive, accustomed to working under pressure to meet challenging deadlines and able to thrive in a fast-paced, complex, and rapidly changing environment, adapting to different business needs (operational, transactional, and structural) in the context of a large global company.
• You will have an eye for detail and be meticulous in your work but be willing to work as part of a team engaging with and supporting colleagues to create well-considered and pragmatic, risk-based approaches to difficult issues and enhance team contribution.
• You display sound thoughtful business judgement, decision-making and strategic thinking, with a balanced commitment to process and continuous improvement and a demonstrated ability to earn the confidence of senior executives as a trusted advisor.
• You are solution-focused, have the ability to build strong and lasting relationships with internal clients and offer pragmatic and sensible advice.
• You manage confidential matters in a discreet and respectful manner.
• You are dedicated and enthusiastic, with the ability to work efficiently with a commitment to good outcomes for ERM and a willingness to get involved wherever there is a need.

About ERM

ERM is the world’s largest global pure-play sustainability consultancy, with more than 50 years of market leadership. ERM uses its unique combination of technical depth and commercial acumen to partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges, and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations.

With over 8,500 employees worldwide operating from 170+ offices in 40 countries, ERM is unmatched in its ability to operationalize sustainability across the business lifecycle and at all levels of an organization, which we call our boots to boardroom approach. Backed by KKR, one of the largest private market investors, and informed by deep sector and technical expertise, ERM deploys proven, integrated approaches that meet our clients’ most pressing sustainability needs and address day-to-day EHS and ESG imperatives.