Deputy Head of Financial Crime; LOD

The Deputy Head of Financial Crime will act as the principal deputy to the Head of Financial Crime Risk Services providing hands-on leadership across the first-line financial crime function. This is a working leadership role: the successful candidate will be expected to lead people and lead by doing - personally analysing data and trends designing and documenting procedures and controls and completing risk assessments alongside overseeing day-to-day operational delivery.

The role sits at a pivotal point in the functions evolution as Shawbrook transitions from a largely manual legacy-structured financial crime operation towards a more data- and automation-driven model. The successful candidate will be a driving force behind this transition bringing credible experience of using data AI and automation to strengthen control effectiveness and streamline operational processes while maintaining the rigour and audit trail expected of a regulated first-line function.

Beyond the operational and technical remit the Deputy Head will play a central role in guiding the team through this transformation - building confidence cross-skilling and upskilling colleagues and helping individuals unlock their full capability. Supporting development and progression across the team and acting as a mentor to team leads and senior colleagues is a core and ongoing part of the role.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership & Delivery

• Provide day-to-day management and oversight of financial crime operations including transaction monitoring investigations screening CDD and EDD.
• Act as a point of escalation for complex cases sensitive customer relationships and operational bottlenecks making timely well-reasoned decisions.
• Manage approvals within delegated authority ensuring decisions are proportionate well-evidenced and consistent with policy and risk appetite.
• Deputise for the Head of Financial Crime Risk Services including representing the function in their absence.

Data Analytics & Automation

• Personally analyse operational and risk data to identify trends control weaknesses emerging typologies and opportunities for improvement.
• Champion the effective use of AI and automation across the function identifying practical opportunities to streamline processes reduce manual effort and improve detection quality.
• Work with data and technology partners to translate analytical insight into tangible process control or system improvements.
• Support the build-out of MI and reporting capability as the function matures ensuring outputs are accurate timely and decision-useful.

Risk Assessment Controls & Process Design

• Design document and maintain robust financial crime procedures and process maps ensuring they are practical controlled and audit-ready.
• Complete risk assessments across products customer types and business processes and translate findings into proportionate control design.
• Support the ongoing development and testing of the financial crime control library ensuring controls remain fit for purpose as the business and its risks evolve.
• Identify control gaps and lead or support remediation activity through to closure including responses to internal audit and second-line findings.

Governance Reporting & Committee Engagement

• Produce high-quality reports and MI packs summarising financial crime performance risk trends and control effectiveness.
• Present reports and MI packs to relevant governance forums and committees articulating risk and performance clearly and credibly to senior stakeholders.
• Support preparation of materials for Executive Committee and Board-level risk reporting as required.

Stakeholder & Change Management

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with senior stakeholders across the business second line and internal audit.
• Balance the demands of operational business teams with the need to maintain robust defensible financial crime controls.
• Act as a credible confident advocate for the functions direction of travel supporting colleagues through the transition to a more data- and automation-driven operating model.

People Development & Team Capability

• Support and guide the team through the broader transformation of the function helping colleagues understand the case for change and building confidence in new ways of working.
• Identify cross-skilling and upskilling opportunities across investigations controls CDD/EDD and alert management reducing single points of failure and building a more flexible resilient team.
• Help unlock the teams full capability by identifying untapped potential delegating meaningfully and creating opportunities for colleagues to stretch into new areas of work.
• Actively support development and career progression across the team including input into talent and succession planning.
• Act as a mentor and coach to team leads and senior team members modelling the analytical and hands-on approach expected of the wider function.

Qualifications :

Essential Experience

• Significant experience within a financial crime function (bank specialist…