Senior Sanctions Analyst

Maples Group - Legal Services; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Maples Group is seeking a Senior Sanctions Analyst to join its Group Compliance team, with a base location flexibility across London or Dublin. You will report to the Global Head of Sanctions and support sanctions analysis for new and existing clients, counterparties, and relationships across the Maples Group network.

You will monitor sanctions regimes, prepare clear recommendations, and coordinate with Compliance and Legal functions to ensure risk-based decision making.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of international sanctions regimes (US OFAC, UK OFSI, EU, UN).
• Experience in sanctions, financial crime, compliance, or risk analysis.
• Ability to research, assess ownership structures and sanctions risk.

Responsibilities

• Provide sanctions analysis and advisory support across business relationships.
• Triage sanctions queries and manage escalation to senior stakeholders.
• Maintain sanctions case files, audit trails and documentation.

Skills

International sanctions regimes

Analytical skills

Documentation & case notes

Stakeholder communication

Education

ICA sanctions certifications

Job description

OVERVIEW

The Maples Group is a standard bearer in financial and legal services, trusted by many of the world’s largest hedge fund managers, private equity firms and international corporations.

Our distinction flows from our carefully curated team: 2,500+ professionals characterised by tenacity, ethics and exacting excellence. Operating in key financial centres across the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, our international presence offers a unique springboard for career development and cross-cultural immersion.Our side‑by‑side financial and legal services are similarly ripe for interdisciplinary learning and growth.

The Maples Group looks to add a London or Dublin based Senior Sanctions Analyst to our team and invites eager and qualified candidates to apply.We are committed to diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity as we attract, retain and develop world‑class talent.

Who We Seek

Our merit‑based culture suits professionals in pursuit of boundless careers and lives.Beyond their acumen, team members are collaborative and conscientious, bringing a healthy sense of drive and purpose to each interaction and to all aspects of their work.

About the Role

We are looking for a Senior Sanctions Analyst to join our Group Compliance team to be based in one of the following locations: Cayman Islands, Dublin, Jersey, London or Hong Kong subject to the successful candidate satisfying the visa requirements for the respective jurisdiction. You will be reporting into our Global Head of Sanctions.

Key Duties

The Senior Sanctions Analyst will provide practical sanctions analysis and internal advisory support to Maples Group businesses and compliance teams in respect of new and existing business relationships and Maples Group’s compliance with applicable global and local sanctions regimes.

You will assist with alert review escalations, OSINT research, horizon scanning, sanctions case management and documentation across Maples Group’s global office network. The role is focused on assessing and documenting sanctions risk and supporting consistent, risk‑based decision‑making across the Group. Below is an outline of the key duties for this role.

Sanctions Analysis and Advisory Support

• Act as a day‑to‑day coordination point to provide practical sanctions analysis and internal advisory support to Maples Group businesses and compliance teams on potential new and existing business relationships.
• Assess sanctions risk connected with potential new clients (including indirect clients such as investors), beneficial owners, controllers, counterparties, intermediaries, transactions and relevant jurisdictions, applying group policies and procedures.
• Help promote consistent application of group standards while recognising local regulatory requirements and jurisdictional nuances.
• Prepare clear written recommendations and escalation summaries for review by the Global Head of Sanctions or other senior Compliance and first‑line stakeholders, as appropriate.

Escalations and Case Management

• Triage sanctions queries, alert escalations and potential issues, identifying matters requiring escalation to the Global Head of Sanctions, local compliance, or Legal teams.
• Maintain sanctions advisory case files, audit trails and supporting evidence for sanctions reviews, decisions, escalations and closure outcomes.
• Track open sanctions matters to timely completion and follow up with business stakeholders and local compliance teams for required information.
• Coordinate with Compliance and Legal colleagues where sanctions issues intersect with wider financial crime, regulatory or legal risk.

