Senior Risk and Compliance Manager

Department: Risk & Compliance

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Budapest

Reporting To: Tristan Clarke

Description

Hybrid, Budapest

Freetrade’s mission is to become the default place to invest. Investing has been too complicated and expensive for too long, keeping millions from making the most of their savings.
We’re changing that.
We’re building our team and looking for people who are excited to reshape how our customers invest and grow their wealth. If you’re driven by solving complex problems and building innovative products, you’ll fit right in.
2025 is a big year for us. In January, we announced a game changing deal to become part of the IG Group. We’ll continue to operate as an independent business while gaining access to the resources and support of an established leader in the space.
This year, we’re accelerating our roadmap and taking our products to the next level. We’re building new features like mutual funds, bonds, and family investment tools. We’re also exploring how we can leverage AI to deliver an even better experience for our customers.
We’re looking for a seasoned Senior Risk & Compliance Manager to take a leading role in delivering Freetrade’s Risk Framework and Compliance Programme, guiding the business on regulatory matters, and building a high-performing team.

As a Risk & Compliance Manager, you will:

Be a key leader within our Oversight function, reporting to the Risk & Compliance Senior Director.
Act as a subject matter expert in risk management, particularly operational risk, incident management, and controls.
Oversee and enhance frameworks, policies, and tools for identifying, assessing, and documenting risks across the business.
Provide insight and challenge on methodologies for quantifying operational and business risk, including during the ICARA process.
Partner with Product, Engineering, Operations, and other teams to assess operational risks and capital/liquidity impacts of new products and major business changes.
Lead on compliance advisory work, offering pragmatic regulatory guidance on new products, strategic initiatives, and customer issues.
Oversee compliance reviews and controls testing, ensuring effective risk and compliance monitoring.
Manage, support, and coach members of the Risk & Compliance team, developing both technical and soft skills.
Drive enhancements to risk and compliance policies, processes, and controls, and oversee reporting to the Executive and Board.
Champion a strong culture of risk and compliance across the organisation, embedding these considerations into daily operations.

Skills Knowledge and Expertise

Knowledge & Expertise

Background in regulated financial services, with strong knowledge of the retail investments space.
Deep experience in enterprise risk management and operational risk, with a practical, business-focused approach.
Strong knowledge of UK financial services regulation, including governance and controls, prudential risk management, Consumer Duty, and conduct of business rules.
Track record of delivering ICARA processes and embedding risk frameworks.
Passion for regulation and delivering good customer outcomes.

Skills

Resourceful, self-starter with appetite for new challenges.
Strong, supportive manager with excellent coaching skills.
Committed to continuous learning and development.
Excellent communicator, able to translate risk and compliance concepts for diverse audiences and influence at all levels.
Ambitious and aligned with Freetrade’s mission.

Experience

At least 8 years in Risk and Compliance roles within retail-focused financial services.
Experience engaging with senior management, boards, and regulators.
Potential SMF16 experience in a smaller firm is a plus.

Qualifications

Degree.
Compliance qualification (e.g. ICA) and/or risk management qualification (e.g. IRM).
Additional professional qualifications such as CFA, CIA, ACA, CIMA are advantageous.

Benefits

Freetrade is the place to accelerate your career. We see this role as an exciting step toward senior leadership. As a Senior Risk & Compliance Manager, you’ll have the opportunity to grow into a Director-level position, shaping the future of our oversight function. Depending on the direction of the business and your own interests, you could choose to specialise further in either Risk or Compliance, or continue leading a combined remit, giving you the chance to influence strategy and impact the company at the highest level.

Our benefits package and ways of working are designed to attract and retain the most talented people who are dedicated to making an impact at Freetrade.
Here’s what’s on offer in 2025:

Hybrid working culture
We’re operating in a hybrid model: 3-days in-office / 2-days from home. We believe great collaboration happens in person and our beautiful offices in central London and Budapest are designed to bring people together.

🏢 Office days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
🏡 Work from home days: Wednesday, Friday
This setup helps us stay connected, collaborate more effectively, and keep building a culture where we all do our best work together, including dedicated days for focus work.
Flexibility for those who need it: We have a hybrid working model, but life happens. If you need flexibility let's talk about it, whether you're a parent or have other care responsibilities.

ValuesAt Freetrade we live and breathe our values: Honesty, Focus and Grit. Expect to be asked about these in your interview!
Benefits In Budapest:

Competitive salary - carefully benchmarked.
Bonus Scheme - join us and share in our growth.

Bonuses are linked to both company success and your individual impact. First payouts: July 2026

Sickness coverage - You get a 100% coverage up to 15 days/annum.
Cafeteria - an annual budget to spend at your discretion, whether by adding it to your SZÉP card, covering car-sharing expenses, or using it toward your rent.
Health insurance - Medicover Blue package, which includes annual preventive examinations, extensive outpatient care, diagnostic tests, one-day surgeries, dental check-up, and even therapeutic exercises.
Learning & Development - We fund industry qualifications so you can grow as a financial services professional.
Option to Work From Anywhere - for up to four weeks per year.
Holidays - enjoy an additional day off for your birthday and another to celebrate your Freetrade anniversary.

Following the close of the deal to become part of IG Group, you can expect that our benefits package will further improve to align with the benefits on offer.
Interview Process
We keep things simple and transparent. Our process typically includes:

Initial interview – A chat with one of our Talent Specialists.
Hiring Manager interview – A deep dive into your skills and experience.
Task Presentation – Show us how you think and solve problems.
Executive interview – A conversation with our stakeholders, where we also assess cultural fit.

We are an Equal Opportunity employer committed to a diverse and representative team. Whatever your race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability - we want to hear from you.
To find out more about how we look after your personal data when you apply for a job with us, please see our Recruitment Privacy Policy here.
Please note we are not accepting agency CVs.