Financial Crime Team Leader (Hybrid)

Zopa Ltd; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services organization in Manchester seeks a Financial Crime Team Leader. You will lead a dedicated team, ensuring compliance with AML regulations and overseeing daily operations. This hybrid role emphasizes collaboration and requires a strong understanding of financial crime risks and compliance frameworks. Join us to help innovate solutions in safeguarding against financial crime, and enjoy the opportunity to work flexibly across various locations.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Opportunity to work abroad for up to 120 days

Collaborative office environment

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of AML, KYC, and sanctions screening.
• Proven ability to lead a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent analytical, investigative, and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of financial crime analysts.
• Ensure team achieves key performance indicators for financial crime prevention.
• Oversee the investigation of suspicious activity reports.

Skills

Regulatory frameworks understanding

Team leadership

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Proficiency in transaction monitoring tools

Data analytics proficiency

International regulatory environment knowledge

Emerging risks in fintech knowledge

Tools

Transaction monitoring systems

Data analytics tools

Case management platforms

Job description

Overview

Vital role in leading a dedicated team of financial crime analysts and investigators. You will ensure our organization's compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) regulations and implement effective financial crime prevention measures. In this position, you will oversee day-to-day operations and manage complex cases, providing strategic guidance to enhance our risk mitigation efforts. Your leadership will be crucial in fostering a proactive approach to identifying and addressing potential financial crime threats. This role requires a dynamic leader with both technical expertise and the ability to drive a high-performing team. You will be at the forefront of safeguarding the organisation against financial crime, ensuring compliance, and implementing innovative solutions to combat evolving threats.

Working pattern: This is a hybrid role, with the team working in the office three days a week. Your working week will consist of 7.5 hour shifts scheduled between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm, Monday to Friday. You will also be required to work one day of the weekend every other week, from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, which will be worked remotely. If you work a weekend day, you will receive a day off during the week in lieu. In addition, you will be required to work on two bank holidays per year, for which you will receive time off in lieu.

A day in the life:

• Team Leadership: Lead and manage a team of financial crime analysts and investigators, providing guidance, support, and performance feedback.
• KPI Management: Ensure the team achieves key performance indicators (KPIs) for financial crime prevention, detection, and reporting.
• Collaborative Environment: Foster a culture of collaboration, encouraging the sharing of best practices and knowledge within the team.
• SAR Oversight: Oversee the investigation of suspicious activity reports (SARs) and ensure timely submissions to regulatory authorities.
• Transaction Monitoring: Monitor daily transactions to identify red flags related to money laundering, fraud, and terrorism financing.
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Work closely with other departments to facilitate seamless communication and case resolution.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all financial crime activities comply with internal policies, regulatory requirements, and industry standards.
• Regulation Updates: Stay informed about changes in financial crime regulations and adjust policies and procedures as needed.
• Risk Assessment: Proactively identify and assess financial crime risks, developing strategies for effective mitigation.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including regulators, law enforcement agencies, and industry peers.
• Training and Awareness: Advocate for financial crime awareness throughout the organisation by conducting training sessions for non-specialised teams.
• Continuous Improvement: Review and enhance processes and systems for monitoring, detection, and investigation of financial crime.

Requirements and capabilities:

• Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks, including AML, KYC, and sanctions screening requirements, with a particular focus on transaction monitoring and mule activity.
• Proven ability to lead and motivate a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent analytical, investigative, and decision-making skills.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to present complex information to senior stakeholders.
• Proficiency in relevant tools and technologies, such as transaction monitoring systems, data analytics tools, and case management platforms.
• Experience using advanced data analytics or machine learning for financial crime detection.
• Familiarity with international regulatory environments and cross-border financial crime investigations.
• Strong knowledge of emerging risks in the fintech, cryptocurrency, or digital payments space.

About Zopa We started our journey back in 2005, building the first ever peer-to-peer lending company. Fast forward to 2020 and we launched Zopa Bank. A bank that listens to what our customers don’t like about finance and does the opposite. We’re redefining what it feels like to work in finance. Our vision for a new era of banking puts people front and centre - we’ve built a business that empowers everyone to aim high, every day, to move finance forward. Find out more about our fantastic offerings at !We’re incredibly proud of our achievements and none of it would be possible without the amazing team here. It’s not just industry awards we’re winning, we’ve also been named in the top three UK’s Most Loved Workplaces. If you embrace unconventional challenges, are unafraid to think differently and are driven to make an outsized impact, you’ll thrive here at Zopa, so join us, and make it count. Want to see us in action? Follow us on Instagram @zopalife

As a Financial Crime Team Leader, you will play a, #LI-LH1

Expansion and location We’re expanding! From September 2025, Zopa will be opening a brand-new office in Manchester at WeWork, Dalton Place, 29 John Dalton Street, M2 6WF. At Zopa we value flexible ways of working. We value face-to-face collaboration and a good work-life balance. This hybrid role requires you to come to our Manchester office 2-3 days a week. You’ll also have the option of working from abroad for up to 120 days a year. But no matter where you are, we’ll make sure you’ve got everything you need to thrive, both in your work and home life, from day one. Subject to having the right to work in the country of choice.

Diversity Statement Zopa is proud to offer a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds leads to better products for our customers and a unique company culture for our people. We are made up of nearly 50 nationalities, have a DE&I forum made up of Zopians wanting to make a difference and we are proud of our culture where everyone can bring their full self to work. Our approach to DE&I is reflected in our hiring process so please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments. Zopa