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Leaders League: How has the role of the compliance professional changed over the past few years?
YouConnect: The compliance function has become significantly more professional. More and more organizations have established dedicated compliance departments or appointed one or more compliance officers. As the discipline has matured, the role of the compliance professional has expanded considerably in both scope and responsibility.
Where compliance divisions were previously mainly focused on control and ensuring their organizations complied with legal requirements through a “box-ticking” approach, we now see a clear shift towards the role of strategic business partner. Compliance is increasingly seen as more than a unit that is involved only at the end of a project or process to verify whether everything complies with applicable regulations. Instead, organizations increasingly recognize the value of involving members of the compliance team from the outset, allowing them to contribute proactively to discussions around risks, opportunities and the implementation of regulatory requirements.
This evolution enables organizations to identify and address risks at a much earlier stage. When compliance is only involved at the end of a process, making adjustments is often far more difficult. Moreover, early intervention can deliver significant cost savings for a company. A preventive approach is therefore key.
In addition, compliance professionals increasingly work across different departments, connecting legal, operational and strategic teams. This central position enables them not only to identify risks at an early stage, but also to contribute to the development of sustainable and practical internal policies.
The role of a strategic business partner is also essential when it comes to developing and implementing internal policies successfully. By working closely with the business, compliance professionals gain valuable insight into day-to-day operations, business risks and the organization’s culture. This allows them to develop policies that are not only legally sound but also aligned with the operational reality of their organization. Close collaboration with the business also helps create the necessary support across the organization, ensuring that compliance policies are effectively implemented rather than remaining theoretical documents.
Besides technical expertise, which skills are becoming more important today?
As the job of compliance professionals has evolved significantly over the past few years, so too have the capabilities expected of them.
Where technical expertise and in-depth regulatory knowledge were once the primary requirements, organizations today expect a much broader skill set. The best compliance professionals don’t have a "tick-the-box" mentality, but rather a proactive and risk-based mindset. They must be able to analyze processes, regulations and behavior, while translating these insights into concrete priorities and making efficient use of available resources.
Strong communication skills have also become more important than ever. Today’s compliance professional does not operate from an ivory tower but actively collaborates with the business. Being able to explain complex regulations clearly to colleagues without a legal or compliance background is essential. Only in this way can compliance professionals build understanding, encourage collaboration and create support across the organization, rather than allowing compliance to be perceived as merely another obligation.
Active listening is equally important. In order to provide relevant and pragmatic advice, compliance professionals need to understand what is happening within the organization and the challenges faced by different departments. This goes hand in hand with strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to build constructive relationships across the business.
We also see adaptability becoming increasingly important. New regulations, technological developments such as AI, and topics such as ESG are continuously reshaping the compliance landscape. As a result, compliance professionals must not only possess up-to-date technical knowledge but also be willing to continuously develop their expertise and translate new developments into practical solutions.
In short, technical expertise and analytical skills remain the foundation of a strong compliance professional. However, soft skills have become just as important for making a meaningful impact within today’s organizations.
Which sectors currently show the highest demand for compliance professionals?
The financial services sector remains by far the largest employer of compliance professionals today. Over the past few years, financial institutions have invested heavily in building and expanding their compliance teams across the different lines of defense. While larger organizations started this process several years ago, smaller institutions initially relied more on a combination of internal employees and external consultants. Today, the vast majority have established their own compliance units, and demand for compliance professionals remains particularly strong.
Within the financial sector, organizations are primarily looking for specialist profiles with expertise in areas such as AML, KYC, MiFID, sanctions and financial crime.
The pharmaceutical sector also continues to be an important employer of compliance professionals, where the focus is mainly on regulatory compliance.
At the same time, we see compliance becoming increasingly important beyond these traditionally highly regulated sectors. Organizations operating in industries such as manufacturing, retail, technology and other commercial sectors are increasingly investing in dedicated compliance functions or appointing at least one compliance professional.
Depending on the nature of an organization’s activities, this may involve specialist profiles, for example in data protection or ESG, but just as often organizations are looking for more generalist compliance professionals who are responsible for a broad range of compliance and risk-related topics.
What academic backgrounds do compliance professionals typically have?
