UK

United Kingdom · Compliance, quality and safety · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

Start my Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs plan, free

Free to start: a plan built for this role, and a Future Fluency module to try first. No card.

Keep this job description

Where should we send it?

One email: what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for, where it leads, and where to start free. With a link back here. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

Upskilling a team in this role? Talk to us

  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports10-15 reports
  • Reports toChief Ethics & Compliance Officer
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as Head of Ethics & Culture · VP, Compliance Learning & Engagement · Director of Ethical Conduct & Training

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

CICM Level 5 Diploma in Credit and Collections Management Chartered Institute of Credit Management · Level 5 · covers 2 of 10 standards
Level 5 Award in Leadership Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
Level 5 Certificate in Professional Sales Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
Level 5 Diploma in Professional Sales Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
Level 6 Certificate in Professional Sales Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 6 · covers 1 of 10 standards
CISI Level 6 Diploma in Investment Compliance Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment · Level 6 · covers 1 of 10 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Compliance with legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements CICM Level 5 Diploma in Credit and Collections Management
Manage Ethical, Legal and Professional Requirements Level 5 Award in Leadership
Combating Financial Crime CISI Level 6 Diploma in Investment Compliance

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Change Fluency taking people through change
Systems Fluency seeing the whole picture
Start my Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs plan, free
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs

3 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Compliance with legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements Chartered Institute of Credit Management · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 5
  2. Manage Ethical, Legal and Professional Requirements Institute of Sales Professionals · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 5
  3. Combating Financial Crime Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 6
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • AI Ethics & Governance Integration
  • Behavioural Economics for Culture Change
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

Start my Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs plan, free Ready to pay? Subscribe for £70 a month

3What this role really is

This role sets the strategy for ethics and compliance training across an organisation, helping people understand and apply its values.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

LMS Platforms (e.g., Cornerstone OnDemand, Workday Learning) Strategic

Leading the selection, migration, and architectural integration of our enterprise LMS with HRIS and GRC systems. You'll be setting the vision for our learning technology ecosystem.

Authoring Tools (e.g., Articulate 360, Adobe Captivate) Strategic

Setting organisational standards for content development, accessibility (WCAG), and template design. You'll influence the choice of tools and ensure they meet our global requirements for engaging and compliant content.

GRC Systems (e.g., ServiceNow GRC, OneTrust, Archer) Strategic

Influencing the configuration and data capture within GRC platforms to better correlate training effectiveness with incident trends, risk assessments, and policy adherence. You'll ensure data supports strategic decision-making.

Feedback & Analytics Platforms (e.g., Qualtrics, Power BI) Strategic

Designing the end-to-end learning analytics strategy, defining key performance indicators, and overseeing the creation of executive dashboards that demonstrate programme impact and inform strategic adjustments.

Collaboration & Project Management Suites (e.g., MS Teams, Asana, Confluence) Advanced

Establishing the collaboration workflows, governance, and knowledge management strategy for the entire ethics and compliance function, ensuring seamless global team operations and efficient project delivery.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Programme Strategy & Investment No authority; executes tasks based on defined strategy. Proposes improvements to existing modules; contributes to project plans. Leads project strategy for specific programmes; recommends resource allocation within project scope.
Technology Selection & Implementation Uses existing tools; reports technical issues. Evaluates new features within existing tools; suggests minor tool enhancements. Researches and recommends specific tools for programme needs; leads implementation for assigned projects.
Policy & Content Approval Follows content guidelines; flags potential issues. Drafts content based on policy; seeks approval from senior specialist/manager. Develops and recommends content for approval; ensures alignment with legal and policy teams.
Team Management & Development Manages own tasks. Informally mentors new joiners. Mentors 0-2 junior specialists; provides input on performance reviews.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Reduction in Substantiated Hotline Reports
The percentage decrease in confirmed policy violations reported through our ethics hotline, specifically in areas targeted by your programmes.
Target · Achieve a 15-20% reduction year-over-year in high-risk areas.

After a targeted anti-bribery training campaign in Q2, the number of substantiated bribery reports from our APAC region dropped by 18% compared to the previous year.

Employee Speak-Up Culture Index
Improvement in key metrics within the annual Employee Engagement Survey related to psychological safety for reporting misconduct and perceived ethical leadership.
Target · Increase favourable responses by 5-8% annually.

