Senior Financial Crime Risk & Controls Lead

Santander; Redhill; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary dependent on experience

30 days holiday + bank holidays

Annual bonus

Car allowance

Generous pension contributions

Private medical cover

Employee assistance programme

Sharesave scheme

Gym passes

Job summary

Santander is seeking a SCUK Risk & Controls Manager (Financial Crime) in the United Kingdom. The role leads a specialist team responsible for quality control, assurance and oversight across customer and third-party journeys, covering AML, sanctions, fraud and Consumer Duty risks.

You will design risk-based controls, supervise due diligence and monitoring processes, and work with senior stakeholders to strengthen risk management and operational outcomes.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in Financial Crime, Risk, Controls, Compliance or Fraud.
• Expertise in Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) for customers and third parties.
• Knowledge of Financial Crime risk management including AML, sanctions, fraud, bribery & corruption and Consumer Duty risks.
• Proven ability to design, implement and execute risk-based controls and assurance frameworks across financial crime.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing teams, creating a culture of accountability and risk awareness.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team delivering Financial Crime quality control, assurance and oversight activities across customer and third-party journeys.
• Design and implement risk-based quality controls covering onboarding, ongoing due diligence and EDD processes.
• Provide oversight of financial crime controls including customer risk assessments, sanctions screening and transaction monitoring.
• Conduct thematic reviews, gap analysis and control testing to assess framework effectiveness.
• Calibrate and optimise Financial Crime models and related tools.
• Identify, escalate and oversee remediation of financial crime risks, issues, breaches and control weaknesses.
• Produce management information and reporting on control effectiveness and emerging risks.
• Collaborate with Operations, Compliance, Audit and Financial Crime teams to strengthen controls and outcomes.
• Lead assurance over design and operating effectiveness of controls within the risk framework.
• Support audits, regulatory changes and continuous improvement programmes including AI-enabled solutions.
• Coach, develop and lead a high-performing team while promoting risk-awareness and Consumer Duty adherence.

Skills

Financial Crime risk management

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder influence

Team coaching

Education

Financial Crime qualification

Job description

Santander is seeking a SCUK Risk & Controls Manager (Financial Crime) in the United Kingdom. The role leads a specialist team responsible for quality control, assurance and oversight across customer and third-party journeys, covering AML, sanctions, fraud and Consumer Duty risks.

You will design risk-based controls, supervise due diligence and monitoring processes, and work with senior stakeholders to strengthen risk management and operational outcomes.