Financial Crime and Sanctions Compliance Officer

Role summary/purpose of job

Our Financial Crime and Sanctions (FCS) team has an opening for an experienced Financial Crime + Sanctions Officer. The role reports to the Global Head of Financial Crime and Sanctions and MLRO as is part of our global legal department.

In this role you will be part of a busy team engaged in interesting work, passionate about all things financial crime and sanctions, play a key role in helping to set the standards for and drive the firm’s financial crime and sanctions compliance activities across the network of offices, and help to mentor team members and compliance staff.

Key responsibilities and deliverables

• Support the Global Head of FCS / MLRO in ensuring compliance across the firm relating to AML, sanctions, anti-bribery and corruption, and prevention of fraud and tax evasion

• Be prepared to take a lead role in the design and execution of the financial crime risk management programme pillars, namely risk assessment, governance and risk reporting, client due diligence and ongoing monitoring, policies and procedures, suspicious activity and regulatory reporting, staff training and risk-based assurance testing

• Contribute to team meetings and calls to discuss key topics, share knowledge, and provide updates on key regulatory developments

• Provide guidance and support to other members of the FCS team on complex queries and compliance measures for the firm, including the FCS Analyst Team.

• Provide expert advice and guidance to the Global Business Acceptance team on FCS risks in connection with new business, to other global and regional Legal Department teams, and advising stakeholders of all levels from business teams, for example, Internal Audit, and fee-earners on a range of FCS related matters

• Horizon scan, monitor changes in legislation, and contribute to FCS and other risk and compliance related projects as required

Key requirements (Communication/skills/experience)

Essential

• 7+ years’ practitioner experience in a legal, or financial crime compliance officer (or equivalent) role at a regulated global firm with an innate understanding of and extensive involvement in the design and execution of financial crime risk management programmes

• Experience and an interest in technology enabled and data driven monitoring systems, with an interest in the development of AI tools to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of financial crime risk management systems and controls  

• Experienced advisor on complex and / or sensitive financial crime and reputational risk issues              

• Technical specialist knowledge and understanding of key AML and sanctions legislation and regulatory guidance, in particular UK, EU and US sanctions, UK, EU and other AML laws and regulations, and LSAG guidance

• Understanding of geopolitics and related governance issues

• Keen analytical mindset and excellent organisational skills. 

• Detail oriented and be used to working to very high standards of accuracy and efficiency, but balanced with a practical, common-sense approach

• Initiative and the ability to analyse facts and scenarios quickly and thoroughly

• Proactive, responsive, with ability to prioritise a varied workload and to work to tight deadlines

Desirable

• Extensive experience operating in the regulated sector, ideally under the FCA’s AML supervisory regime.   

• Qualified lawyer admitted in England & Wales or another relevant jurisdiction, with experience of working in an international law firm or in-house, and committed to working within risk and compliance

Overview of the Legal Department

The Legal Department is made up of both qualified lawyers and non-lawyers, exists to manage the firm’s risk exposure and to provide advice to the partners on a range of legal and compliance issues.

The role of the Legal Department is to support partners and staff in pursing the effective management of regulatory, legal, operational, and information security risk to preserve and maximise the value of the firm over the long term. We do this by taking responsibility for a range of actions, by sharing in the performance of others and by assisting partners and staff to manage risk themselves through training, awareness raising and the provision of relevant intelligence, services and materials.

Our vision is for our department to be recognised as a leader amongst comparable, elite, law firms. That means being acknowledged internally as providing an excellent service in a commercial and empathetic manner. It means adequately meeting the needs of the firm while remaining agile and cost effective; constantly refining our techniques, objectives and ways of working to respond to changes in the business and the threats we face.

Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.

Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case by case basis and take a number of factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision