Senior Risk & Compliance Lead – Onboarding & AML

Bates Wells; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Green pension

IVF support

Private healthcare

Flexible and Hybrid Working

Job summary

Bates Wells is seeking a Risk and Compliance Manager on a 12-month fixed term contract in London. The role supports the Director of Risk & Compliance, balancing technical risk requirements with practical innovation within the firm’s risk appetite.

The candidate will lead onboarding, manage conflicts and AML processes, and oversee high-risk client monitoring, ensuring policy alignment and timely escalation where needed.

Qualifications

• Experience of onboarding / matter inception in the legal sector and technical knowledge across money laundering legislation, conflicts of interests and sanctions requirements.
• Willingness to learn new skills and help develop and innovate new solutions.
• Proven ability to build, maintain and nurture relationships, and communicate clearly at all levels.
• Able to work under your own initiative without day-to-day direct oversight; outputs focused.

Responsibilities

• Manage and support the Onboarding Team Leader to ensure the team functions effectively.
• Oversee onboarding function, allocating tasks and ensuring timely, high-quality service.
• Conduct monthly 1:1 meetings with Onboarding Team Leader and monitor performance.
• Provide escalation point for conflicts, AML, and onboarding issues; escalate to COLP as needed.
• Deliver training on conflicts, AML, onboarding processes and related topics.
• Conduct conflict analysis with partners; prepare conflict assessments and recommendations.

Skills

Onboarding experience

Money laundering knowledge

Conflicts of interest

Sanctions knowledge

Relationship management

Leadership

Communication skills

Flexibility

Tools

Liberate

SmartSearch

Accuity

Job description

Bates Wells is seeking a Risk and Compliance Manager on a 12-month fixed term contract in London. The role supports the Director of Risk & Compliance, balancing technical risk requirements with practical innovation within the firm’s risk appetite.

The candidate will lead onboarding, manage conflicts and AML processes, and oversee high-risk client monitoring, ensuring policy alignment and timely escalation where needed.