Anti-Financial Crime & Onboarding Manager - 6 Month FTC

UK-regulated challenger bank is seeking an experienced Anti-Financial Crime & Onboarding Manager to join its SME Lending function on a 6-month maternity cover FTC, offering a salary of up to £70,000pa with a hybrid working arrangement (2-3 days per week in the office). The role sits within the bank's SME Lending business, supporting the delivery of robust first-line Anti-Financial Crime controls across customer onboarding and ongoing customer lifecycle management.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced AML/KYC professional who enjoys working closely with frontline teams, improving processes, and acting as a subject matter expert across financial crime risk.

The Role As the Anti-Financial Crime & Onboarding Manager, you will act as a key point of expertise for the frontline team, ensuring customer due diligence activities are completed to a high standard and in line with regulatory expectations. You will support the ongoing development of AML/KYC processes, provide guidance on complex onboarding matters, and work closely with internal stakeholders across Risk, Lending, Operations and Financial Crime.

Key Responsibilities Oversee and support AML/KYC reviews for new and existing SME customers, ensuring compliance with internal policies and regulatory requirements. Review customer documentation, including identification, proof of address, source of funds and source of wealth information. Provide guidance and quality assurance oversight to frontline onboarding teams. Support investigations arising from screening and transaction monitoring alerts, ensuring appropriate escalation where required.

Assess customer risk profiles and advise on appropriate due diligence measures. Identify opportunities to improve onboarding processes, controls and procedures. Support the creation of Financial Crime MI and reporting for senior stakeholders. Stay up to date with evolving AML/CTF legislation, regulatory expectations and financial crime typologies. Act as a trusted advisor to internal teams on customer onboarding and financial crime risk matters.

Requirements Strong experience within AML, KYC, Customer Due Diligence or Financial Crime roles within a regulated financial services environment. Experience supporting or overseeing customer onboarding processes. Previous exposure to SME, commercial banking, business banking or lending environments is highly desirable. Strong understanding of UK AML regulations, including the Money Laundering Regulations, JMLSG Guidance and FCA expectations. Experience reviewing CDD/EDD documentation and assessing customer risk.

Strong understanding of financial crime controls, including screening, adverse media, PEPs and source of funds/wealth assessments. Comfortable working with frontline teams and providing practical risk-based guidance. Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and challenge where required.

Desirable Experience

Experience with in a challenger bank, fintech, payments firm or commercial lending environment. Familiarity with financial crime technology platforms such as Lexis Nexis, Comply Advantage, Risk Narrative, Dow Jones, World-Check or similar. Experience improving AML/KYC processes and procedures. Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates