Senior compliance and risk specialist
Level 6 · DegreeLegal, finance and accounting 3 yr typical
About this apprenticeship
What it involves
A Senior Compliance and Risk Specialist provides expert leadership on regulatory compliance and risk management within organisations in highly regulated sectors such as financial services, healthcare, or energy. Apprentices develop the strategic and technical expertise to advise senior leaders, oversee compliance frameworks, and manage relationships with regulators. This level 6 qualification leads to head of compliance, chief risk officer, or regulatory director roles.
On the job
What you’ll learn
Advanced regulatory frameworks relevant to your sector (FCA, PRA, MHRA, etc.)
Designing and implementing enterprise-wide compliance management frameworks
Risk governance - the three lines of defence model and risk appetite
Regulatory investigation management and enforcement response
Board and senior management reporting on compliance and risk
Change management for embedding a compliance culture
On the job
What you’ll do day to day
Lead the development and implementation of the compliance framework
Advise the board and executive team on regulatory and risk matters
Oversee regulatory change programmes and assess business impact
Manage regulatory relationships and respond to supervisory enquiries
Commission and review compliance monitoring and internal audit findings
Drive compliance culture programmes across the organisation
The deal
How this apprenticeship works
You earn a wage from day one. You are a paid employee, not a student. There are no tuition fees - the training is funded by your employer and the government.
About 20% is “off-the-job” training. Roughly a day a week is spent learning away from your normal duties - at a college, training provider, or online - working towards a recognised qualification.
It ends with an end-point assessment (EPA). Near the end, an independent assessor checks you can do the job to the national standard - through tests, a project, a portfolio or an interview. Pass it and you are fully qualified.
How to get there
What you need to start
Level 6 (Degree) - roughly Bachelor’s-degree level. Usually needs A-levels or a Level 3 qualification (employers set UCAS-point targets). You earn a full degree while you work - with no tuition fees to pay.
What’s next: Leads into professional roles, sometimes with a Level 7 (Master’s) apprenticeship after.
Entry requirements are set by each employer and can vary - always check the specific vacancy.
Hear from employers
What it’s really like
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