Our latest survey showed a 6% increase in employees agreeing with 'I feel safe raising concerns without fear of retaliation,' directly linked to our 'Speak Up Safely' campaign.

Cost-per-Learner Optimisation
The average cost to deliver compliance training per employee, considering technology, content development, and delivery costs.
Target · Reduce average cost-per-learner by 8-12% through strategic technology adoption and process efficiencies.

By consolidating LMS platforms and negotiating better vendor rates, we brought down our global cost-per-learner from £18 to £16 in the last fiscal year.

Global Training Completion Rates (Critical Risk Areas)
Ensuring exceptionally high completion rates for mandatory training in critical compliance areas (e.g., Anti-Bribery & Corruption, Data Privacy).
Target · Maintain 99.8% completion rate for all critical mandatory training globally.

Achieved 99.9% completion for the annual AML training across all relevant business units, demonstrating robust programme management.

Board & Executive Confidence
The level of trust and confidence the Board and C-Suite have in the ethics and compliance programmes you oversee, evidenced by their proactive engagement and reliance on your insights.
  • You're regularly invited to present to the Board's Audit or Risk Committee. Senior leaders proactively seek your counsel on complex ethical dilemmas. Your recommendations for programme investment are typically approved without significant challenge. They'll quote your insights in broader business discussions.
Regulatory Preparedness & Audit Outcomes
Our ability to demonstrate a robust, defensible compliance training programme during regulatory inquiries, audits, or investigations.
  • Positive feedback from external auditors regarding the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of our training records and content. Successful navigation of regulatory inquiries with minimal findings related to training deficiencies. Our 'defensible position' is consistently strong.
Organisational Culture Shift
Observable changes in employee behaviour and attitudes towards ethics and compliance, moving beyond mere adherence to active advocacy.
  • Anecdotal feedback from HR and line managers about employees actively challenging unethical behaviour. Increased proactive suggestions for ethical improvements from various departments. Our internal communications consistently reference ethical principles in decision-making, showing broad adoption.
Strategic Influence & Thought Leadership
Your ability to influence broader company strategy by integrating ethical considerations into business decisions and being recognised as an internal expert.
  • You're brought into strategic planning discussions early, not as an afterthought. You publish internal articles or present at company-wide forums on ethical leadership. Other departments seek your input on their own initiatives to ensure ethical alignment.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Building an Ethical Legacy

You're driven by the idea of leaving a lasting positive impact on the company's culture and reputation. This shows up in your relentless pursuit of programme excellence, your focus on long-term behavioural change, and your pride in seeing the organisation make genuinely ethical choices.

You'll spend late nights refining a new Code of Conduct because you know it's the foundation of our ethical framework, not just another policy document.

Strategic Influence & Impact

You thrive on the challenge of influencing senior leaders and shaping enterprise-wide strategy. You enjoy presenting to the Board, seeing your recommendations adopted, and knowing your work directly contributes to major business decisions and risk mitigation.

You'll prepare diligently for a Board meeting, not just to report, but to persuade them to invest in a new culture initiative you believe is critical.

Solving Complex Organisational Puzzles

You're energised by dissecting complex ethical dilemmas, understanding the root causes of misconduct, and designing innovative, systemic solutions that go beyond simple training. You enjoy the intellectual challenge of integrating behavioural science into real-world programmes.

When a new regulatory challenge emerges, you're the first to volunteer to lead the cross-functional task force to develop a comprehensive response.

What frustrates people
  • The 'one and done' mentality from stakeholders who think a single course can fix deep-seated issues.
  • Content getting watered down by legal and comms reviews until it loses its impact.
  • Dealing with legacy LMS systems that provide a terrible user experience, and getting blamed for it.
  • The pressure to hit 100% completion rates for mandatory training, no matter the cost in time and resources.
  • When a major ethical scandal hits, knowing your programme will be scrutinised, even if it wasn't the root cause.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, predictable routine with minimal stakeholder engagement.
  • Instant gratification or quick wins on every project; cultural change is slow.
  • A role where you can avoid difficult conversations with senior leaders.
  • Complete autonomy without needing to justify investment or strategy to the Board.

8Who you work with

This role directly shapes the organisation's ethical resilience and compliance posture. You'll be driving programmes that protect our licence to operate, minimise legal and reputational risks, and foster a culture where integrity is a competitive advantage. Your work helps ensure we avoid costly fines and maintain trust with our customers, investors, and employees. It's about tangible risk reduction and intangible cultural uplift.

