2025 Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) / Head of Compliance (m/f/d)

The Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) / Head of Compliance will oversee both, the Compliance and the Financial Crime Unit for SG Frankfurt. The main responsibilities in this function are: 

Responsible for the definition and consistency of the compliance risk and control framework, and for the oversight of the business-related compliance and financial crime unit activities in SG Frankfurt and the relevant relationship with the German regulatory authorities within the delegation received from the Chief Compliance Officer for Wholesale Banking Compliance and the Country Head of SG Germany.

Responsible for developing the German compliance strategy in conjunction with Group and fulfil a key role in embedding compliance strategy within the organization, including supporting the Country Head and COO of SG Frankfurt in the driving of an appropriate compliance, conduct and risk awareness culture at SG Frankfurt, within the context of appropriate risk management and ownership by the first line of defense.

As the local CCO, you act as the Anti-Bribery & Corruption Officer as well as the Breach-Policy-Officer where you focus on preventing, detecting and responding to bribery, corruption or policy breach risks.

The local Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) reports hierarchically to the local Chief Country Officer, and functionally to the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) or Business Compliance Officer (BCO) of the central compliance (CPLE) department to which the entity is assigned. 

• Implement, steer and adapt an adequate compliance framework within your perimeter, on all non-compliance risks (as defined in the SG Code) under your responsibility including in terms of training and on Culture and Conduct aspects.
• Oversee, steer and adapt an adequate financial crime framework within your perimeter together with the local financial crime unit.
• Ensure that local regulations are complied with in addition to the Group requirements and address requests for exemptions in case local regulations are more restrictive than Group rules.
• Ensure the oversight of the Compliance program in your perimeter. In this exercise, as the local CCO, in addition to your local team, you can rely on the support of  the central CPLE teams. In this role:
  • You will perform the regular non-compliance risk assessment and monitor the related action plans under your responsibility.
  • You will identify, evaluate, and escalate compliance incidents to both local and Group committees as per the defined governance, and notify regulatory authorities where necessary in a timely manner.
  • You advise and inform the General Management / Board of the entity on non-compliance risks.
• Support the Chief Country Officer and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of SG Frankfurt in the driving of an appropriate compliance, conduct and risk awareness culture at SG Frankfurt, within the context of appropriate risk management and ownership by the first line of defense.
• Implement an adequate monitoring, surveillance, and control framework to prevent and/or detect compliance and reputational risks, through the application of the Group’s permanent / managerial control framework and through local operational controls where relevant to complement the Group’s framework.
• Cooperate with LOD2 teams (in charge of 2nd levels controls on the 1st level of controls) in their respective missions and implement resulting actions under local Compliance’s responsibility.
• Advise the management of the entity and the departments on a daily basis on compliance topics; in particular, provide opinion on the non-compliance and reputational risks linked to new products or services.
• Monitor externalized services in relation to compliance duties.
• Recruit and manage the compliance teams attached to your perimeter and educate the business through a dedicated comitology and training / awareness actions.
• Ensure an adequate level of resources, both from a qualitative and quantitative standpoint, necessary to the good functioning of the local compliance program.
• The local CCO does not supervise or manage the DPO. The Data Protection Officer (DPO) has a local reporting line to the COO and globally to the Data and Digital Officer for Wholesale Banking Compliance. However, the DPO provides the local CCO with periodic overview on data protection matters, to ensure the local CCO gets an appropriate oversight of all risks.
• The local Chief Compliance Officer is member of the Executive Committee of the entity.

Experience & technical skills

• University degree in banking activities with additional qualification in Compliance related topics, and/or Legal qualification.
• Many years of experience in a similar role in a Bank/Financial Institution.
• Deep knowledge of the applicable regulatory framework and its German implementation into local law (WpHG, MiFID II, MiFIR, MAR, KAGB and associated regulation etc.).
• Demonstrated expertise in driving organizational change and ensuring robust compliance amidst evolving regulatory environments.
• Significant knowledge of control techniques.
• Good knowledge of compliance risks management and analysis.
• Knowledge of the banking, financing and insurance environment.
• Proven experience in dealing with highly sensitive and confidential material.
• Fluency in both German & English (written and oral) is required; French language skills would be of advantage.
• Strong ability of assessing risks and procedures at all levels.

Personal abilities & competencies

• Ability to quickly understand the bank’s strategy, its organization, the products and management of Compliance risks, as well as respective laws and regulations.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Autonomy, reliability and absolute integrity.
• Good presentation skills.
• Ability to work with different business lines and locations.
• Independent and organized working style.
• Cooperation & team spirit.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Managing in a matrix environment.
• Ability to organise, structure, engage and make a team grow.

Société Générale Frankfurt Branch operates in a wide range of business activities every day. The Compliance Department protects the Branch by facilitating lawful and ethical business conduct, identifying regulatory solutions, safeguarding the integrity and reputation of the Branch and promoting, in partnership with the business and service units a culture of compliance.