Financial Crime Manager

MERJE; Manchester; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

MERJE is seeking a Financial Crime Manager to lead the 1st Line of Defence for our client, delivering robust KYC, AML controls and strong customer outcomes from our Manchester office.

You'll oversee day-to-day financial crime operations, coach a high-performing team, manage CDD, ODD and EDD, risk assessments and screening across PEPs, sanctions and adverse media, ensuring SLAs and regulatory standards are met.

Qualifications

• Strong operational financial crime background including KYC/AML.
• Experience with CDD, ODD and EDD processes.
• Knowledge of UK financial crime legislation and best practices.
• Experience monitoring transactions and investigations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of First Line Financial Crime operations, ensuring compliance with SLAs.
• Manage CDD, ODD and EDD processes and onboarding reviews.
• Perform and approve customer risk assessments and risk grading.
• Review PEP, sanctions and adverse media alerts; escalate as needed.
• Oversee transaction monitoring across AML and fraud; investigate alerts.
• Provide guidance to teams on KYC/AML matters.
• Develop and strengthen financial crime controls and processes.
• Produce MI and reports on performance and KPIs.
• Coach and develop the Financial Crime team to high performance.
• Share knowledge across the business as a subject matter expert.

Skills

Financial crime

Leadership

KYC

AML

CDD/ODD/EDD

Transaction monitoring

Case management

Risk assessment

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Regulatory knowledge

Tools

Screening systems

Case management software

Job description

We're looking for a Financial Crime Manager to lead our clients 1st Line of Defence (1LOD) financial crime function, ensuring robust customer due diligence, effective financial crime controls, and exceptional operational delivery.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll work closely with the MLRO and Compliance team to ensure their financial crime framework operates effectively while supporting the business to deliver excellent customer outcomes. You'll play a key role in protecting the organisation from financial crime risks while leading and developing a high-performing team.

This is an office-based role, with the successful candidate expected to work five days per week from the Manchester office.

The Role

As Financial Crime Manager, you'll be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day delivery of our first-line financial crime operations, ensuring all activities are completed in line with regulatory requirements and service level agreements.

You'll act as the subject matter expert across financial crime, customer onboarding and ongoing due diligence, supporting the business across their savings and commercial lending products. Alongside managing operational processes, you'll coach and develop your team while continuously improving controls, efficiency and customer experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of First Line Financial Crime operations, ensuring all activities are compliant and completed within agreed SLAs.
• Manage Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Ongoing Due Diligence (ODD) and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) processes.
• Oversee customer onboarding and periodic reviews, ensuring all KYC information is complete, accurate and maintained.
• Perform and approve customer risk assessments and risk grading.
• Review and investigate PEP, sanctions and adverse media screening alerts, escalating internal suspicious activity reports where appropriate.
• Oversee transaction monitoring activities across AML and fraud, investigating alerts and escalating suspicious activity when required.
• Work closely with the MLRO and Compliance function to identify, assess and mitigate financial crime risks.
• Provide expert guidance to Customer Service, Operations and Mortgage teams on KYC, AML and financial crime matters.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen financial crime processes and controls while improving operational efficiency and customer outcomes.
• Produce management information and support reporting on financial crime performance and key risk indicators.
• Lead, coach and develop the Financial Crime team, creating a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and high performance.
• Act as the first-line financial crime subject matter expert, sharing knowledge across the wider business.

About You

We're looking for someone with a strong operational financial crime background who enjoys combining technical expertise with people leadership.

You'll bring:

• Proven Financial Crime experience within Financial Services, ideally with exposure to Commercial SME Lending.
• Strong knowledge of KYC, AML and Customer Due Diligence requirements, including CDD, ODD and EDD.
• Good understanding of UK financial crime legislation, regulation and industry best practice.
• Experience investigating sanctions, PEP and adverse media alerts.
• Experience overseeing transaction monitoring and financial crime investigations.
• Experience using financial crime screening and case management systems.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to make sound, risk-based decisions.
• Experience managing operational performance against SLAs and quality standards.
• Strong leadership skills with experience coaching, developing and motivating teams.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to influence and support stakeholders across the business.
• A proactive mindset with a passion for improving controls, processes and customer outcomes.

Candidates must be UK based and have full RTW status