Group Deputy MLRO | Financial Crime

Irish Life Group; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing initiatives

Pension scheme

Learning & Development support

Job summary

Irish Life Group invites applications for the role Group Deputy MLRO | Financial Crime. Based in our City Centre offices with a hybrid work model, this senior position shapes the Group’s AML/CTF framework and provides leadership across Compliance and Risk.

You will support Ireland MLROs and collaborate with colleagues across Ireland, the UK, Germany and Canada to ensure robust controls, effective governance and timely responses to regulatory developments and risk.

Qualifications

• Strong specialist knowledge of AML/CTF regulation and financial crime risk management.
• Experience leading complex financial crime, risk, compliance or control activities in a regulated environment.
• Ability to interpret regulatory developments into practical policies, controls and change requirements.
• Strong judgement and ability to provide constructive challenge to senior stakeholders.
• Ability to build effective relationships and collaborate across teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Deputise for the MLROs and ensure continuity of AML/CTF oversight.
• Lead development and effectiveness of the AML/CTF framework, including policies and risk methodologies.
• Provide expert advice and challenge to senior management on material financial crime risks and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee identification and resolution of AML/CTF control weaknesses and incidents.
• Lead engagement with regulators, Internal Audit and assurance teams to ensure clear, evidence-based responses.
• Drive AML/CTF change by translating regulatory developments into improvements across systems and processes.
• Strengthen financial crime capability across the Group through leadership and collaboration.

Skills

AML/CTF regulation

Financial crime risk

Governance

Regulatory expectations

Stakeholder influence

Communication skills

Education

Professional qualification

Job description

• Hybrid role based in our City Centre offices

What we offer

We have embraced a hybrid working model for most of our positions, which means that you can enjoy a balanced approach of working from home for part of the week and working from the office for the remainder of the week.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package including competitive salaries and bonuses, robust Learning and Development support, excellent Defined Contribution pension and comprehensive Wellbeing initiatives and support to name but a few.

Further details on our benefits package can be accessed here Benefits (life-careers.com)

Company Values

At Irish Life, our purpose is to help people build better futures. Our company values shape everything we do and underpin our vision of being the driving force behind Ireland’s financial, physical, and mental well-being.

We believe in doing the right thing—acting with integrity and making fair, responsible decisions. We aim high, setting ambitious goals and find better ways to innovate and improve. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do and we are dedicated to understanding their needs and exceeding their expectations. Achieving this is only possible when we work best together—in a supportive, collaborative environment where every idea and contribution is valued.

Role Overview

As Group Deputy MLRO | Financial Crime, you will have a high-profile opportunity to help shape the future of Irish Life’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) framework at a time of continuing regulatory change.

Irish Life is a leading provider in the Irish financial services market and part of the Great-West Lifeco Group. This senior role offers significant Group-wide exposure, working closely with colleagues across Ireland, the UK, Germany and Canada to support a consistent, effective and forward-looking approach to financial crime risk management.

You will support the legal-entity MLROs, as well as the Ireland MLRO/Chief Compliance Officer, in providing effective oversight of the Group’s AML/CTF framework. You will provide expert advice, constructive challenge and senior leadership on material financial crime risks, regulatory developments and key business decisions. The role will also support effective governance, regulatory engagement and implementation, whilst helping to ensure continuity of MLRO oversight and decision-making.

Working closely with senior stakeholders across Compliance, Risk, Legal and the wider business, you will play an influential role in ensuring that the Group’s financial crime framework remains proportionate, robust and responsive to evolving regulation, risk and customer needs.

Key Accountabilities

• Deputise for the MLROs, exercising delegated authority where appropriate and ensuring continuity of AML/CTF oversight, escalation and decision-making.
• Lead the ongoing development and effectiveness of the Group’s AML/CTF framework, including policies, standards, risk assessment methodologies and control expectations.
• Provide expert advice and constructive challenge to senior management and governance forums on material financial crime risks, regulatory requirements and the effectiveness of controls.
• Oversee the identification, assessment and timely resolution of significant AML/CTF control weaknesses, incidents, thematic findings and emerging risks.
• Lead and support engagement with regulators, Internal Audit and assurance teams, ensuring responses are clear, accurate, evidence-based and followed through to completion.
• Lead strategic AML/CTF change, including interpreting Irish and EU regulatory developments and translating these into improvements across systems, data, processes and controls.
• Strengthen financial crime capability across the Group through technical leadership, coaching, knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Scope and Impact