Compliance is one of those professions that doesn’t have a single, predefined career path. That is quite logical, as Belgium still does not offer a dedicated master’s degree in compliance. A large proportion of today’s compliance professionals have a legal background. However, we also see graduates in criminology, economics and business-related disciplines entering the profession.
In terms of career paths, many compliance professionals start their careers in private practice, for example specializing in data protection or competition law, or working as in-house legal counsel, where they can combine legal and compliance responsibilities before moving into a dedicated compliance role. Others build their careers in auditing, risk management, internal control or regulatory roles, particularly within the financial services sector.
What do compliance professionals expect from an employer today?
Candidates want to work for organizations where compliance is truly valued, supported by senior management and recognized as an important business function. They are looking for roles where they can contribute to the business rather than simply monitor compliance with regulations ("box-checking").
Like those in many other fields, compliance professionals also place great importance on continuous learning and development. Regulations evolve rapidly, technology is transforming the way we work, with AI creating new opportunities as well as new challenges. As a result, candidates increasingly expect employers to invest in their professional growth.
We also see that flexibility, autonomy, a healthy work-life balance and an inclusive company culture have become standard expectations rather than additional benefits. On top the aforementioned points, salary remains an important factor.
What are the main challenges when it comes to retaining compliance staff?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that people mainly leave because of salary. While compensation should certainly remain competitive, it is rarely the primary reason why professionals decide to move on.
The reasons we hear most often from compliance professionals are: limited career development, insufficient recognition and organizational uncertainty or the feeling that compliance is not fully supported by senior management.
Culture and leadership play a crucial role as well. Compliance professionals value managers who trust them, empower them and involve them in important discussions. They want to know that their expertise is appreciated and that they can genuinely contribute to the organization.
Ultimately, organizations retain talent by creating an environment where people feel valued, have meaningful work and see opportunities to continue developing throughout their careers.
What added value does working with a specialist compliance recruiter provide?
In our experience, the success of a recruitment process is often determined before the vacancy is even launched.
Before searching for candidates, organizations should first take a step back and clearly define what they actually need. What are the strategic objectives of the compliance unit? Which skills does the team lack? How will the role evolve over the coming years? Answering these questions often makes the difference between hiring someone who fills a vacancy and someone who really strengthens the organization.
This is where a specialist recruiter can add real value. At YouConnect, we guide our clients through this exercise before we even start searching.
We see ourselves as long-term partners. We invest significant time in understanding the organization, its culture, team dynamics, reporting lines and the responsibilities of the role.
Because we specialize in legal and compliance recruitment, we have built an extensive network and developed an in-depth understanding of the market over many years. In addition, our consultants have prior professional experience in the sectors they recruit for, allowing them to truly understand both the role and the challenges involved.
This enables us not only to identify suitable candidates, but also to advise clients on market realities, candidate expectations and the feasibility of a search.
We combine our own network and database with targeted search strategies, conduct in-depth competency-based interviews and provide comprehensive candidate reports.
At the same time, we continuously invest in expanding our own knowledge of the compliance landscape, enabling us to have meaningful conversations with both candidates and clients.
Ultimately, successful recruitment is about much more than matching skills and experience. It is about finding the right fit between an individual, an organization and its culture. Those are the placements that create long-term value for both the employer and the compliance professional.
What advice would you give an organization looking to strengthen its compliance team?
Firstly, think beyond the vacancy itself. Strengthening a compliance team is not simply about hiring an additional person: it starts with having a clear vision of the role compliance should play within your organization and how it supports the wider business.
Secondly, be realistic about the candidate you are looking for. We still see organizations searching for a “unicorn” who combines every possible area of expertise. In reality, it might be more interesting to identify the skills that are truly essential and remain open to candidates who can continue to grow in the role.
Another important aspect is the recruitment process itself. The strongest compliance professionals are rarely actively looking for a new opportunity or, if they are, often have several options. A well-structured recruitment process, transparent communication and timely decision-making send a strong message about your organization. In many cases, the recruitment process is a candidate’s very first experience of your company culture.
Furthermore, recruitment does not end once someone signs a contract. Investing in onboarding, continuous development, supportive leadership and meaningful responsibilities is essential for the long-term retention of talented professionals.
Finally, in our experience, organizations that view compliance as a strategic business function, rather than purely a control function, are ultimately the ones that build the strongest and most resilient teams.
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