New and Existing Business Relationship Reviews

• Provide sanctions advisory input into onboarding, periodic review, trigger‑event reviews and other lifecycle events for client (including indirect), counterparty and third‑party relationships.
• Share sanctions analysis and relevant case information to support coordinated client, matter and transaction risk assessments.
• Work with business contacts and local compliance teams to obtain information required to complete sanctions analysis and support risk‑based decisions.

Policy, Procedure and Control Support

• Monitor updates to relevant sanctions regimes, lists and guidance, including the UN, UK, EU, US and applicable local sanctions regimes: BVI, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Jersey, Philippines, Singapore and the UAE.
• Support the maintenance of group‑wide sanctions policies, procedures and guidance notes, ensuring they remain accurate, practical and aligned to current requirements.
• Prepare FAQs, alerts and guidance notes to help colleagues identify, escal...
• Assist with control testing, quality assurance and process improvement activities relating to screening, escalation and sanctions documentation.

Training and Awareness Support

• Support the development and delivery of sanctions training and awareness materials for business, compliance and support teams across the Group.

Management Information and Reporting

• Support the preparation of management information on alert volumes, review outcomes, escalation trends, open cases, turnaround times and emerging sanctions risk themes.
• Support regular reporting for the Global Head of Sanctions, senior Compliance leadership and relevant committees or governance forums.
• Identify patterns and trends in recurring queries and process issues from case data and contribute to operational improvements and efficiency.

Financial Crime Compliance, Risk and Legal Coordination

• Coordinate with Compliance and Legal colleagues where sanctions issues intersect with wider financial crime, regulatory or legal risk.
• Share sanctions analysis and relevant case information to support coordinated client, matter and transaction risk assessments.

Continuous Improvement and Project Support

• Support implementation and enhancement of sanctions screening tools, workflows, case management templates and procedural controls.
• Participate in remediation, audit, regulatory response and change projects led by the Global Head of Sanctions or wider Compliance leadership.

EXPERIENCE

What You Bring

In addition to indisputably high ethical standards and autonomy, the ideal candidate possesses the following:

Key Skills and Experience

• Working knowledge of international sanctions regimes, including US (OFAC), EU (Ireland, Luxembourg and Netherlands, in particular), UK (OFSI and OTSI) and UN sanctions frameworks, and the ability to research and apply requirements under appropriate supervision. Additional knowledge of the local sanctions regimes in Maples Group locations is a plus.
• Relevant experience in sanctions, financial crime, compliance operations or risk analysis, ideally gained within professional services, financial services, legal services, fiduciary services or fund administration. Strong candidates will have had solid exposure to trade sanctions risks.
• Experience administering sanctions, watchlist or adverse media screening systems, including alert triage, false positive analysis and case documentation.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to review complex ownership and control structures, identify information gaps and draw clear, evidence‑based conclusions.
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to prepare concise analyses, recommendations, case notes and escalation summaries for review by C‑suite stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple cases, queries and priorities across time zones while maintaining accurate records.
• Relevant professional qualifications, or willingness to work towards them, such as ICA or equivalent recognised sanctions certifications.
• A degree or background in law, compliance, risk, trade and export controls or a related discipline is advantageous.

Key Competencies and Attributes

• Analytical curiosity and attention to detail, with the ability to assess information carefully and identify sanctions risk indicators.
• Sound judgement and a willingness to escal...
• Integrity, discretion and a strong understanding of the importance of confidentiality in handling sensitive client, counterparty and regulatory information, including in the context of cross‑line of business governance processes.
• A practical, business‑aware approach, with the ability to apply policy requirements consistently while supporting efficient business processes.
• A collaborative, team‑oriented approach, with the ability to build effective working relationships with Compliance, Legal, financial crime and business stakeholders globally.

The base location for the role is flexible and will be confirmed across Maples Group’s global office network, subject to business need, local employment requirements and team coverage. The successful candidate should be comfortable managing multiple cases, queries and priorities across different time zones.

BENEFITS & REWARDS

The most enduring professional relationships are reciprocal relationships.The Maples Group prioritises employee health