Advice Standards Manager

The Advice Framework and Governance Manager role is a pivotal role within the Business Quality function, responsible for architecting and maintaining the frameworks that ensure operational adherence to regulatory standards. The position focuses on strengthening first-line oversight, ensuring that day-to-day activity aligns with FCA expectations, internal policies, and the Consumer Duty.

By acting as a technical bridge between operations and the Second Line (Risk & Compliance), this role ensures that controls are not only compliant but commercially proportionate and safe.

You will drive regulatory excellence by maintaining robust advice frameworks, aligning quality assessment methodologies, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement. The role ensures that the firm’s oversight is granular, consistent, and capable of identifying systemic risks before they impact consumer outcomes.

• Advice process clarity: Ensure the advice journey remains fit for purpose and proportionate.
• Own and maintain the Advice Standards: Keep the practical 1LoD artefacts (Policies, Advice Framework, assessment checklists, “good vs poor” examples, evidence rules, reviewer prompts) up to date under documented change control.
• Review cycles: Operate annual reviews and controlled.

• Calibration framework: Lead a monthly calibration forum (including blind sampling) to minimise variance between reviewers and set clear rulings where judgement is required.
• Issue-to-fix loop: Convert QA/thematic findings into concise reviewer guidance and updates to the Advice Control Set.

• Change translation: Turn change (policy, systems, proposition) into first line controls, prompts and short guidance, ready for BAU use.
• Readiness & embedding: Complete pre-go live readiness checks and confirm “controls live and working” post deployment.
• Horizon & proportion: Monitor emerging changes alongside 2LoD and ensure first line responses remain proportionate and commercially sensible.

• Training requirements & effectiveness: Specify training needs arising from calibration and QA insight; T&C/Trainer delivers training while this role checks effectiveness via targeted post training spot checks.
• Evidencing understanding: Use casework or short assessments to evidence improved application where training has been delivered.

• Control adoption & variance MI: Build concise 1LoD MI on adoption rates, calibration variance and remediation velocity.
• Executive inputs: Provide clear, actionable inputs for governance packs (e.g., themes, risks, mitigations, and impact on outcomes), escalating material issues with recommended actions.

• Minimum Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning (or equivalent) – Required.
• Significant experience in compliance, business quality, or oversight within a wealth management or financial advice environment.
• Technical SME: Deep understanding of the advice process, business standards, and supervisory frameworks.
• Regulatory Depth: Mastery of the FCA framework (COBS, MCOBs, ICOBS, SUP, SYSC, TC, PRIN, and Consumer Duty.)
• Analytical Prowess: Ability to transform complex data into strategic MI for senior stakeholder consumption.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Problem Solving: A calm, objective approach to identifying risks and recommending pragmatic solutions.
• Organisational Planning: Strong ability to manage multiple projects and review cycles simultaneously.