Financial Crime Oversight Manager

MERJE; Manchester; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

MERJE is partnering with a UK specialist financial services organisation to recruit a Financial Crime Oversight Manager in Manchester. This role sits in the second line of defence, providing independent challenge and strategic oversight of financial crime risk across the business.

The role covers design and testing of controls, MLRO support, risk assessment reviews, regulatory horizon scanning and governance reporting.

Qualifications

• Experience in a financial crime oversight, compliance or risk role within financial services.
• Strong knowledge of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, JMLSG Guidance and the FCA Financial Crime Guide.
• Experience across different financial products, customer types, distribution channels and jurisdictions.
• Understanding of financial crime systems, controls and emerging regulatory technology.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills with evidence‑based decisions.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication, ability to explain complex concepts clearly.
• Proactive, adaptable approach in a fast‑paced environment.
• High levels of integrity and good judgment; ability to influence senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Designing, reviewing and testing financial crime controls and tracking remediation activities.
• Supporting the MLRO in maintaining and enhancing the financial crime framework, policies and procedures.
• Leading reviews of risk assessments and customer risk assessments across the business.
• Monitoring regulatory developments and conducting horizon scanning and gap analyses.
• Producing reports and presenting findings to senior leadership and governance committees.
• Leading investigations into suspicious activity, sanctions and related matters.

Skills

Financial crime oversight

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

RegTech awareness

Investigations

Regulatory reporting

Communication

Risk assessment

Decision making

Job description

The Opportunity

We're partnering with an ambitious and growing UK specialist financial services organisation to recruit a Financial Crime Oversight Manager.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly collaborative risk function where you'll play a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing the firm's financial crime oversight framework. You'll work closely with senior stakeholders across the business, providing independent challenge, practical advice and strategic oversight to ensure financial crime risks are effectively identified, assessed and managed.

Whether you're looking to step into a broader oversight role or you're already operating at this level and looking for a business where you can make a genuine impact, this position offers significant scope to influence how financial crime risk is managed within a growing regulated environment.

The Role

Operating within the second line of defence, you'll be responsible for assessing, monitoring and challenging the firm's financial crime risk exposure while supporting the ongoing development of its financial crime framework.

This is a varied role that combines strategic oversight with hands-on delivery, giving you the opportunity to work across multiple financial crime disciplines and wider risk initiatives.

Key responsibilities include:

• Designing, reviewing and testing financial crime controls, providing constructive feedback to operational teams and tracking remediation activities.
• Supporting the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) in maintaining and enhancing the financial crime framework, policies and procedures.
• Leading reviews and updates of Business-Wide Risk Assessments, customer risk assessments and system rules.
• Monitoring regulatory developments, undertaking horizon scanning and conducting gap analysis against regulatory expectations and industry best practice.
• Producing reports and presenting findings to senior leadership and governance committees.
• Leading investigations into suspicious activity, fraud, sanctions and anti-bribery matters, supporting regulatory reporting where appropriate.
• Monitoring financial crime and fraud risk indicators, identifying trends and emerging risks.
• Providing independent oversight of financial crime systems, control design and change initiatives.
• Delivering financial crime guidance and training across the organisation.

While the role has no direct line management responsibility, you'll act as a trusted subject matter expert, coaching colleagues and supporting the continued development of financial crime capability across the business.

About You

We're looking for an experienced financial crime professional who combines strong technical expertise with excellent stakeholder management skills.

You'll be comfortable providing independent challenge while building collaborative relationships across the business and will enjoy translating complex regulatory requirements into practical, risk-based solutions.

You'll ideally bring:

• Demonstrable experience in a financial crime oversight, compliance or risk role within financial services.
• Strong knowledge of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, JMLSG Guidance and the FCA Financial Crime Guide.
• Knowledge of wider financial crime legislation, including sanctions, anti-bribery and corruption, or tax evasion (desirable).
• Experience working across different financial products, customer types, distribution channels and jurisdictions.
• A strong understanding of financial crime systems, controls and emerging regulatory technology.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make sound, evidence-based decisions.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex concepts clearly to a range of stakeholders.
• A proactive, adaptable approach with the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• High levels of integrity, sound judgement and the confidence to influence senior stakeholders.

This is an office based role and you must be comfortable being in the Manchester office 4-5 days per week.

Applicants must be located and eligible to work in the UK without sponsorship. Please note, should feedback not be received within 28 days, unfortunately your application has been unsuccessful. In applying for this role, you may be registered on our database so we can contact you about suitable opportunities in future. Your data will be managed in accordance with our Privacy Policy, which can be found on our website. If you would like this job advertisement in an alternative format, please contact MERJE directly.