Financial Crime Operations Director

Bank of London; London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial services provider in London is seeking an experienced Financial Crime Operations Director to lead its First Line of Defence teams. This role focuses on overseeing end-to-end financial crime controls across client onboarding and due diligence, ensuring compliance with regulatory expectations. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in financial crime operations, exceptional leadership skills, and the ability to develop high-performing teams in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leading financial crime operations functions within banking.
• Deep understanding of UK AML/CTF, sanctions, and fraud prevention regulations.
• Experience managing controls for high-risk client segments.
• Strategic thinker with strong judgement and risk awareness.

Responsibilities

• Lead the 1LOD Financial Crime Operations departments.
• Drive operational excellence across client onboarding and monitoring.
• Build control frameworks for higher-risk products.
• Champion continuous improvement through enhanced controls.
• Develop QA and operational assurance programs.
• Ensure team expertise in typologies of high-risk entities.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Risk awareness

Communication

Change implementation

Tools

ComplyAdvantage

LexisNexis

Job description

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Bank of London offers a safer business banking model by holding all deposits at the Bank of England, eliminating the risk of 'bank runs.' It provides services such as Deposit-as-a-Service (DaaS), Embedded Banking, real-time Clearing, Payments, and Settlement, as well as Commercial Banking tailored to businesses. Powered by proprietary technology, the bank collaborates with SAP Fioneer to deliver innovative solutions. With a focus on exceptional service and core values of compassion, ownership, and curiosity, the bank strives for excellence in all it does.

We're seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Financial Crime Operations Director to lead our First Line of Defence (1LoD) Financial Crime Operations teams. This individual will play a critical role in overseeing the Bank's end-to-end financial crime controls across client onboarding, ongoing due diligence, transaction monitoring, screening, and fraud operations.

You will bring a strategic mindset and hands-on experience in designing and managing operational frameworks for high-risk and complex client segments - such as Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFIs), Payment Firms, and FinTechs - within a regulated banking environment. You'll be passionate about building high-performing teams, operational resilience, and ensuring the Bank maintains robust and scalable protections against financial crime.

The right candidate thrives in fast-paced, collaborative environments, is comfortable challenging the status quo, and demonstrates a deep understanding of financial crime risks, controls, and regulatory expectations across the entire client lifecycle.

Requirements:

• Lead and oversee the Bank's 1LOD Financial Crime Operations departments, ensuring alignment to internal risk appetite, regulatory obligations, and customer outcomes.

• Drive operational excellence across: Client Onboarding & Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Ongoing Monitoring & Periodic Reviews, Transaction Monitoring & Screening (Name & Payment), Fraud Prevention & Detection

• Build and maintain effective control frameworks that support scalable onboarding and monitoring of higher-risk products, including: Segregated and virtual account structures, Embedded banking and platform/API-based client flows, Cross-jurisdictional payment corridors and correspondent-like arrangements

• Champion continuous improvement through design and implementation of enhanced controls, process automation, and MI/reporting enhancements.

• Partner with Product, Engineering, Risk, and 2LOD Financial Crime Compliance to ensure effective risk mitigation and delivery of scalable financial crime capabilities.

• Develop and oversee QA and operational assurance programs, ensuring consistent control effectiveness and audit readiness.

• Provide oversight of operational workflows, SLAs, controls, and case escalations, maintaining full auditability and regulatory defensibility.

• Ensure the team is well-versed in typologies associated with complex and high-risk entities, such as shell structures, nested relationships, cross-border flows, etc.

• Lead hiring, training, and development strategies to build a high-performing team that supports future growth.

• Represent Financial Crime Operations in governance forums, internal/external audits, and regulatory engagements.

Essential Criteria

• Proven track record in leading large-scale financial crime operations functions within a regulated banking or financial services environment.

• Deep understanding of UK AML/CTF, sanctions, fraud prevention, and regulatory expectations (FCA, PRA, JMLSG).

• Experience managing financial crime controls for high-risk client segments (e.g. NBFIs, MSBs, FX brokers, crypto firms).

• Strong understanding of the three lines of defence model and effective 1LOD ownership.

• Expertise in transaction monitoring, name screening, onboarding/KYC, and fraud operations from both a policy and operational execution perspective.

• Strategic and analytical thinker with strong judgement and risk awareness.

• Demonstrable experience in implementing change - e.g., tooling migrations, process optimisation, TOM builds.

• Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, and influencing skills at senior levels.

• Strong communication and documentation skills - able to drive clarity and accountability in complex risk areas.

• Familiarity with common industry platforms (e.g. ComplyAdvantage, LexisNexis, etc.) is a plus.

• Experience in leading teams in multiple locations.

Location

• London (5 days per week in the office)

• Travel to other locations may be required on occasion.

Diversity

Bank of London is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusion, diversity and belonging. All qualified applicants are welcome and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, age, religion or religious expression, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity and expression, transgender, national origin, or military veteran status.