Head of Financial Crime

Career Legal; Manchester; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Career Legal is recruiting on behalf of a global law firm for a Head of Financial Crime with a permanent role in London, Leeds or Manchester. The role leads the financial crime framework across AML, sanctions, fraud and related areas, and heads the client opening team.

The ideal candidate will have extensive financial crime, CDD and onboarding experience in a law-firm setting, strong UK AML knowledge, and the ability to work with senior stakeholders and regulators.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in financial crime, CDD and client onboarding in a law firm environment.
• Strong knowledge of UK AML requirements and sanctions obligations.
• Experience with regulatory change and horizon scanning.
• Experience designing and improving financial crime policies and risk assessments.
• Ability to commute to London, Leeds or Manchester regularly.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Financial Crime team and the client opening team.
• Ensure high-performing service meeting targets.
• Advise Deputy GC/MLRO, MLCO, COLP and senior stakeholders on risk and onboarding.
• Oversee client/matter risk assessments design and operation.
• Liaise with regulators and relevant bodies as required.
• Assess impact of legal/regulatory changes across international offices.
• Oversee policies, procedures, controls, monitoring and assurance.
• Lead development of the firm’s international financial crime compliance approach.
• Act as senior contact for financial crime, CDD and onboarding matters.
• Lead development and rollout of financial crime training and guidance.

Skills

Financial crime leadership

CDD and client onboarding

UK AML & sanctions

Regulatory change horizon scanning

Policy design & risk assessments

Stakeholder management

Job description

London, Leeds or Manchester | Competitive Salary & Benefits

Our client, a global law firm with offices spanning 30+ countries, is actively recruiting for an experienced and senior hire for either their London, Leeds or Manchester office – working as their new Head of Financial Crime on a permanent basis.

You’ll be part of The Office of the General Counsel and part of the firms’ in-house legal and compliance function. This is a senior leadership opportunity and you’ll lead the firm’s Financial Crime framework (AML, sanctions, fraud and bribery, market abuse and more). You’ll also be leading the firms’ Financial Crime and operational client opening team.

As the successful Head of Financial Crime, you’ll be responsible for:

• Leading and managing the Financial Crime team and operational client opening team
• Ensuring a consistent, high-performing service that meets or exceeds targets
• Advert the Deputy GC/MLRO, MLCO, COLP and senior stakeholders on financial crime risk and client onboarding
• Oversee the design and operation of client/matter risk assessments
• Liaising with regulators and relevant bodies, when required
• Regularly assessing the impact of legal and regulatory changes across international offices
• Oversee financial crime policies, procedures, controls, monitoring and assurance
• Lead the development of the firms’ international financial crime compliance approach
• Act as a senior contact for financial crime, CDD, client opening and onboarding matters
• Lead the development (and roll-out) of financial crime training and guidance

Plus much more.

To be considered for this new Head of Financial Crime opportunity, you’ll need to have/be the following:

• Have significant experience in financial crime, CDD and client onboarding (from a law firm environment)
• Have strong knowledge of UK AML requirements and sanctions obligations
• Have experience of regulatory change and horizon scanning
• Have experience designing and improving financial crime policies and risk assessments
• Be able to commute to either the London, Leeds or Manchester office on a regular basis

This firm is open to reviewing applications from both highly experienced Financial Crime/Risk & Compliance professionals, as well as Qualified Lawyers specialising in Financial Crime/Risk & Compliance.