Sanctions Compliance Lead

Barclays; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent British bank is seeking a Sanctions Transformation Lead to oversee the Sanctions Change Team. This role requires strong domain expertise in international regulations, overseeing the implementation of compliance tools, and managing large-scale change initiatives. The ideal candidate will have leadership experience in financial services and a deep understanding of sanctions issues. Responsibilities include driving the development of new detection capabilities and ensuring operational efficiency across compliance processes. The position is pivotal for driving strategic initiatives in the organization.

Qualifications

• Must have proven, deep, and solid domain expertise in international sanctions regulations.
• Experience with managing large-scale change management programs in financial services.
• Ability to lead and mentor a specialized team.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the Sanctions Change Team and manage all five workstreams.
• Drive implementation of a new Sanctions Evasion Detection capability.
• Ensure successful transition to an in-house IT-built workflow management tool.

Skills

Sanctions domain expertise

Change management experience

Leadership skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Tools

Case management systems

Screening tools

Job description

Sanctions Transformation Lead

Location : London, UK

Duration : 6 months

Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced and domain-expert Director of Sanctions Change Management to oversee the Sanctions Change Team and drive the strategic execution of five critical workstreams in 2026. This role is pivotal in managing and transitioning key initiatives from the current build phase into full implementation, ensuring robust sanctions compliance and operational efficiency across the organization.

The successful candidate must possess solid, hands‑on sanctions domain expertise. Experience solely in broader financial crime or AML will not be sufficient for this specialized leadership role.

Key Objectives and Responsibilities

The Director will be responsible for overseeing the Sanctions Change Team and providing end‑to‑end change management support for the following critical workstreams

Lead and assist in the strategic development and implementation of a new Sanctions Evasion Detection capability.

Define the architecture of this capability, integrating technology, policy, process, and data to detect sanctions breaches routed through complex, evasive channels.

Drive the initiative from its very beginning stage into a concrete, operational solution.

Oversee the successful implementation and transition to a new, bespoke in‑house IT‑built workflow case management tool designed to manage Sanctions alerts and cases.

Ensure the tool meets all functional and compliance requirements as it moves from the build phase into implementation.

Contribute to and manage change aspects related to a possible organizational redesign, specifically looking at how Sanctions operations around securities are structured and executed.

Manage the change process for all five workstreams, transitioning requirements and build phases into successful, stable implementation and adoption.

Required Working Background and Experience

Sanctions Domain Expertise (Essential) : Must have proven, deep, and solid domain expertise in international sanctions regulations and their practical application within a financial institution. This is a mandatory requirement.

Change Management : Proven experience in leading and managing large‑scale, complex change management programs within the financial services / compliance sector.

Technology / Product Implementation : Experience overseeing the implementation of new technology tools and systems (e.g., case management systems, screening tools) from a change perspective.

Regulatory / Compliance Programs : A track record of driving significant improvements in compliance processes, particularly related to sanctions controls.

Leadership : Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor a specialized team and influence stakeholders across IT, Policy, Operations, and Business Units.

Key Competencies

Strategic thinking and ability to translate high‑level compliance needs into concrete, actionable change plans.

Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.

Strong analytical skills for reviewing models, defining requirements, and assessing operational impact.

Deep understanding of the financial crime technology landscape, data flows, and alert / case management lifecycles.

About Barclays

Barclays is a British universal bank, diversified by business, by customer type, and by geography. Its businesses include consumer banking and payments operations worldwide, as well as a top‑tier global corporate and investment bank, all supported by its service company which provides technology, operations, and functional services across the Group.

Our Values

Everything Barclays does is shaped by five values : Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence, and Stewardship. These values underpin how Barclays builds trust with clients, delivers results, and measures success – not just by what is achieved, but by how it is achieved.

Diversity

Barclays is committed to building an inclusive culture where colleagues of all backgrounds feel confident bringing their whole selves to work. Diversity of