Financial Crime Transaction Monitoring and Screening Lead

Job Description

At Aberdeen our ambition is to be the UKs leading Wealth & Investments group.

Strengthening talent and culture is one of our strategic priorities. We strive to make Aberdeen a great place to work so that we can attract and retain the industrys best talent.

Our people put our stakeholders at the heart of everything they do by helping us to make a positive difference to the lives of our clients customers colleagues shareholders and society.

We are focused on growing our direct and advised wealth platforms and repositioning our specialist asset management business to meet client demand. We are committed to providing excellent client service supported by leading technology and talent.

Aberdeen comprises three businesses interactive investor (ii) Investments and Adviser each of which focuses on meeting and adapting to our clients evolving needs:

• interactive investor the UKs second largest direct-to-consumer investment platform enables individuals in the UK to plan save and invest in the way that works for them.
• Our Adviser business provides financial planning solutions and technology for UK financial advisers enabling them to create value for their customers.
• Our Investments business is a specialist asset manager that focuses on areas where we have both strength and scale to capitalise on the key themes shaping the market through either public markets or alternative asset classes.

About the Role

The Transaction Monitoring and Screening Lead will act as the Business Owner for Aberdeens screening and transaction monitoring capability with full accountability for the strategic direction functional ownership and business governance of Aberdeens screening tools and supporting systems across the firms Anti-Financial Crime (AFC) control environment.

The role is responsible for ensuring that all tools operate in line with regulatory expectations across AML sanctions and fraud while effectively supporting business operations and remaining aligned to Aberdeens technical governance and commercial frameworks.

As the single point of accountability for functionality and performance the role will lead the delivery of regulatory-driven enhancements optimisation initiatives and evolving business use cases. This includes close partnership with first-line teams second-line AFC technology functions and external vendors to ensure the ongoing effectiveness resilience and continuous improvement of screening and transaction monitoring services across the Group.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Ownership & Direction

Define and maintain the strategic vision for Aberdeens screening tool and associated systems within the first-line AFC control environment. Ensure the platform remains aligned with AML sanctions fraud and wider financial crime requirements leading enhancements driven by regulatory change. Contribute to key strategic technology decisions including technical upgrades target architecture and future-state assessments (retain vs replace).

Governance Oversight & Stakeholder Management

Establish and lead robust governance over performance risk management operational resilience and data quality to support effective AML and screening and monitoring outcomes. Chair coordinate and contribute to service review forums with Technology Supplier Management and vendors (such as NICE Actimize Dow Jones Factiva and World Check) ensuring service quality and performance expectations are met. As owner for the tool and associated systems coordinate cross-functional decisions on operating model design (1

LoD/2

LoD/Technology roles) and cost allocation structures.

Requirements Change & Product Lifecycle Management

Own the definition and prioritisation of business requirements across enhancements configuration and tuning data ingestion and new functionality for both screening and transaction monitoring. Ensure appropriate governance and sign-off of configuration updates releases and system changes. Partner with Technology (CETO/Engineering) first-line business units and second-line AFC to plan and deliver structured change cycles (QBRs/ABRs) including upgrades.

Financial & Commercial Ownership

Maintain ownership of licence management and the Group-wide cost allocation model for screening tools and systems working with Finance Business Partners across Investments Adviser and Group to ensure transparency and equitable allocation. Lead commercial decision-making relating to vendor contracts cost sharing arrangements and operating model choices (e.g. Adviser vs. Investments ownership models).

Operational Alignment & Performance

Ensure coordinated end-to-end operation of the screening and transaction monitoring tools across first-line operations AFC oversight and Technology support. Drive the effectiveness of alert management including first-line/second-line investigations escalation to MLROs and quality assurance. Oversee control testing (including above/below the-line testing and benchmarking) to ensure data completeness and integrity and maintain robust…