Application Guide

How to Apply for Vice President - Global Head of Compliance

at Wood Mackenzie

🏢 About Wood Mackenzie

Wood Mackenzie is a leading global provider of data and analytics for the energy, chemicals, metals, and mining industries. Working here means being at the forefront of the energy transition, helping clients make informed decisions on climate and sustainability. The company's remote-first culture offers flexibility while tackling some of the world's most pressing challenges.

About This Role

As VP and Global Head of Compliance, you will own and lead the entire compliance program for a global, privately held organization. This role is critical in establishing compliance as a proactive business partner, maturing the risk management framework, and ensuring regulatory adherence across jurisdictions. Your work directly supports Wood Mackenzie's mission to empower smart climate and energy decisions.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a virtual check-in with your global compliance team, followed by a meeting with the General Counsel on a new regulatory development in the EU. Midday, you could review a third-party risk assessment for a new data partner, then join a cross-functional call to advise on a product launch's compliance implications. The afternoon might involve drafting a board update on the enterprise risk framework and ending with a one-on-one mentoring session with a junior team member.

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🎯 Who Wood Mackenzie Is Looking For

  • A seasoned compliance leader with 10+ years of experience, including at least 5 years leading a global compliance function in a complex, international organization (preferably privately held).
  • Deep expertise in regulatory and non-regulatory compliance areas such as sanctions, anti-bribery, data privacy, ethics, export control, and third-party risk.
  • Proven track record of implementing and maturing enterprise GRC frameworks aligned to the Three Lines of Defence model.
  • Strong leadership skills with experience managing small to medium-sized teams and ability to influence senior stakeholders and board members.

📝 Tips for Applying to Wood Mackenzie

1

Tailor your resume to highlight specific experience with sanctions, ABAC, data privacy, and export control in a global context.

2

Quantify your achievements in maturing GRC frameworks, e.g., reduced risk incidents by X% or implemented a new compliance program across Y countries.

3

Demonstrate your ability to work remotely and lead a distributed team, as the role is fully remote.

4

Showcase your experience in a privately held company or similar non-publicly traded environment, as the job description emphasizes 'privately held'.

5

In your cover letter, explicitly connect your experience to Wood Mackenzie's mission in climate and energy data analytics.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Emphasize your alignment with Wood Mackenzie's mission to drive smart climate and energy decisions through compliance leadership.", 'Highlight your experience in building compliance functions from the ground up or transforming them into proactive business partners.', 'Showcase your expertise in managing jurisdictional-specific regulatory requirements in multiple countries.', 'Discuss your leadership philosophy and how you foster a culture of ethics and compliance across a global team.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review Wood Mackenzie's company values, particularly around integrity and sustainability, to align your approach.
  • → Understand the company's product offerings (e.g., Lens, Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables) to see how compliance intersects with data analytics.
  • → Research recent news or regulatory changes in the energy sector that could impact compliance priorities.
  • → Look into the company's ownership structure (privately held by Verisk) to understand governance dynamics.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you establish the compliance function as a proactive, trusted partner to the business? Provide examples.
2 Describe your experience implementing the Three Lines of Defence model in a complex organization.
3 Walk us through a time you led a sensitive ethics or compliance investigation. What was the outcome?
4 How do you stay current with evolving sanctions and export control regulations across different jurisdictions?
5 Given Wood Mackenzie's focus on energy data, how would you address compliance risks related to intellectual property and data privacy?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Avoid generic compliance experience; focus on global, multi-jurisdictional expertise and specific regulatory areas mentioned.
  • Don't underestimate the importance of soft skills; this role requires influencing without direct authority.
  • Avoid being too technical without showing business acumen; emphasize how compliance supports strategic goals.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Wood Mackenzie!

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