SCUK Risk & Controls Manager; Financial Crime

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a specialist Financial Crime Risk & Controls team at the forefront of protecting Santander Consumer Finance from financial crime, fraud and conduct risks. You'll play a critical role in designing and delivering quality control and assurance frameworks that support regulatory compliance, strong customer outcomes and effective risk management across the organisation. As a recognised financial crime subject matter expert, you'll have oversight of key customer and third-party due diligence journeys, including dealers, brokers, manufacturers and joint ventures.

You'll influence business-wide improvements, shape risk-based control frameworks and drive assurance activities across AML, sanctions, fraud, bribery and corruption, terrorist financing and Consumer Duty risks. This role offers the opportunity to lead a high-performing team, work with senior stakeholders across the business and continuously enhance financial crime controls through innovation, data-driven insight and emerging technologies, including AI-enabled solutions.

Please note this role is a hybrid role with at least 3 days a week in the Redhill office. Remote workers will not be considered.

Please note the closing date for this role will be, end of day, Monday 5th October 2026.

• Leading a team responsible for delivering Financial Crime quality control, assurance and oversight activities across customer and third-party journeys.
• Designing and implementing risk-based quality controls covering customer onboarding, ongoing due diligence and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) processes.
• Providing oversight of financial crime controls including customer risk assessments, sanctions screening, transaction monitoring, fraud prevention controls and anti-bribery & corruption controls.
• Conducting thematic reviews, targeted assurance activity, gap analysis and control testing to assess the effectiveness of financial crime frameworks.
• Supporting calibration and optimisation of Financial Crime models, including transaction monitoring, screening and customer risk assessment tools.
• Identifying, escalating and overseeing remediation of financial crime risks, issues, breaches and control weaknesses.
• Producing management information and reporting that provides meaningful insight into control effectiveness, trends and emerging risks.
• Working closely with Operations, Commercial, Compliance, Audit and Financial Crime teams to strengthen controls and improve customer and business outcomes.
• Leading assurance over the design and operating effectiveness of financial crime controls documented within the organisation's risk framework.
• Supporting audits, regulatory change initiatives and continuous improvement programmes, including the development of AI-enabled control solutions.
• Coaching, developing and leading a high-performing team while promoting a strong culture of financial crime risk awareness and compliance.
• Adhering to our commitment to Consumer Duty ensuring we put our customers’ needs first and set higher and clearer standards of consumer protection.

• Significant experience within Financial Crime, Risk, Controls, Compliance or Fraud environments, ideally within financial services.
• Strong expertise in Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and ongoing monitoring frameworks for both customers and third parties.
• In-depth knowledge of Financial Crime risk management, including Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Sanctions, Fraud, Terrorist Financing, Anti-Bribery & Corruption and Consumer Duty risks.
• Proven experience designing, implementing and executing risk-based controls and assurance frameworks across financial crime disciplines.
• Strong understanding of customer and third-party due diligence journeys, including higher-risk entities such as dealers, brokers, manufacturers and joint ventures.
• Experience conducting assurance reviews, quality control testing, thematic reviews, gap analysis and control effectiveness assessments.
• Ability to assess complex information, identify emerging risks and make balanced, evidence-based decisions.
• Strong knowledge of financial crime regulations, policies, industry standards and regulatory expectations.
• Proven experience of influencing senior stakeholders and providing actionable recommendations to strengthen risk management and control environments.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing teams, creating a…