Debt Help Compliance Manager (Scotland)

Job Description

Context

CAP's mission is to end UK poverty by equipping churches to reach their communities. We exist to empower and serve churches through exceptional partnerships, delivering impactful debt advice and coaching services. Providing accessible, community-rooted support to those facing financial and social challenges across the UK. Our approach is centred on empowering individuals by providing holistic support to achieve financial resilience through expert debt advice and tailored coaching products. This approach goes far beyond financial stability, creating lasting personal and relational transformation and contributing to a society where all can flourish. We are committed to fostering strong relationships with our church partners, ensuring a collaborative and effective service that continually improves to meet the evolving needs of local communities.

Purpose 

The primary role of the Compliance Manager (Scotland) is to provide support, training and specialist knowledge for debt advisors delivering Scottish-specific solutions, and to Debt Centres teams in local Churches who provide in-person support to those in debt and on low incomes, ensuring our policies and procedures are both efficient and compliant with current legislation. The role will work to ensure we deliver high-quality debt advice and holistic, person-centred support to our clients through further developing Debt Help policy and keeping abreast of government regulations and industry good practice. The role will also work closely with our network of debt centres to explore and develop new initiatives that will help and benefit our clients across Scotland.

Passion

We are passionate about knowledge and innovation, using this to deliver high quality advice and service to all our clients. We are determined to ensure all our debt advice staff and church based teams are adequately equipped to deliver a great service and the support we provide our clients is always improving. We are driven to enable and empower our partner churches to be the answer to some of the biggest problems society faces. 

Reports to: Service Quality and Insight Strategic Manager

Responsibilities

• Develop our policy & procedure for our debt help service in Scotland and ensure that this is continually updated in a timely manner and staff are aware of current practices.

• Stay up to date with developments, case law, policies & procedures, best practice, and legislation within the debt and other linked industries (e.g. energy) and disseminate the information to those who need to be aware of it in accessible and timely ways

• Ensure the organisation understands and meets all best practice requirements in order to gain and keep AQS/MaPS accreditation and FCA Authorisation and any relevant qualifications in Scotland.

• Attend meetings as required with organisations such as AiB, Money Advice Scotland or the Scottish Government. 

• Provide regular, relevant, high quality training material for debt advice staff and debt coaches in Scotland and when relevant, deliver such training.

• Respond to relevant industry and Scottish Government consultations either by way of contribution or leading the consultation when appropriate

• Work closely with colleagues across teams at CAP, in particular Service Delivery, Compliance, Scotland Debt Help, Scotland Team and External Affairs and share information and learning in a timely and effective manner

• Answer queries relating to debt advice policy or procedures

• Work collaboratively with our Area Managers and network of debt centres across Scotland to develop even more holistic support to our clients (e.g. signposting, referrals, additional national and local support schemes that help to mitigate low income).

Strategic Lead Accountabilities: 

• Strategy development. Uses their expertise to develop strategy for their whole department or a number of departments, usually in collaboration with a Director or Head.

• Strategy enablement. Uses their expertise to implement organisation-wide strategies that deliver on our strategic aims (e.g. project management, data protection, recruitment).

• Influence. Demonstrates people management or leadership skills in a matrixed organisation.

• Organisational awareness. Understands the wider organisation and how their work connects with other things happening around CAP.

• Self-leadership. Able to work with individual accountability and autonomy over deadlines, as is the case with most strategic lead work.

Measurable Outputs: 

• Stakeholder engagement strategy completed within agreed timescale

• Policy and Procedures kept up to date and monthly updates sent around to advisors and other staff as necessary

• Debt and related industry changes communicated to staff on a monthly basis

• All Scottish Debt Help Policy and Procedures reviewed within agreed timescales

• 95% of policy queries dealt with within SLA

• Project benefits delivered within agreed costs and timescales

• 85% of debt coaches report they have the required level of specialist knowledge to carry out their role

• Work with Network and operation teams to feed into a minimum of 4 new initiatives or improvements per year to directly increase financial well being for clients

Culture

Working at CAP is more than a job; it’s a commitment to a community and movement. We believe that a healthy culture is the fuel for our mission. This means we prioritise 'spiritual rhythms' in our week—including dedicated time for morning prayer, worship, and team huddles. We are a 'joy-filled' office, which means we celebrate every win, from a client becoming debt-free to a colleague’s personal milestone. We expect our team to be 'all in'—not just in their tasks, but in contributing to a supportive, laughter-filled, and prayerful environment.

