CDD Manager, Financial Crime Risk

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Location:

Belfast or Newcastle (Hybrid)

Function:
Risk Management

Contract:

Permanent

Grade:
Manager (L3)

We’re seeking a proven Financial Crime Team Manager to lead a high-performing Central CDD sub-team in Belfast across end-to-end KYC (onboarding, periodic and event-driven review). You’ll combine deep AML/KYC/CDD technical expertise with outstanding people leadership, shaping our controls, uplifting capability, and delivering high-quality outcomes at pace.

• Lead and scale a Belfast-based Central CDD team delivering risk-based due diligence across complex client portfolios.
• Be the day-to-day operational owner for quality, productivity, SLAs and escalations, with direct exposure to senior business stakeholders.
• Translate evolving AML/CTF and sanctions requirements into clear procedures, playbooks, and training.
• Drive continuous improvement - optimising processes, policy and systems to enhance control effectiveness and colleague experience.

• Lead, coach and develop Analysts/Senior Analysts; set goals, run regular 1:1s, and build a culture of accountability, inclusion and learning.
• Own workflow, case allocation and capacity planning to meet SLAs while maintaining consistently high quality (QA/QC).
• Produce and interpret MI/KRIs; use data to identify trends, remediate issues, and inform decisions.

• Act as the first-line CDD/EDD SME - providing pragmatic, risk-based guidance on complex cases and approving escalations in line with delegation and policy.
• Operationalise regulation: interpret AML/CTF, sanctions and industry guidance and convert into controls, procedures and training materials for large-scale operations.
• Oversee E2E KYC across simplified, standard and enhanced due diligence, ensuring appropriate risk-rating, corroboration and recordkeeping.

• Lead due diligence on complex entity types (e.g., SPVs, Trusts, Foundations, Collective Investment Schemes/Funds) including purpose, control/UBO mapping and jurisdictional risk.
• Set clear standards for PEP identification and classification, and ensure appropriate approval, monitoring and refresh cycles.
• Provide expert oversight of sanctions & embargo compliance and related screening outcomes (sanctions, PEP, adverse media) including dispositioning and false-positive reduction strategies.

• Build strong partnerships with Service Lines, 2nd Line Financial Crime, Sanctions/MLRO teams and other control functions; manage issues to resolution.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation; support internal/external reviews and thematic deep-dives.
• Contribute to policy reviews and change forums; champion operational readiness and colleague upskilling for new/updated requirements.

• Identify and embed process efficiencies, automation opportunities and control enhancements to improve effectiveness and colleague experience.

• People leadership: proven ability to inspire, develop and performance-manage teams; creates psychological safety and high standards.
• Technical depth: authoritative knowledge of AML/CTF norms and how to apply them pragmatically in a large, matrixed organisation.
• Judgement: confident risk-based decision-making with clear, well-reasoned rationales on complex, time-sensitive cases.
• Operational excellence: strong control mindset, MI literacy, continuous improvement…