• Provide senior AML/CTF advice and oversight across Group Compliance and relevant business and operational areas.
• Act as a key deputy to the MLROs across ILA, ILFS and Group, helping to ensure effective oversight and escalation of material financial crime matters.
• Work closely with senior governance forums, accountable executives and control owners on risk appetite, remediation priorities and control effectiveness.
• Lead or make a significant contribution to complex regulatory, risk, systems, data and operating model change.
• Provide leadership and guidance across AML activities, including to colleagues who may not directly report to the role.

Decision-Making and Problem Solving

This role operates with a high level of autonomy within the Group’s AML/CTF framework, delegated authorities and agreed risk appetite.

You will use your experience and judgement to assess material financial crime matters, determine the appropriate level of challenge or escalation and develop practical, proportionate recommendations. Where authority has been delegated, you may also act on behalf of the MLROs.

You will work across complex and often cross-functional issues, balancing regulatory obligations with customer and operational outcomes, data quality, control effectiveness and reputational risk.

Significant strategic, regulatory or risk appetite decisions will be escalated to the relevant MLRO and governance forums.

Key Working Relationships

Internal: ILA MLRO; ILFS MLRO; Head of Group Compliance; Group Executive Compliance Manager; Group Compliance Leadership; Financial Crime teams; Risk; Legal; Internal Audit; business and operational control owners; and senior governance forums.

External: Relevant regulators and supervisory bodies; external auditors and assurance providers; and industry or specialist advisers, where appropriate.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

We are looking for someone who can bring:

• Strong specialist knowledge of AML/CTF regulation, financial crime risk management, control frameworks, governance and regulatory expectations.
• Experience leading or playing a key role in complex financial crime, risk, compliance or control activities within a regulated environment.
• The ability to interpret regulatory developments and turn them into practical and proportionate policies, controls and change requirements.
• Strong judgement and the confidence to provide constructive challenge and influence senior stakeholders.
• The ability to build effective working relationships and collaborate across different teams and areas of the organisation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex or sensitive matters clearly and provide well-considered recommendations.
• A relevant professional qualification or equivalent specialist expertise is desirable.
• Any required regulatory fitness and propriety assessment will be subject to confirmation.

Fitness & Probity

This role is a ‘controlled function’ as defined by the Central Bank Reform Act 2010 Regulations 2011. Any appointment will be conditional on the company being satisfied that the appointee meets the requirements as set out in the Fitness and Probity standards issued by the Central Bank. This requires the company to complete prescribed due diligence to assess the appointee’s fitness and probity. Further details on this due diligence process are available from ILFS Human Resources.

About us

Irish Life is one of Ireland’s largest financial institutions with a presence across a range of financial services markets. We are one of Ireland’s leading financial services groups with over 1.4 million customers. For over 80 years, we’ve been helping people to look after their life insurance, pension and investment needs, and more recently their health insurance.

It is a subsidiary of Great-West Lifeco and a member of the Power Financial Corporation group of companies.

We are proud of our culture of developing and supporting the growth and professional development of our people. The focus has resulted in a team of top talent with high standards, positioning us at the forefront of our industry.

The company reserves the right to draw up a shortlist as part of the selection process. Where Agency assistance is required the Irish Life Recruitment Team will engage directly with suppliers. Unsolicited CVs / profiles supplied to Irish Life by Recruitment Agencies will not be accepted for this role.

Irish Life is proud to be an Equal Opportunities employer. We have created an environment of inclusion and growth to help people achieve their potential, to ensure they can bring their whole selves to work and to feel valued. We celebrate diversity of thought and perspective and want all of our employees to feel valued, respected and supported. We have built a culture that promotes equality and inclusion for all of our current and future employees and strive to ensure that our behaviours, processes and practices are aligned to this culture.

If you require any accommodations during the recruitment process please contact [e-mail] and we will be delighted to ensure you are fully supported to be your best.

Irish Life Financial Services supports Equal Opportunity.

Irish Life Assurance plc is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.