Compliance officer
Help companies follow regulations and policies, like sustainability standards. These might come from industry bodies, internal standards organisations or even the government.
About the job
What it's like
A compliance officer makes sure a company is following their internal policies and any outside regulations. These might come from industry bodies, international standards organisations, or the government.
Businesses which break regulations might end up in trouble with the law. This can result in hefty fines or other punishments. You'd be responsible for making sure a company is following the rules they need to.
What you might do:
perform risk assessments
conduct investigations and highlight areas of concern
keep up to date with laws, regulations and internal policies
work with other departments to ensure compliance across the business
educate staff on the need for compliance
maintain and update the company’s internal policies and procedures
making sure organisations understand and follow environmental regulations
promoting green practices to mitigate future risks of environmental breaches
Many industries have to follow regulations and hire compliance officers to help. You could work in:
financial services, including financial technology (fintech)
insurance
banking
technology
environmental
healthcare or pharmaceutical
property
charity or not-for-profit
gaming
retail
Green job
In this job you'll be doing work to help the environment. Find out more about green jobs.
Hours
Working hours can vary depending on the sector, but usually full-time hours will be Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm.
Environment
You'll usually be office based but some jobs may require you to visit outdoor sites.
Travel
Some jobs may cover numerous locations so expect some travel.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Life sciences Healthcare Financial and professional services Energy Digital technologies
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- regulatory compliance
- compliance management
- electrical safety
- regulatory developments
- policy compliance
- water services
- governance and compliance strategy
- automated critical asset management systems
- water heating
- transport services
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- analysing
- negotiating
- time management
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- problem solving
- creative
- written communication
- verbal communication
- building relationships
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Business Management
Economics
Skills for Work: Financial Services
Foundation Apprenticeship: Financial Services
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
You'd likely need a degree in a subject such as:
business
law
accountancy
economics
finance
Some employers will accept any degree subject, especially if it's relevant to their industry.
Postgraduate qualifications are not essential but might be useful to career changers. An example qualification that would be useful is an MBA (Master of Business Administration). An MBA gives you an overview of key business practices. It's usually taken by professionals who have at least three years of business and management experience.
Many postgraduate courses will ask for you to already have a degree. Some course might accept other relevant qualifications including work-based qualifications or extensive experience.
You could do a course run by the International Compliance Association (ICA). They have courses to suit your area of study and experience level.
While not all employers list specific qualification requirements they do ask for relevant (usually work based) experience that demonstrates a range of transferable skills.
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