Senior Compliance Officer - Deputy MLCO

Itchyfeet Recruitment Agency; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Itchyfeet is seeking a Senior Compliance Officer (Deputy MLCO) to strengthen the Financial Crime Compliance Framework and support the MLCO in governance and risk management. The role requires strong AML/CTF, sanctions, and regulatory reporting skills across a regulated financial services setting.

You will lead assurance activities, provide regulatory guidance, challenge senior stakeholders, and help embed a culture of compliance throughout the organisation.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience in Compliance, Financial Crime, Risk, or Audit within a regulated financial services environment.
• Experience engaging with regulatory bodies and senior governance committees.
• Proven ability to influence and advise stakeholders on regulatory and compliance matters.

Responsibilities

• Act as Deputy MLCO, providing support and continuity for the MLCO function across the organisation.
• Deputise for the MLCO at governance meetings and regulatory engagements when required.
• Support the development, implementation, and enhancement of the Financial Crime Compliance Framework.
• Assist in maintaining Business Risk Assessments and Financial Crime Risk Assessments.
• Monitor emerging financial crime risks, regulatory developments, and industry best practices.
• Support regulatory reviews, inspections, information requests, and remediation activities.
• Conduct and oversee compliance monitoring reviews to assess the effectiveness of financial crime controls.
• Support delivery of the Compliance Monitoring Programme and ensure actions are tracked to completion.
• Provide advice and constructive challenge to business areas on compliance and regulatory obligations.
• Identify opportunities to improve policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Escalate compliance breaches, control weaknesses, and regulatory issues as appropriate.
• Prepare high-quality management information and reporting on compliance and financial crime risks.
• Develop meaningful compliance metrics and key risk indicators.
• Support reporting to Executive and Board Committees.
• Ensure significant compliance and financial crime matters are appropriately escalated.
• Coach and support members of the Compliance team.
• Build strong working relationships across the first, second, and third lines of defence.
• Act as a trusted adviser to stakeholders on compliance and financial crime matters.
• Promote a positive culture of compliance, accountability, and risk awareness.
• Support the ongoing enhancement of the Risk Management Framework.
• Assist the business in identifying, assessing, and managing regulatory and financial crime risks.
• Contribute to risk and control assessments and maintenance of risk registers.
• Support the organisation in operating within its defined risk appetite.

Skills

AML/CTF expertise

Sanctions knowledge

Regulatory reporting

Stakeholder management

Regulatory guidance

Leadership & coaching

Three Lines of Defence

Education

ICA qualification or equivalent

Job description

Our client is seeking an experienced and motivated Senior Compliance Officer (Deputy MLCO) to join their Compliance team. This is an exciting opportunity for a financial crime and compliance professional to play a key role in supporting the Money Laundering Compliance Officer (MLCO) and strengthening the organisation's Financial Crime Compliance Framework. As Deputy MLCO, you will provide resilience and support to the MLCO function, ensuring robust oversight of anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorist financing (CTF), counter-proliferation financing (CPF), sanctions, and wider financial crime risks. You will act as a trusted adviser to stakeholders across the business, providing independent challenge, regulatory guidance, and practical solutions to support effective risk management and regulatory compliance. The successful candidate will contribute to the ongoing development of the compliance framework, support governance reporting to senior management and Board committees, and help foster a strong culture of compliance and risk awareness throughout the organisation.

Job Duties:

• Act as Deputy MLCO, providing support and continuity for the MLCO function across the organisation.
• Deputise for the MLCO at governance meetings and regulatory engagements when required.
• Support the development, implementation, and enhancement of the Financial Crime Compliance Framework.
• Assist in maintaining Business Risk Assessments and Financial Crime Risk Assessments.
• Monitor emerging financial crime risks, regulatory developments, and industry best practices.
• Support regulatory reviews, inspections, information requests, and remediation activities.
• Conduct and oversee compliance monitoring reviews to assess the effectiveness of financial crime controls.
• Support delivery of the Compliance Monitoring Programme and ensure actions are tracked to completion.
• Provide advice and constructive challenge to business areas on compliance and regulatory obligations.
• Identify opportunities to improve policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Escalate compliance breaches, control weaknesses, and regulatory issues as appropriate.
• Prepare high-quality management information and reporting on compliance and financial crime risks.
• Develop meaningful compliance metrics and key risk indicators.
• Support reporting to Executive and Board Committees.
• Ensure significant compliance and financial crime matters are appropriately escalated.
• Coach and support members of the Compliance team.
• Build strong working relationships across the first, second, and third lines of defence.
• Act as a trusted adviser to stakeholders on compliance and financial crime matters.
• Promote a positive culture of compliance, accountability, and risk awareness.
• Support the ongoing enhancement of the Risk Management Framework.
• Assist the business in identifying, assessing, and managing regulatory and financial crime risks.
• Contribute to risk and control assessments and maintenance of risk registers.
• Support the organisation in operating within its defined risk appetite.

Job Requirements:

• Minimum 5 years' experience in Compliance, Financial Crime, Risk, or Audit within a regulated financial services environment.
• Strong knowledge of AML, CTF, CPF, and sanctions requirements.
• Experience conducting compliance monitoring, assurance reviews, or regulatory compliance assessments.
• Experience preparing and presenting reports to senior management and governance committees.
• Proven ability to influence and advise stakeholders on regulatory and compliance matters.
• Experience supporting regulatory inspections, thematic reviews, or audit activity.
• Experience coaching, mentoring, or supervising colleagues.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience supporting an MLCO function within a regulated financial services organisation.
• Previous Deputy MLCO responsibilities or equivalent financial crime leadership experience.
• Experience engaging with the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) and/or Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC).
• Experience developing financial crime risk assessments and compliance frameworks.
• Experience operating within a Three Lines of Defence model.
• ICA qualification or equivalent professional qualification at degree level.

What You’ll Love:

Our client offers a supportive working environment that fosters professional development and a strong culture of compliance. You will have the opportunity to influence financial crime risk management and contribute to regulatory excellence within a committed team.