Financial Crime Risk Manager - Governance, Oversight and Planning

What you will do

You will lead and coordinate second-line governance and oversight of financial crime systems, controls, and policies across the bank. This includes driving strategic assurance activities such as risk assessments, policy reviews, horizon scanning, and reporting, while ensuring regulatory compliance and effective risk mitigation. The role also manages key frameworks including Gifts and Hospitality, Modern Slavery, and exceptions to financial crime standards, providing expert insight and challenge to support the bank's commitment to ethical conduct and financial crime prevention.

Key Responsibilities

1. Plan, facilitate and act as secretariat for relevant 2nd Line Governance when required.
2. Attend and feedback to team on governance for relevant 'run the bank' or 'change the bank' activities related to FC systems and controls.
3. Maintain the framework for 2nd Line governance, including all economic crime regulatory reporting requirements as well as monitoring of adherence to risk appetite and portfolio metrics.
4. Ensure oversight of 1st Line financial crime risk and controls governance and ensure appropriate risks and issues are escalated to 2nd line.
5. Have oversight of the RCSA and review the financial crime related results to ensure alignment to EWRA and governance reporting.
6. Provide insights into where risks and issues are evident from MI and other governance reporting, ensuring transparency and oversight of key metrics for the MLRO.
7. Coordinate senior management briefings, governance submissions, and status updates as necessary.
8. Drive the plan and production of the EWRA, ensuring all deadlines and timescales are met.
9. Demonstrate knowledge of AML and other Financial Crime requirements, providing advisory support and guidance on systems and controls to monitor the Group's products and services, and act as an escalation point for complex issues.
10. Oversee 1LOD completion and regulatory returns.
11. Provide regular reports and MI for Non-Financial Risk Committee, Group ExCo, and other relevant committees on financial crime matters.
12. Manage the Policy & Standards Exceptions, Waivers, and Dispensation process, tracking all exceptions and ensuring compliance with standards.

What you will bring

• Extensive knowledge of financial crime frameworks, governance, law, regulation, risk management, systems, and controls.
• Experience managing governance and oversight frameworks, including EWRA or equivalent risk assessments.
• Strong communication skills across all governance levels, with the ability to present complex matters clearly.

How we work

We are a hybrid working business. This role offers flexibility to be based in Solihull, Cardiff, Manchester, or London, with some travel to Solihull Head Office required.

Everyone is different. Everyone is valued

As part of our vision to become the most trusted specialist lender in the UK, we've been helping customers and businesses since 1952. We celebrate diversity and believe that our strength lies in our people's unique talents, abilities, and perspectives. We actively support diversity and promote initiatives that reinforce our inclusive culture.

We're an award-winning bank providing savings and lending services to over one million customers. We embrace difference and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment.