United Kingdom · Finance · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director of Regulatory Technology

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.

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

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports8-15 reports
  • Reports toHead of Financial Crime Technology (C-Suite)
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as Head of RegTech Strategy · VP, Financial Crime Technology · Director, Compliance Systems · Head of AML Technology

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

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

No confident skill match yet for Director of Regulatory Technology. The closest we hold is below.

GQA Level 5 Diploma in the Practice of Process Safety Management GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 5 · covers 1 of 1 standard

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

The units you would start with

Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety GQA Level 5 Diploma in the Practice of Process Safety Management
Comply with External and Internal Obligations within a Bulk Storage Operations Environment GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Diploma for a Bulk Storage Operator (Technician)
Manage compliance to support achieving excellence in food operations FDQ Level 3 Certificate for Proficiency in Food Manufacturing Excellence
Carry out quality audits in food operations FDQ Level 3 Certificate for Proficiency in Food Industry Skills
Good Manufacturing Practice GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Certificate in Laboratory Technical Skills
Principles of Safe Manufacture of Quality Medicines in the Pharmaceutical Environment Open Awards Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians (Diploma)

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
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Change Fluency taking people through change
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director of Regulatory Technology

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

  1. Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 5
  2. Comply with External and Internal Obligations within a Bulk Storage Operations Environment GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 3
  3. Manage compliance to support achieving excellence in food operations FDQ Limited · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 3
  4. Carry out quality audits in food operations FDQ Limited · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 3
  5. Good Manufacturing Practice GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 3
  6. Principles of Safe Manufacture of Quality Medicines in the Pharmaceutical Environment Open Awards · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 3
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 of Regulatory Technology?

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

  • Ethical AI Governance & Explainability
  • Digital Transformation Leadership
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 of Regulatory Technology 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.

3What this role really is

Director of Regulatory Technology leads the technology used to defend a business against financial crime. The work turns regulatory demands into practical tech solutions.

4What you'd actually use

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

AML/TM Platforms (NICE Actimize, SAS AML, FICO TONBELLER) Strategic

Leading platform selection, vendor management, designing enterprise-wide transaction monitoring strategy and architecture. Accountable for model governance and validation, and facing off with regulators on platform capabilities.

KYC/Onboarding Systems (Fenergo, Pega KYC, in-house platforms) Architect

Owning the end-to-end client lifecycle management (CLM) technology strategy for a business unit. Making build vs. buy decisions, ensuring data flows correctly from KYC to other risk systems, and overseeing major system implementations.

GRC & Reporting Tools (ServiceNow GRC, Archer, Adenza/AxiomSL) Strategic

Defining the enterprise GRC framework and taxonomy for your domain. Presenting risk posture dashboards to the board and C-suite. Signing off on the accuracy and submission of critical regulatory reports that rely on these platforms.

Data Analysis & Querying (SQL - PostgreSQL/SQL Server) Architect

Designing the data schemas for compliance data marts. Establishing data governance standards and lineage for all critical compliance data elements. You won't be writing daily queries, but you'll be defining how the data is structured and accessed at scale.

Business Intelligence (Tableau, Power BI) Strategic

Defining the BI strategy for the entire compliance function within your remit. Using dashboards to communicate risk and performance to executive leadership and regulators, shaping their understanding of our financial crime landscape.

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
Strategic RegTech Platform Selection N/A - This isn't something a junior would touch. N/A - Too strategic for this level. Recommends specific platforms and vendors based on technical and functional requirements. Provides detailed analysis to Director.
Regulatory Interpretation & System Impact Identifies potential system impacts from new regulations and escalates to senior team members. Analyses new regulatory guidance, identifies specific system changes required, and proposes solutions to Senior Specialist. Interprets complex regulatory text, translates it into detailed system requirements, and designs implementation plans. Recommends changes to Lead.
Team Hiring & Organisational Design N/A N/A Participates in interviews for Junior/Mid-level roles, provides feedback on technical skills.

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.

Regulatory Audit Findings (Tech-related)
Number of 'High Risk' or 'Significant' findings from internal or external regulatory audits directly attributable to RegTech systems or processes under your remit.
Target · Zero 'High Risk' findings annually; maximum of one 'Medium Risk' finding.

After the annual FCA review, your area received zero 'High Risk' findings, improving on last year's two. That's a huge win.

Operational Efficiency Gain via Automation
Percentage reduction in manual effort (measured in full-time equivalent hours or process cycle time) for key compliance processes through RegTech automation.
Target · Achieve a 15-20% reduction year-over-year in identified manual tasks.

Automating the initial review of sanctions alerts saved the team roughly 1,500 hours this quarter, a 17% efficiency gain against the baseline.

RegTech Programme Budget Adherence
Variance between approved budget and actual spend for RegTech projects and operational costs under your direct control.
Target · Stay within ±5% of the approved annual budget for all programmes.

Your team delivered the new KYC system integration £75K under its £1.5M budget, demonstrating excellent cost control.

Model Effectiveness & False Positive Rate (FPR)
The balance between detecting true suspicious activity and minimising the number of irrelevant alerts generated by AML/TM models.
Target · Maintain model detection rates above industry benchmarks while reducing FPR by 10% year-over-year.

Our transaction monitoring models maintained a 95% detection rate for known typologies while reducing the FPR from 8% to 7.2% this quarter – that's fewer wasted hours for the analysts.

Strategic Roadmap Delivery
Completion rate of key strategic initiatives and projects outlined in the annual RegTech roadmap.
Target · Deliver 90% of critical roadmap items on time and within scope.

All three major phases of the GRC platform upgrade were completed as planned this year, setting us up nicely for the next phase.

Regulatory Engagement & Influence
Your ability to represent the firm's RegTech capabilities to regulators, articulate our approach, and influence future guidance where appropriate.
  • You're regularly invited to speak at industry forums on RegTech. Regulators seek your input on emerging technologies. Your presentations to the FCA are clear, confident, and well-received, leading to productive dialogues rather than adversarial exchanges.
Strategic Vision & Architecture
The clarity and foresight of your long-term RegTech strategy, ensuring it aligns with business goals and anticipates future regulatory shifts.
  • Your multi-year RegTech roadmap is consistently praised by senior leadership for its coherence and forward-thinking approach. You've successfully championed a new architectural standard that will save us headaches down the line. We're not just reacting
  • we're building for the future.
Team Leadership & Development
Your effectiveness in building, mentoring, and retaining a high-performing team of RegTech specialists and leads.
  • Your direct reports consistently rate you highly in engagement surveys. You've successfully promoted two Lead Specialists to Manager roles. Your team is seen as a talent incubator, and people actively want to join your area. Retention rates are strong, and you're actively developing the next generation of leaders.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Your ability to build strong working relationships and drive agreement across diverse internal teams (e.g., IT, Business Units, Legal) to deliver RegTech solutions.
  • You're the go-to person when different departments can't agree on a tech solution. Business unit heads actively seek your input on new product launches to ensure compliance by design. You've brokered successful compromises between IT and Compliance on complex system integrations, making sure everyone feels heard and aligned.
Vendor Management & Innovation
How well you manage key RegTech vendor relationships, ensuring we get maximum value and stay informed on market innovations.
  • Our key vendors see you as a strategic partner, not just a client. You've successfully negotiated favourable terms for new software licenses. You regularly bring back insights from vendor roadmaps that inform our internal strategy, ensuring we're always aware of the latest tools and capabilities.

7Would you like it

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

What people enjoy
Building a Robust Defence

You'll get a real kick out of seeing your strategic vision for a new AML platform come to life, knowing it's making it genuinely harder for criminals to operate. The satisfaction comes from knowing you're protecting the firm and its customers.

Successfully delivering a new sanctions screening engine that demonstrably reduces false positives while improving detection accuracy. That's a tangible win.

Solving Complex, High-Stakes Puzzles

The challenge of translating ambiguous regulatory guidance into precise technical requirements, or designing a data architecture that can withstand an FCA audit, is what gets you up in the morning. It's about intellectual challenge with real-world consequences.

Architecting a data lineage solution that can trace every single data point from source to regulatory report, satisfying even the most demanding auditor.

Leading and Developing Talent

You'll find immense satisfaction in mentoring your Lead Specialists, helping them grow their careers, and seeing your team deliver innovative solutions. Building a high-performing team is a core part of your drive.

A junior member of your team, whom you've mentored, successfully leads a critical project and gets promoted. That's a direct reflection of your leadership.

What frustrates people
  • The sheer inertia of large organisations when trying to implement new technology, especially when it impacts multiple departments.
  • Dealing with legacy systems that constantly break or don't talk to each other, making data aggregation a nightmare.
  • The 'urgent' regulatory change that drops on a Friday afternoon, requiring weekend work to reconfigure systems.
  • Constantly justifying the budget for compliance technology, where the 'return' is preventing fines, not generating revenue.
  • The political dance required to get buy-in from various senior stakeholders who often have conflicting priorities.
  • The 'alert fatigue' problem: even with the best tuning, there's always a baseline of false positives that analysts have to clear, which can feel like a drain on resources.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, heads-down technical role – this is very much a leadership and influence position.
  • Complete autonomy without significant stakeholder management; you'll always be balancing competing demands.
  • A static, predictable environment; the regulatory landscape and criminal typologies are constantly shifting.
  • A role where you're solely focused on revenue generation; your value is in risk mitigation and protection.

8Who you work with

This role directly impacts our regulatory standing, operational efficiency, and overall risk posture. You're responsible for ensuring our technology infrastructure can withstand intense regulatory scrutiny, prevent financial crime, and support scalable business growth without compromising compliance. Get this right, and you're saving the firm millions in potential fines and reputational damage. Get it wrong, and the impact is felt across the entire organisation, right up to the board.

Inside the business
  • Head of Financial Crime Technology
  • Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)
  • Business Unit Heads (e.g., Retail Banking, Investment Management)
  • Internal Audit
  • Legal Counsel
  • IT Infrastructure & Security Teams
  • Risk Management Committee
Outside the business
  • Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
  • Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)
  • National Crime Agency (NCA)
  • External Auditors
  • RegTech Vendors (e.g., NICE Actimize, Fenergo)
  • Industry Bodies (e.g., UK Finance)

9What you need before you start

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

  • Proven track record of 16-20 years in financial crime prevention, regulatory compliance, or RegTech roles within a large, complex financial institution (e.g., investment bank, retail bank, asset manager).
  • Extensive experience (at least 5-7 years) leading and managing large teams (8+ direct reports, including managers or leads) in a technology or compliance function.
  • Demonstrable experience managing multi-million pound budgets (£2M+) for technology programmes or operational units.
  • Deep, hands-on experience with at least two major RegTech platforms (e.g., Actimize, Fenergo, Archer) at an 'Architect' or 'Strategic' proficiency level.
  • A history of successfully engaging with and presenting to senior internal stakeholders (C-suite, Board committees) and external regulators (FCA, PRA, etc.).
  • A strong understanding of data governance, data lineage, and data quality principles, particularly in a regulatory context.
  • Experience in defining and implementing strategic technology roadmaps and driving large-scale organisational change.

10What to practise next

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

Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) & Crypto Analytics

The financial world is increasingly embracing DLT and cryptocurrencies. Regulators are still catching up, but you'll need to understand the unique financial crime risks and how to build technology to monitor and report on these assets. It's a new frontier for financial crime.

Blockchain Fundamentals · Crypto Transaction Monitoring · DeFi & Web3 Risks · Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs)

  • This quarter: Read up on the FCA's guidance on cryptoassets and financial crime.
  • Next 6 months: Explore a leading crypto analytics platform (e.g., Chainalysis, Elliptic) to understand its capabilities.
  • Next 12 months: Develop a strategic view on how DLT and crypto will impact our RegTech roadmap over the next 3-5 years.
  • Ongoing: Engage with our Treasury or Innovation teams to understand their DLT initiatives.

Quick win: Follow key thought leaders and regulatory updates on crypto and DLT. It's a fast-moving space, so staying informed is crucial.

Cloud-Native RegTech Architecture

Moving our RegTech platforms to the cloud isn't just about cost savings; it's about scalability, resilience, and agility. You'll need to understand how to design and manage secure, cloud-native architectures that meet stringent regulatory requirements, especially around data residency and security.

Cloud Security Best Practices · Microservices & Containerisation · Serverless Computing · Data Residency & Sovereignty

  • This quarter: Work closely with our IT Infrastructure team to understand our current cloud strategy and challenges.
  • Next 6 months: Undertake an online certification in cloud architecture fundamentals (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate).
  • Next 12 months: Lead a proof of concept for migrating a non-critical RegTech component to a cloud-native architecture.
  • Ongoing: Stay informed on cloud security and compliance trends from industry bodies and cloud providers.

Quick win: Familiarise yourself with the shared responsibility model in cloud computing. It's fundamental to understanding cloud security.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending industry conferences and webinars on RegTech, AI in finance, and financial crime trends (e.g., Sibos, ACAMS conferences, Finovate).
  • Participating in industry working groups or committees focused on shaping future regulatory technology standards or best practices.
  • Engaging in continuous learning through online courses or executive education programmes on topics like advanced analytics, machine learning governance, or digital transformation.
  • Building a strong professional network with peers in other financial institutions, regulators, and leading RegTech vendors to stay informed and share insights.
  • Mentoring junior talent within the firm, which helps solidify your own knowledge and leadership skills.

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.

Ethical AI Governance & Explainability

As we use more AI in financial crime detection, regulators are demanding transparency and fairness. You'll need to prove our models aren't biased and that we can explain why an alert was generated, not just that it was. This isn't just a technical problem; it's an ethical and reputational one.

  • Model Explainability (XAI)
  • Bias Detection & Mitigation
  • AI Risk Management Frameworks
  • Regulatory Expectations for AI

Digital Transformation Leadership

We're not just automating; we're fundamentally changing how we operate. As a Director, you'll need to lead significant digital transformation programmes, which means managing not just the technology, but the people, the processes, and the culture shifts. It's about vision, influence, and resilience.

  • Change Management Frameworks
  • Agile at Scale
  • Digital Operating Models
  • Data-Driven Culture

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • AML/CFT Frameworks & Model Risk Management
  • KYC/CDD/EDD Methodologies & Client Lifecycle Management (CLM)
  • Regulatory Interpretation & Rule Mapping
  • Data Lineage, Governance & Auditability
  • Transaction Monitoring Typologies & Financial Crime Trends

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

    From RegTech Manager (L5) within the Firm

    3-5 years as a RegTech Manager.

    Skills to master

    • Demonstrable success in managing a large team and a significant RegTech platform. Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and contribute to strategic planning. Experience in managing budgets of £500K-£2M. A clear understanding of the broader business unit strategy.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led and delivered a major RegTech programme (e.g., a new KYC system implementation).
    • Consistently met or exceeded operational efficiency and compliance targets for your managed platforms.
    • Received strong feedback on your leadership, team development, and stakeholder engagement skills.
    • Actively participated in strategic planning sessions and contributed valuable insights beyond your immediate remit.
  2. 2

    From Director/Head of RegTech at a Smaller Firm

    5-8 years in a similar leadership role at a smaller or challenger bank/FinTech.

    Skills to master

    • Experience scaling RegTech solutions, adapting to the complexities of a larger, more matrixed organisation. Ability to navigate internal politics and influence without direct authority. Understanding of the nuances of a larger firm's risk appetite and regulatory exposure.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully built and scaled a RegTech function from scratch or significantly transformed an existing one.
    • Managed end-to-end RegTech strategy and operations, including vendor selection and budget management.
    • Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a highly regulated environment, even if at a smaller scale.
    • Strong track record of attracting, developing, and retaining talent.
  3. 3

    From Senior Consultant (RegTech/Financial Crime) at a Big Four/Specialist Consultancy

    8-12 years in consulting, with 3-5 years at Senior Manager/Director level.

    Skills to master

    • Deep expertise in a specific RegTech domain or financial crime area, gained through multiple client engagements. Strong client-facing and presentation skills. Experience in driving large-scale transformation programmes. The ability to transition from an advisory role to an accountable, hands-on leadership position.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Led complex RegTech implementation or remediation projects for Tier 1 financial institutions.
    • Developed and presented strategic recommendations to C-suite clients.
    • Proven ability to manage project teams and deliver against tight deadlines.
    • Demonstrated understanding of the operational realities and challenges within a financial institution, beyond just theoretical knowledge.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to senior compliance and risk roles, including Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Risk Officer.