Inside the business
  • C-Suite (CEO, CFO, COO)
  • Board of Directors (especially Audit & Risk Committees)
  • Legal Counsel
  • Heads of Business Units (e.g., Sales, Product, HR)
  • Internal Audit
Outside the business
  • Regulatory Bodies (e.g., SFO, FCA, DOJ)
  • External Auditors
  • Industry Associations
  • Third-Party Training Providers

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Extensive (16+ years) experience leading and managing large-scale ethics and compliance training programmes within complex, multinational organisations.
  • Proven track record of influencing C-suite and Board-level stakeholders on strategic compliance and ethical culture initiatives.
  • Demonstrable experience in managing significant budgets (multi-million £) and leading diverse, geographically dispersed teams.
  • Deep expertise in instructional design, adult learning theory, and behavioural science as applied to corporate ethics and compliance.
  • Expertise in selecting, implementing, and optimising enterprise-level learning and GRC technologies.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Learning Analytics & Predictive Modelling

Moving beyond basic completion rates to using advanced analytics and machine learning to predict training effectiveness, identify at-risk employee groups, and correlate training with actual behavioural outcomes and incident reduction. This allows for truly data-driven strategic adjustments.

Learning Record Stores (LRS) & xAPI · Predictive Modelling for Risk · Correlation vs. Causation in Training Impact

  • This quarter: Work with your analytics team to explore xAPI capabilities within our current LMS or evaluate new LRS solutions.
  • Next 6 months: Commission a pilot project to build a predictive model for compliance risk based on existing data (e.g., past incident reports, training history).
  • Next 12 months: Present a strategic roadmap for advanced learning analytics to the C-suite, outlining potential ROI.
  • Ongoing: Stay abreast of developments in learning science and data analytics through industry publications and conferences.

Quick win: Challenge your current analytics team to go beyond descriptive reporting and provide one 'what if' scenario or a basic predictive insight from existing data.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending and presenting at industry conferences (e.g., SCCE, ECI, Compliance Week) to stay abreast of best practices and regulatory trends.
  • Active participation in professional networks and peer groups for ethics and compliance leaders.
  • Engaging in executive education programmes focused on leadership, organisational change, or emerging technologies (e.g., AI ethics).
  • Mentoring junior professionals within the compliance field, which often sharpens your own strategic thinking.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI Ethics & Governance Integration

The rapid adoption of AI across all business functions introduces complex ethical dilemmas (e.g., bias in algorithms, data privacy, accountability). Regulators are starting to catch up, and we need to ensure our ethical framework and training programmes proactively address these risks.

  • Responsible AI Principles
  • AI Risk Assessment Frameworks
  • AI Policy & Governance Structures
  • Explainable AI (XAI)

Behavioural Economics for Culture Change

Traditional compliance training often assumes rational actors. Behavioural economics recognises that human decisions are often irrational. Applying these insights allows us to design more effective interventions that 'nudge' employees towards ethical choices, rather than just relying on rules.

  • Cognitive Biases & Heuristics
  • Choice Architecture
  • Social Norms & Peer Influence
  • Framing Effects

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Instructional Design & Adult Learning Theory (Strategic Application)
  • Behavioural Science & Nudge Theory (Organisational Design)
  • Root Cause Analysis (Enterprise-level)
  • Training Needs Analysis (Strategic & Predictive)

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Head of Ethics & Compliance Training (from another large organisation)

    Direct entry if experience aligns perfectly.

    Skills to master

    • Understanding our specific industry risks, navigating our organisational culture, and integrating with our existing compliance framework.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Proven track record of success in a similar role within a complex, regulated environment.
    • Demonstrable experience in managing a large team and budget.
    • Strong network within the ethics and compliance community.
  2. 2

    Senior Manager, Ethics & Compliance Programs (internal promotion)

    Typically 3-5 years as a Senior Manager or Manager.

    Skills to master

    • Broadening strategic vision beyond specific programmes, developing executive presence, and mastering board-level communication.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently exceeding performance expectations in previous management roles.
    • Successfully led multiple complex, cross-functional compliance initiatives.
    • Identified and mentored high-potential team members.
    • Demonstrated ability to influence senior business leaders outside of their direct reporting line.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to positions such as Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer or General Counsel, with oversight across an entire organisation.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

Also named as a next step, with no page in the catalogue yet:

  • VP, Risk Management or Head of Enterprise Risk

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Compliance with legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements, worked against Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs.

