Senior Financial Crime Manager

Senior Financial Crime Manager and Deputy MLRO

What would you be responsible for in this role;

As Senior Financial Crime Manager you will be a key contact point for anti-Financial Crime activity, related to the prevention of money laundering within the company. 

This role will be responsible for ensuring that adequate controls are in place to ensure compliance with the company's obligations under anti-money laundering laws and regulations. In addition there will be delivery of activities delegated by the Chief Risk Officer/MLRO, who is the officer accountable for reporting and governance on money laundering matters.

As the Senior Financial Crime Manager you will partner the business, developing and implementing risk-based solutions to manage wider Financial Crime risks, pertaining to fraud, bribery & corruption, sanctions, counter-terrorist and proliferation financing, and oversight and approval of reports produced by Nominated Officers for external reporting of suspicious activities.

What are we looking for?

• Ensure effective AML compliance across the business, to avoid regulatory breaches, fines and other regulatory sanctions.
• Establish, embed and oversee a Financial Crime risk management framework to support the business model, and to meet supervisory and legal expectations including broker and supplier due diligence.
• Design and/or further develop any other Financial Crime policies
• Further develop and policies, plans and standards to ensure we are implementing industry best practice where this impacts the business model, and provide relevant guardrails for business functions
• Develop and deliver a monitoring framework to assess and report on policy compliance, making recommendations for corrective actions where required, and tracking actions through to delivery 
• Prepare influential, informative and advisory reports for the Board, leadership committees and regulatory bodies, as required, including annual risk assessment and returns, annual Financial Crime plan, and drafting of the MLRO report
• Agree Financial Crime risk appetites and reporting metrics and provide regular and periodic updates to reflect business performance against same
• Adopt a risk-based approach in the design and development of appropriate methodologies, to address key areas of elevated risk
• Stay abreast of emerging risks and threats through external horizon scanning and, internally through periodic, pertinent impact assessments, close communication with business teams and updates via Financial Crime and/or other committees.
• Assess effectiveness and adequacy of the policy, procedure and controls through risk-based assurance plans and reviews
• Ensure effectiveness and appropriate functionality of screening systems and tools
• As a point of contact, ensure resolution of requirements for reports or enquiries from external agencies, such as regulators, auditors and law enforcement.
• Oversee and approve relevant suspicious activity reports for ongoing transmission to law enforcement or authorised agencies
• Provide the business with Financial Crime guidance, advice, oversight and support
• Establish and maintain a framework for generic and bespoke Financial Crime awareness training, for employees and leadership teams, developing and embedding knowledge of Financial Crime risk management across the business
• Build and maintain appropriate industry relationships with external parties, to benefit the internal Financial Crime risk environment

What would we like to see in you

• Solid experience in drafting, reviewing and updating of AML policies and standards relevant to the business, in order to reflect industry best practice, the evolving regulatory environment and business change
• Ability to interpret and present complex regulatory and legislative requirements in a format that can be easily understood by the business at all levels
• An excellent understanding of global sanctions regulation as well as UK Financial Crime laws, regulations and supporting guidance, with experience of applying them across a variety of product types
• Desire to think creatively and use innovation where possible to deliver new solutions, encouraging learning from failure
• A 'business enabler', looking for ways to remain compliant whilst supporting business stability, change and growth and without undue customer impact
• Strong stakeholder management and partnering skills demonstrated across all levels of business
• Ability to manage, work with and in matrix teams in completing assigned actions
• Effective motivational, conflict resolution and project management skills
• Minimum of 5 years of practical experience of delivering in a Senior Financial Crime role, with exposure to regulators, leadership teams and external parties

Skills/capabilities

• High standard of written and verbal communication and the ability to disseminate complex details and concepts to all staff levels
• The ability to challenge assumptions, identify and understand complex issues and escalate as appropriate
• Engendering support of senior executives across the business and functions, some of whom will have competing priorities
• Developing excellent working relationships with the business to ensure that Financial Crime is embedded throughout the organisation as appropriate
• Guides others in resolving complex issues using specialist risk management experience
• Influencing skills to gain buy-in from senior managers within the business
• Ability to work on own initiative, and independently with guidance only when leadership input is required
• High degree of resilience

Experience and knowledge

• Previous experience in a Senior Financial Crime role, preferably within the financial services sector
• The role holder will have delivered within Financial Crime risk and control eva