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 of Regulatory Technology is actually changing.

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 Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety, worked against Director of Regulatory Technology.

Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety Level 5

Applied to your work in Director of Regulatory Technology

The objective of this unit is to provide learners with a comprehensive understanding of the regulations, industry standards, and management requirements for process safety. Learners will understand the role of the Process Safety Leadership Group, relevant frameworks, legal duties, and the role of the Competent Authority.

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.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director of Regulatory Technology
  • AML/CFT Frameworks & Model Risk Management
  • KYC/CDD/EDD Methodologies & Client Lifecycle Management (CLM)
  • Regulatory Interpretation & Rule Mapping
  • Data Lineage, Governance & Auditability
  • Transaction Monitoring Typologies & Financial Crime Trends
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 of Regulatory Technology is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Head of Financial Crime Technology (C-Suite, L7)

    3-5 years in the Director role.

    This is a significant step up to the C-suite, overseeing the entire firm's financial crime technology strategy and operations.

    • Multi-Jurisdictional Regulatory Expertise Comprehensive understanding of financial crime regulations across all key global markets.
    • Enterprise Architecture Leadership Directing the overall architecture for all financial crime systems, ensuring integration and scalability.
    • Large-Scale Budget & P&L Management Managing budgets in excess of £10M+, with accountability for the entire financial crime technology P&L.
    • Crisis Management Leading the technology response during major financial crime incidents or regulatory breaches.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

We're not just talking about the future; we're using AI to make your job better, today. Imagine cutting down on the tedious, repetitive tasks that eat into your week, freeing you up for the strategic work that truly matters. Our firm is investing heavily in AI, and we want you to be at the forefront of using it.

As a Director of Regulatory Technology, your time is precious. You're juggling strategic planning, team leadership, and high-stakes regulatory engagement. AI won't replace your judgment, but it will certainly augment your capabilities, helping you to analyse faster, report quicker, and make more informed decisions. Here's a glimpse of how you'll be using AI to drive real impact in this role.

KYC Document Automation

Use AI (Natural Language Processing & Computer Vision) to automatically extract, validate, and cross-reference information from client identity documents (passports, utility bills), flagging discrepancies for human review. This means your team spends less time on manual data entry and more on actual risk assessment. For you, it means faster onboarding and reduced operational risk.

Insightful Anomaly Detection

Augment our existing rule-based transaction monitoring with advanced machine learning models. These models detect novel and complex suspicious behavioural patterns that don't fit pre-defined rules, focusing investigator attention on the highest-risk activity. You'll be leading the charge on tuning these, dramatically reducing 'alert fatigue' and improving our detection capabilities.

Regulatory Research Assistant

Use a Large Language Model (LLM) trained on a vast corpus of regulatory publications to instantly summarise new guidance from bodies like the FCA, FinCEN, or ESMA. It'll identify which internal policies and system rules may be impacted, giving you a massive head start on strategic responses and saving your team countless hours of manual review.

Automated SAR Narrative Drafting

Leverage Generative AI to draft the initial narrative for Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) by summarising structured data from investigations (customer, accounts, transactions, alert type). This means your team can produce high-quality reports much faster, allowing them to focus on the critical investigative details and your oversight to be more efficient.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director of Regulatory Technology?

Common routes in include From RegTech Manager within the Firm (3-5 years as a RegTech Manager.), From Director/Head of RegTech at a Smaller Firm (5-8 years in a similar leadership role at a smaller or challenger bank/FinTech.) and From Senior Consultant (RegTech/Financial Crime) at a Big Four/Specialist Consultancy (8-12 years in consulting, with 3-5 years at Senior Manager/Director level.). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director of Regulatory Technology progress to?

This role can lead on to Head of Financial Crime Technology (3-5 years in the Director role.), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director of Regulatory Technology?

Increasingly, Ethical AI Governance & Explainability and Digital Transformation Leadership. 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.

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 finance

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.

If you leave this industry

Skills in RegTech and financial crime prevention carry across financial services, from investment banking and asset management to retail banking, FinTechs, and regulatory bodies. Leaders who can connect regulation and technology are in demand throughout the sector.

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 of Regulatory Technology 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.