Client Onboarding Operations Manager

Elevate; Manchester; On-site; GBP 83,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

Elevate is seeking an experienced Client Onboarding Operations Manager for a 9–12 month fixed-term contract in Manchester. You will lead the day-to-day operation of CDD teams in a highly regulated environment, ensuring service standards, quality and regulatory compliance while driving transformation.

You will manage CDD/KYC/AML workflows, coach leaders, and collaborate with Legal, Risk and Technology to deliver improvements and robust controls through change periods.

Qualifications

• Experience leading CDD, KYC, AML or similar regulated activity.
• Proven ability to manage workflow, capacity and service levels.
• Strong leadership, coaching and performance management skills.
• Experience delivering regulatory compliance in legal or professional services.
• Comfort with change management and technology transformations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage CDD Team Leaders and oversee day-to-day operations.
• Manage workflow, capacity, productivity, service levels and quality.
• Identify and address operational risks, capacity pressures and service issues.
• Coach, develop and hold Team Leaders accountable for performance.
• Ensure compliance with AML, CDD, KYC, SRA and relevant regulatory requirements.
• Maintain strong operational controls, quality standards and audit trails.
• Use management information to drive performance and resource decisions.
• Support technology implementation, process improvements and operational transformation.
• Lead colleague engagement, communications and readiness through periods of change.
• Build strong relationships with Legal, Risk, Technology and other key stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement and resolve recurring operational issues.
• Strong operational leadership experience within a high-volume, complex and regulated environment.
• Experience leading teams responsible for CDD, KYC, AML, financial crime, client onboarding or similar regulated activity
• Proven experience managing workflow, capacity, service levels, productivity and quality.
• Strong people leadership, coaching and performance management skills.
• Experience maintaining operational control and team engagement through significant change.
• Good understanding of operational controls, quality management and regulatory compliance.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Confident, decisive and hands-on leadership style.
• Law firm or professional services experience.
• Knowledge of legal-sector CDD, AML, sanctions and SRA requirements.
• Experience supporting technology implementation or operating model transformation.
• Experience managing teams across multiple locations.
• Experience improving client and colleague journeys.
• Knowledge of workflow, case management, digital identity or client verification technology.

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Client Onboarding Operations Manager for a 9–12 month fixed-term contract role to lead the day-to-day operation of CDD teams within a complex, regulated environment.

The role will provide visible operational leadership, ensuring work is effectively managed, prioritised and delivered to the required standards of service, quality and regulatory compliance. You will also support the function through a period of significant technology and operational transformation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage CDD Team Leaders and oversee day-to-day operations.
• Manage workflow, capacity, productivity, service levels and quality.
• Identify and address operational risks, capacity pressures and service issues.
• Coach, develop and hold Team Leaders accountable for performance.
• Ensure compliance with AML, CDD, KYC, SRA and relevant regulatory requirements.
• Maintain strong operational controls, quality standards and audit trails.
• Use management information to drive performance and resource decisions.
• Support technology implementation, process improvements and operational transformation.
• Lead colleague engagement, communications and readiness through periods of change.
• Build strong relationships with Legal, Risk, Technology and other key stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement and resolve recurring operational issues.
• Strong operational leadership experience within a high-volume, complex and regulated environment.
• Experience leading teams responsible for CDD, KYC, AML, financial crime, client onboarding or similar regulated activity.
• Proven experience managing workflow, capacity, service levels, productivity and quality.
• Strong people leadership, coaching and performance management skills.
• Experience maintaining operational control and team engagement through significant change.
• Good understanding of operational controls, quality management and regulatory compliance.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Confident, decisive and hands-on leadership style.
• Law firm or professional services experience.
• Knowledge of legal-sector CDD, AML, sanctions and SRA requirements.
• Experience supporting technology implementation or operating model transformation.
• Experience managing teams across multiple locations.
• Experience improving client and colleague journeys.
• Knowledge of workflow, case management, digital identity or client verification technology.

About Elevate

Elevate is a global provider of consulting, technology, and services for law departments and law firms. Headquartered in Los Angeles, our team of 1,600+ legal professionals, lawyers, consultants, project managers, and engineers operates across the United States, Europe, the UK, Asia, Hong Kong, and Australia.

Legal Talent is our flexible resourcing division, redefining careers in the legal industry. We connect exceptional legal professionals with the evolving needs of our customers through a curated, world-class global talent community and advanced, technology-enabled search capabilities. We are proud to have been ranked Band 1 in Chambers’ Global Flexible Legal Resourcing category.

Our Vision: A world where legal and business teams achieve extraordinary outcomes together.

At Legal Talent, equity and inclusion are fundamental to our success. As The Law Company, transforming the legal business landscape, we believe a diverse and inclusive culture is essential for attracting, retaining, and celebrating the industry’s top talent. We empower our people to bring their authentic selves to work because diversity of experience and perspective drives innovation and simply makes good business sense.

As strong advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Legal Talent is committed to hiring talented professionals from all backgrounds.

We invite you to join the Legal Talent team and help us reshape the legal industry, making a real impact on the legal universe.