Strategic Lead — Financial Crime Operations Transformation

Starling; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Living Wage employer

Flexible working

Company-enhanced pension (7% employer)

Private Medical Insurance with Vitalty

25 days holiday

An extra day’s holiday for your BD

Job summary

Starling Bank is recruiting a Head of Financial Crime Operations Transformation on a 6-month fixed-term contract. The role steers interim operational delivery and transformation across AML, CTF, and CDD/EDD with senior professionals in a First Line of Defence context.

You will lead a team, influence strategic direction, and ensure governance aligned with risk appetite while collaborating with 2nd Line Risk, Compliance, and data teams. Hybrid working and travel to locations are expected.

Qualifications

• Deep subject matter expertise in UK Financial Crime regulatory guidelines, MLRs, JMLSG, PEPs, and sanctions.
• Technical competency in models, data, MI, statistical analysis, and operational workflows.
• Proven track record of transforming financial crime operations within regulated banking.

Responsibilities

• Oversee AML, CTF, CDD and EDD operations transformation across customer segments per SLAs.
• Ensure alert handling and case reviews are timely and high quality, with managed KPIs/OKRs/KRIs.
• Lead continuous improvement of control environment with risk-based approaches.
• Collaborate with SME leadership to align financial crime capabilities for SME customers.
• Partner across 2nd Line Risk, Compliance, Product, Engineering and Data to embed initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to optimise processes and improve customer outcomes.
• Deliver consistent communication and empower teams to solve problems.

Skills

UK financial crime regulation expert

Data analytics & MI

Leadership in regulated banking ops

Job description

Starling Bank is recruiting a Head of Financial Crime Operations Transformation on a 6-month fixed-term contract. The role steers interim operational delivery and transformation across AML, CTF, and CDD/EDD with senior professionals in a First Line of Defence context.

You will lead a team, influence strategic direction, and ensure governance aligned with risk appetite while collaborating with 2nd Line Risk, Compliance, and data teams. Hybrid working and travel to locations are expected.