Head of Financial Crime Operations Transformation (6 Month Fixed Term Contract)

Starling; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Living Wage employer

Flexible working

Company-enhanced pension (7% employer)

Private Medical Insurance with Vitalty

25 days holiday

An extra day’s holiday for your BD

Job summary

Starling Bank is recruiting a Head of Financial Crime Operations Transformation on a 6-month fixed-term contract. The role steers interim operational delivery and transformation across AML, CTF, and CDD/EDD with senior professionals in a First Line of Defence context.

You will lead a team, influence strategic direction, and ensure governance aligned with risk appetite while collaborating with 2nd Line Risk, Compliance, and data teams. Hybrid working and travel to locations are expected.

Qualifications

• Deep subject matter expertise in UK Financial Crime regulatory guidelines, MLRs, JMLSG, PEPs, and sanctions.
• Technical competency in models, data, MI, statistical analysis, and operational workflows.
• Proven track record of transforming financial crime operations within regulated banking.

Responsibilities

• Oversee AML, CTF, CDD and EDD operations transformation across customer segments per SLAs.
• Ensure alert handling and case reviews are timely and high quality, with managed KPIs/OKRs/KRIs.
• Lead continuous improvement of control environment with risk-based approaches.
• Collaborate with SME leadership to align financial crime capabilities for SME customers.
• Partner across 2nd Line Risk, Compliance, Product, Engineering and Data to embed initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to optimise processes and improve customer outcomes.
• Deliver consistent communication and empower teams to solve problems.

Skills

UK financial crime regulation expert

Data analytics & MI

Leadership in regulated banking ops

Job description

Head of Financial Crime Operations Transformation (6 Month Fixed Term Contract)

Location:Southampton, Cardiff & Manchester

Reporting to:Director of Specialist Banking Operations

Closing date: Friday, 17th November at 5pm

About Starling

At Starling, we are on a mission to provide people with a fairer, smarter, and more human alternative to traditional banks. We are building a leading digital bank, driven by fast technology, fair service, and honest values. Our vision is to create a banking industry that serves everyone, which we accomplish by developing best-in-class proprietary technology, offering an exceptional customer experience, and establishing a strong, sustainable business.

Our five core values – Listen, Keep It Simple, Do The Right Thing, Own It, and Aim for Greatness – are at the heart of everything we do, guiding our strategy and shaping our culture. We're a branchless, largely paperless bank, committed to responsible banking, sustainability, and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

Working Hours: You will work a 37.5 hour week, with shifts between 9am - 5:30pm Monday - Friday.

Hybrid working: All Starling colleagues spend a minimum of 10 days per month in the office, with flexibility to work the rest from home. You will also be expected to travel to other office locations depending on business needs.

The Opportunity:

The Head of Financial Crime Operations Transformation holds accountability for Starling Bank’s financial crime interim operational delivery and transformation across multiple teams, including Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF), Customer Due Diligence (CDD/EDD).

As an Experienced People Leader (PL6) in the First Line of Defence, this role leads a team of senior professionals and team managers, influences the transformation of the strategic direction and ensures robust governance aligned with departmental strategy and the Bank's Risk Appetite.

What You’ll Do:

AML, CTF & Due Diligence Operations

• Oversee the Operations transformation and operational delivery for AML, CTF, CDD, and EDD across customer segments in line with agreed SLAs.
• Ensure alert handling and case reviews are responded to in a high-quality, timely manner, maintaining resourcing to handle workload demand and manage operational KPIs, OKRs, and KRIs.
• Lead the continuous improvement of the control environment to focus teams on taking a risk-based approach and reducing false-positive alerts.
• Maintain awareness of specific financial crime typologies unique to SME customers and partner closely with SME leadership and commercial teams to build, develop, and align financial crime capabilities and operating models specifically for SME customers.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Partner effectively across 2nd Line Risk, Compliance, Product, Engineering, and Data to embed new initiatives and regulatory updates

Operational Leadership & Efficiency

• Proactively identify opportunities to optimise processes, drive continuous improvements, and improve customer outcomes across Financial Crime Operations.
• Deliver consistent communication across teams and engage with operational managers to create an empowered problem-solving culture

Functional Governance

• Navigate complex organisational challenges, including change management, and resolve significant team or functional conflicts while making risk decisions with departmental impact.

What You’ll Bring:

• Deep subject matter expertise in UK Financial Crime regulatory guidelines, MLRs, JMLSG, PEPs, and Sanctions.
• Technical competency in understanding models, data, MI, statistical analysis, and operational workflows.
• Proven track record of managing and transforming financial crime operations and risk frameworks within regulated banking.

Behaviours & Competencies:

• Accountable, resilient, and customer-focused leadership style that role models Starling Group values and makes difficult decisions with full transparency.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to champion simplicity across functions, encourage external input and disruptive thinking, and raise the bar for strategic performance.
• Excellent communication and listening skills, creating a safe environment to share feedback, surface issues, and resolve conflicting requirements across functions.

Why Join Starling?

• Make an Impact: Work on projects that directly shape the future of banking and improve the financial lives of our customers. Starling is technology-led, and you'll have the freedom to accomplish your goals in innovative ways.
• Culture of Excellence: Be part of a collaborative, empowered, and forward-thinking team. We encourage experimentation, ownership, and a relentless focus on "doing the right thing.”
• Growth and Development: We are committed to your professional growth, offering opportunities to learn new technologies, take on new challenges, and own interesting things from day one.
• A Bank That Cares: We're a Living Wage employer, committed to flexible working, and dedicated to creating a fair, open, and safe working environment with compassion and inclusion at its core.
• Comprehensive Benefits: We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including:
• Company-enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme (7% employer contribution)
• Private Medical Insurance with Vitality including mental health support and cancer care. Partner benefits include discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and Peloton.
• 25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever works best for you)
• An extra day’s holiday for your birthday
• Life Insurance at 4x your salary.
• 16 hours of paid volunteering time a year.
• Ability to buy or sell annual leave.
• Generous family-friendly policies.
• Annual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off
• Incentivised refer a friend scheme
• Perkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perks
• Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work, Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships and Electric Vehicle (EV) leasingOur Commitment to Equality

Starling is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Starling Bank are considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. When you provide us with this information, you are doing so at your own consent, with full knowledge that we will process this personal data in accordance with our Privacy Notice. By submitting your application, you agree that Starling Bank will collect your personal data for recruiting and related purposes. Our Privacy Notice explains what personal information we will process, where we will process your personal information, its purposes for processing your personal data, and the rights you can exercise over our use of your personal information.

We use AI tools to support various parts of our recruitment process, helping our team manage applications and assessments more efficiently. These tools are strictly used for support and do not replace human judgment with all final hiring decisions being made by our team. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please reach out to us.