Resources for Regulated Firms and Senior Managers
Everything SMF Capital publishes on the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, in one place: reference guides, free templates, practical plans, pay data, market updates, case studies, the SMF Unlocked podcast and live roles. Start with the situation you are in, or go straight to the library you need. Everything here is free, with no sign-up.
Start With Your Situation
Most people arrive with a specific job to do. These are the questions we are asked most often, and the resources that answer them.
We Need to Appoint a Senior Manager
Start with the function itself, then the person. Our SMF designations guide explains every Senior Manager Function and links to a detailed guide for each, and which SMFs apply at which firm tier tells you which ones your firm needs. When you are ready to recruit, use the statement of responsibilities template to define the role, interviewing an SMF candidate to test the shortlist and pre-offer checks before you commit.
We Need a Compliance Officer or MLRO
These are the roles firms hire most. What is SMF16? explains the compliance oversight and MLRO functions, and fractional or full-time compliance officer helps you choose the model. For costs, see what a fractional compliance officer or MLRO costs; for the hire itself, the compliance officer and MLRO job description template and interviewing a head of compliance or CCO.
We Are Applying for FCA Authorisation
The people named in an application can make or break it. Read building an SMF team from scratch, going directly authorised and, for payments and e-money firms, the people the FCA expects at authorisation. Our SMF authorisation support page explains how we help.
A Senior Manager Has Just Resigned
Act quickly but in order. Your MLRO has resigned: a 30-day plan sets out the first month, the 12-week rule explains temporary cover, and what a good handover pack contains covers the handover. If you need cover now, see urgent SMF replacement.
We Are Preparing an Approval Application
Most delays come from avoidable gaps. Read what goes wrong in Form A submissions and the fit and proper test in full, then use the regulatory reference checklist and the fit and proper assessment template. Candidates should also read preparing for an approval interview.
I Am a Senior Manager, or About to Become One
Know what you are signing up to. Start with the duty of responsibility, the Conduct Rules and due diligence before you accept an SMF role. Once appointed, the first 90 days is a practical plan. For live roles, see the jobs board.
We Are Reviewing Our Board or Governance
Use the board skills matrix template, the responsibilities map template and the SMF succession planning template. If you are approaching the Enhanced tier, read becoming an Enhanced firm.
Resources by Sector
The rules are the same across the regime, but the people and risks are not. These guides focus on the sectors we recruit for most often:
- Payments, e-money and fintech: compliance officers for fintech and payments firms, safeguarding explained and sizing the financial crime team.
- Insurance and broking: becoming a directly authorised insurance broker, CASS 5 client money and does a general insurance broker need an MLRO?
- Investment and wealth: the ICARA guide for investment firm boards, the ICARA process step by step and compliance monitoring at investment firms.
- Crypto-assets: hiring a crypto MLRO and our crypto-asset recruitment page.
- Principals and appointed representatives: appointed representatives explained and principal firm and AR recruitment.
- Smaller firms: who can be your MLRO or compliance officer?, when the managing director is also the compliance officer and compliance consultant or approved SMF16?
Our Resource Libraries
Each library has a different purpose. Use this guide to find the right one.
Want to test what you know? Try our SMCR quiz series, with five quizzes and Word versions for team training.
Knowledge Centre
In-depth reference guides to the rules: every designation, the fit and proper test, the Certification Regime, Prescribed Responsibilities and more.
Open the Knowledge Centre →Free Guides and Templates
Word templates for the documents the regime requires, plus practical plans and checklists, all free to download.
Browse the templates →Insights
Analysis of regulatory developments, enforcement and how Senior Manager searches actually run.
Read Insights →Blog
Practical articles for firms and Senior Managers, from hiring decisions to the first months in a new role.
Read the blog →SMF and Compliance Salary Guide
Salary and day-rate benchmarks for Senior Managers and compliance roles, kept up to date.
See the salary guide →SMF Recruitment Market Update
What we are seeing in the market for Senior Managers: demand, supply, timing and pay.
Read the update →Case Studies
How firms have solved Senior Manager appointments, from urgent cover to building a team for authorisation.
Read the case studies →SMCR Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms used in the Senior Managers and Certification Regime.
Open the glossary →Podcast, Events and Media
The SMF Unlocked podcast, free online briefings and our articles in the business press.
Visit the Media Centre →Most-Read Guides
The guides firms and Senior Managers come back to most often:
Knowledge Centre, Insights or Blog?
The three libraries overlap a little, so a quick guide to which to use:
| If you want | Go to |
|---|---|
| What a rule or designation requires, explained in full | Knowledge Centre |
| A document to download and adapt | Free Guides and Templates |
| Our view on what is changing and what it means | Insights |
| Practical advice on a specific hiring or role question | Blog |
| Pay, demand and timing | Salary guide and market update |
A Note on Sources
Our guides draw on the FCA Handbook, the PRA Rulebook and regulator publications, together with what we see running Senior Manager searches. We link to the primary sources wherever we can, including the FCA’s pages on the Senior Managers and Certification Regime and the SUP 10C rules on Senior Manager approval. The rules change, and we update our guides when they do, but nothing here is legal advice. For advice on your firm’s position, speak to your compliance team or a regulatory lawyer. If you spot something that looks out of date, tell us and we will check it.
From Resources to Recruitment
Our resources exist because we recruit Senior Managers every week, and the same questions come up in every search. When a guide points to a gap in your team, we can help fill it: permanent, interim and fractional appointments, from fractional compliance officers and fractional MLROs to chief compliance officers, chief executives and chairs. See our SMF recruitment services.
Related Services and Guides
From reference to recruitment. Every search is run by our specialist team, with Adrian Lawrence FCA overseeing each mandate
Fractional Cover
SMF16 and SMF17, part of the week.
→ Fractional compliance officer → Fractional MLROFractional and interim SMF cover →
Compliance Leaders
Permanent compliance and MLRO hires.
→ CCO and head of compliance → Combined SMF16/17Compliance officer (SMF16) →
Authorisation
The team behind your application.
→ SMF authorisation support → Multi-SMF team buildBuilding an SMF team →
Candidates
For current and future Senior Managers.
→ Live SMF jobs → Register as a candidateCandidate resources →
Every search is run by our specialist team, with Adrian Lawrence FCA overseeing each mandate
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these resources free?
Yes. Every guide, template and podcast episode is free to use, with no sign-up.
Are your templates the official FCA forms?
No. They help you prepare and organise the information. Regulatory submissions must use the regulator’s own forms and systems.
How often are the guides updated?
We review them when the rules change, such as the 2026 changes to the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, and keep evergreen guides such as the salary guide up to date.
Can you help us with a specific appointment?
Yes. Tell us about your hire and we’ll come back the same working day.
About the Author
Adrian Lawrence FCA is the founder of SMF Capital. He is a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the ICAEW, holds a practising certificate in his own name, and is a former listed-company Finance Director with a BSc from Queen Mary College, University of London. He founded FD Capital in 2018 and has since built a network of five specialist recruitment practices. He oversees every SMF Capital search. View Adrian’s ICAEW profile.
Need to Appoint a Senior Manager?
When a resource points to a gap in your team, tell us about it. We’ll come back the same working day with a view on the role and the candidates available.