Compliance with legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements Level 5

Applied to your work in Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs

This unit aims to enable learners to understand and apply legal, regulatory, ethical, and social requirements within an organisation. Learners will be able to evaluate operational compliance, review compliance procedures, and report on adherence to these requirements, understanding their responsibilities and potential liabilities.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

Start my Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs plan, free
See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs
  • Instructional Design & Adult Learning Theory (Strategic Application)
  • Behavioural Science & Nudge Theory (Organisational Design)
  • Root Cause Analysis (Enterprise-level)
  • Training Needs Analysis (Strategic & Predictive)
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer (CECO)

    Roughly 3-5 years in the Director role.

    Level 7 (C-Suite)

    • Advanced Regulatory Interpretation & Foresight Anticipating global regulatory shifts and their enterprise-wide impact.
    • Crisis Management (Company-level) Leading the ethical and compliance response during major company-wide crises or scandals.
    • Global Geopolitical Risk Assessment Understanding how geopolitical events impact our ethical supply chain and global operations.

  2. VP, Risk Management or Head of Enterprise Risk

    Roughly 4-6 years in the Director role.

    Level 6/7 (Executive Leadership)

    • Advanced Financial Risk Analysis Deep dive into market, credit, and liquidity risks.
    • Cybersecurity Risk Governance Strategic oversight of information security and data protection risks.
    • Business Continuity Planning (BCP) Leading the development and testing of robust BCP strategies.
    • Regulatory Affairs (Broader Scope) Managing relationships with a wider array of regulators beyond compliance.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

As a Director, your time is precious. It's about vision, strategy, and impact, not getting bogged down in operational details. AI isn't here to replace your strategic brain; it's here to supercharge your ability to lead, analyse, and communicate at scale. Imagine cutting through the noise to focus on what truly matters.

We're embedding AI across our Compliance_Quality_Health_Safety department to free up our leaders. For you, this means using AI to gain deeper insights faster, automate complex reporting, and even anticipate future ethical risks. It's about making your strategic decisions more informed and your team's execution more efficient, giving you back precious hours every week.

Strategic Insights from Feedback

Feed thousands of lines of open-ended text feedback from global training surveys, hotline reports, and employee engagement data into an AI model. Instantly identify overarching themes, sentiment shifts, and emerging ethical hotspots across different regions or business units. This gives you a data-driven pulse on the organisation's ethical health, informing your long-term strategy.

Predictive Regulatory Radar

Set up an AI-powered system that continuously monitors global regulatory bodies, legal journals, and enforcement actions. The AI provides concise, synthesised summaries of potential impacts on our existing compliance programmes and future training needs, allowing you to proactively adjust strategy and brief the C-suite on emerging risks before they become problems.

Global Programme Localisation & Scaling

Use AI to automate the initial translation, cultural adaptation, and voice-over scripting for deploying complex ethics training programmes across dozens of languages and jurisdictions. This dramatically reduces the time and cost of global rollout, allowing your team to focus on strategic oversight and cultural nuance, rather than manual translation efforts.

Automated Board & Executive Reporting

Connect various data sources (LMS, GRC, HRIS) to an AI-driven reporting engine. Generate initial drafts of quarterly Board reports, executive summaries, and compliance dashboards with key metrics, trends, and risk analyses. You'll spend less time compiling data and more time interpreting it and crafting your strategic narrative.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs?

Common routes in include Head of Ethics & Compliance Training (from another large organisation) (Direct entry if experience aligns perfectly.) and Senior Manager, Ethics & Compliance Programs (internal promotion) (Typically 3-5 years as a Senior Manager or Manager.). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer (CECO) (Roughly 3-5 years in the Director role.) and VP, Risk Management or Head of Enterprise Risk (Roughly 4-6 years in the Director role.), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs?

Increasingly, AI Ethics & Governance Integration and Behavioural Economics for Culture Change. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

Want a read on where you stand?

Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

Read the Zavmo manifesto to understand how you will be taught Meet your tutors

Or try another one

17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in compliance, quality and safety

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

The skills built in this role, strategic leadership, ethical decision-making, risk management and organisational change, apply across regulated industries such as financial services, pharma and defence. They also suit consulting work, advising organisations on ethics and compliance programmes.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my Director, Ethics & Compliance Programs plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.