Distribution Governance Specialist

Job Description

We are a global investment company that helps clients and customers to plan, save and invest for the future. By doing so, we enable our clients and customers to be better investors. Strengthening talent and culture is one of our strategic priorities. We strive to make aberdeen a great place to work so that we can attract and retain the industry’s best talent. Our people put our stakeholders at the heart of everything they do by helping us to make a positive difference to the lives of our clients, customers, colleagues, shareholders and society.

aberdeen comprises three businesses, Investments, Adviser and interactive investor (ii), each of which focuses on meeting and adapting to our clients’ evolving needs.

• Investments manages £368bn of client assets, offering investment capabilities built on the strength of our insights from wide-ranging research, worldwide investment expertise and local market knowledge.

• Adviser provides financial planning solutions and technology to over half of the UK’s financial advisers, enabling them to create value for their businesses and clients.

• ii, the UK’s second-largest direct-to-consumer investment platform, helps over 430,000 individual customers to plan, save and invest in the way that works best for them.

About the Department

The Distribution Governance team at Aberdeen is dedicated to ensuring that the company adheres to regulatory standards and maintains robust governance across its client and distribution operations. This team plays a crucial role in strengthening oversight and control of distribution activities, ensuring compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Product Governance, and Cross Border obligations.

About the Role

Reporting to the Head of Distribution Governance & Oversight, the Distribution Governance Specialist will be a member of the team responsible for strengthening and delivering good governance across aberdeen Investments Client and Distribution teams.

Through the delivery of proportionate, risk-based oversight, you will work across internal and external parties to ensure aberdeen adheres to Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Product Governance and Cross Border obligations. Utilising existing frameworks, you will champion good governance across the client group promoting the adoption of risk and control toolkits.

Key Responsibilities

• Regulatory Compliance and Analysis: Perform regular in-depth analysis of distributor populations to ensure compliance with regulatory obligations, including CSSF circular 18/698 in Luxembourg and FCA Product Governance & Consumer Duty rules in the UK.

• Cross Border Oversight Framework: Assist in developing and implementing the Cross Border Oversight framework to ensure cross-border sales activity complies with applicable local regulations.

• Industry Trends and Regulatory Analysis: Assist the Head of DG&O in analysing industry trends, emerging issues, and changes in regulations to produce comprehensive papers for internal governance forums.

• Reporting and Governance: Produce insightful and qualitative reporting for submission to internal governance forums, committees, and fund Boards.

• Stakeholder Relationships: Build and develop relationships with internal stakeholder teams to support effective governance.

• Risk Management: Develop a deep understanding of key risks and issues impacting client teams, supporting the delivery and adoption of operational governance frameworks.

• Audit and Assessment Coordination: Assist the Head of DG&O with coordinating and facilitating internal and external audits and M&O assessments.

• Team Management and Development: Assist with day-to-day team responsibilities, including managing mailboxes, reviewing documentation, and preparing reports.

• Technology Strategy: Work with Aberdeen’s technology teams to develop, implement, and maintain the team’s data and technology strategy.

About the Candidate

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Experience in Governance or Oversight: Experience in a Governance, Oversight, Risk, or Control team within the fund industry.

• Regulatory Awareness: Proven regulatory and industry awareness, with a passion for developing robust governance frameworks.

• Report Writing and Presentation Skills: Strong report writing and presentation skills.

• Language Proficiency: Fluent in English, both oral and written; proficiency in additional languages is beneficial.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer. Therefore, if you have a disability and would like to apply to one of our UK roles under the Disability Confident Scheme, please notify us by completing the relevant section in our candidate questionnaire and one of our team will reach out to support you through your application process.

Our benefits

There's more to working life than coming home with a good salary. We have an environment where you can learn, get involved and be supported.

When you join us, your reward will be one of the best around. This includes 40 days’ annual leave, a 16% employer pension contribution, a discretionary performance-based bonus (where applicable), private healthcare and a range of flexible benefits – including gym discounts, season ticket loans and access to an employee discount portal. You can read more about our benefits here.

Our business

Enabling our clients to be better investors drives everything we do. Our business is structured around three distinct areas – our vectors of growth – focused on our clients’ changing needs. You can find out more about what we do here.

We’re committed to providing an inclusive workplace where all forms of difference are valued and which is free from any form of unfair or unlawful treatment. We define diversity in its broadest sense – this includes but is not limited to our diversity of educational and professional backgrounds, experience, cognitive and neurodiversity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief and ethnicity and geographical provenance. We support a culture that values meritocracy, fairness and transparency and welcomes enquiries from everyone. If you need assistance or an adjustment due to a disability please let us know as part of your application and we will assist.