CAP is a mission-driven, fast-paced, and deeply relational environment. You will find a culture that prioritises:

• Spiritual Rhythms: We start our days with prayer and worship, staying connected to our 'Why.'

• Celebration: We are 'Debt-Free' obsessed. We ring bells, share stories, and celebrate transformation.

• Collaborative Bravery: We tackle big problems (like UK poverty) by working across teams and daring to try new things.

• Inclusive Belonging: We want you to bring your whole self to work, knowing you are valued for who God made you to be.

Other Responsibilities

• Being willing to pray with each other and fully engaged with our Christ-centred culture.

• Encouraging friends, family and other contacts to support the charity through the Life Changer programme and other fundraising initiatives.

• Attending annual CAP staff conferences and team revive days.

• Completing all compulsory CAP training within given timescales.

• This role falls within the scope of the FCA’s conduct rules, and you will be provided with training as to how these apply to the role. It is your responsibility to ensure that you follow these conduct rules.

The above job profile is a guide to the work you may be required to undertake but does not form part of your contract of employment and may change from time to time to reflect changing circumstances.  

Skills required

• Excellent administration and organisational skills

• A passionate and upbeat person

• Approachable

• Ability to work using own initiative

• Naturally decisive and proactive

• Ability to self manage and self motivate

• A strong desire to learn

• Ability to research and find information

• Ability to supervise and review debt advice and provide constructive feedback

• Ability to consult with staff to identify areas for potential training needs

• Ability to collaborate across teams and departments

• Ability to implement legislation and best practice in line with CAP’s culture

• Excellent communication at all levels

• Ability to communicate technical information in a clear and accessible ways

• Able to hold a good balance between detail and the ‘big picture’

• Confident computer user including Google docs, sheets, and mail

• A love for detail and excellence

• Creative flair and ability to generate new ideas

Experience:

Essential

• Detailed technical knowledge and understanding of statutory debt advice in Scotland; or a proven ability to learn technical skills necessary to be credible in a compliance role

• Clear understanding of social security and anti-poverty policy both at UK and Scottish Government level; or a willingness to undertake training to develop a full knowledge of such policies

• Written communication or report writing skills experience

• Experience of preparing training materials and briefing documents for use by a range of audiences

• Experience delivering change

• Experience of working well in a team environment

• Experience of having to work using your own initiative

• Experience of working to meet deadlines or targets

• Experience of working with a variety of stakeholders and developing and delivering stakeholder engagement plans

• Evidence of passion for addressing the causes and consequences of poverty 

• Confident computer user, including Google Suite products

Desirable

• Experience of working in an advice giving organisation; or having a background in compliance

• Experience of delivering and arranging training sessions

• Previous experience signing off and supervising advice work

• Project management experience

• Service or user experience expertise

• The candidate must be able to give both verbal assent to and practical demonstration of Christians Against Poverty’s Statement of Faith 

• Must be able to actively participate in prayer and worship, whether individual, small group or corporately, as an expression of one's own personal faith and in line with CAP’s Statement of Faith.

All adults working in or on behalf of CAP have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults. This includes:

• A responsibility to ensure a safe environment in which CAP services can be delivered. 

• Identifying children and adults where there may be safeguarding concerns.

• Following the CAP Safeguarding policy in addressing any concerns appropriately.

Educational requirements

• Standard grade / Nat 5 / GCSE Maths and English

• Scottish Highers / A-level or equivalent

• Approved Money Advisor certification (desirable, but not essential)

You are advised to submit your completed application form as soon as possible to have the best chance of being considered. We reserve the right to close the post before the stated closing date where we have a high response rate.

Please note that we are unable to consider applicants who do not presently have permission to work in the UK.