AFC Lead - Risk Identification & Control

Full Job Description

Job Description

Role title:   Anti-Financial Crime Manager – Risk Identification & Control Lead

Contract type:   Permanent

Location: Edinburgh/ London/ Aberdeen

About the department  

The Anti-Financial Crime team act as the second line of defence to identify and manage financial crime risk.  By monitoring business outcomes and controls effectiveness, the team are able to challenge Vector colleagues and operations to ensure that the firm is managing risk and working with agreed risk appetites. Working within the second line of defence (2LoD) and reporting to the Global Head of AFC and Group MLRO, this role will Lead in managing processes designed to identify and measure AFC risks whilst also taking responsibility for the operation of a number of key systems and controls including transaction monitoring and screening overseeing the review of escalated alerts.

About the role

Working with abrdn’s Global Head of AFC and Group MLRO this role will be responsible for:

• Supporting the Head of Anti-Financial Crime in co-ordinating and oversight of our AFC efforts, ensuring at all times that business practices meet legal and regulatory requirements.
• Managing the timely and comprehensive execution of the AFC Enterprise Wide Risk Assessment (EWRA), working with AFC Vector and function leads to ensure that the process is designed to capture relevant risks and is completed in a manner to ensure that relevant inherent risks are captured, and controls information provided is accurate.
• Working with the AFC Monitoring, testing and oversight lead to ensure that monitoring and testing information is accurately captured in the AFC EWRA and that a risk-based testing of data points and information used within the EWRA is accurate.
• Working to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the EWRA through the application of technology and the leverage of data.
• To act as an SME in respect of the principal AFC risks including anti-money laundering, sanctions, fraud, anti-bribery and corruption and tax evasion.  Responsible for highlighting emerging typologies and working with colleagues to triage these and assist in the design of compensation controls including the enhancement of transaction monitoring and screening tools.
• To work with AFC Leads and the Global AFC Head to assist in development and maintenance of a Global AFC Controls inventory.
• To manage the day-to-day maintenance and as appropriate enhancement (including calibration, model validation and parameter setting) of AFC owned tools and systems including those for: transaction monitoring, sanctions, PEPs & negative news screening as well as customer and other risk assessment tools and relevant feeds (such as country risk/industry risk/channel /entity risk etc).
• Ensuring that sanctions and AML alerts are reviewed within the required timescales and reported as appropriate.
• Striving for continuous improvement by identifying, crafting, and actioning changes to AML/ AFC processes, controls and procedures, as required, and ensuring they are detailed accordingly.
• Handle queries from regulators, counterparties, auditors and other professional third parties; and
• Supporting the Head of Anti-Financial Crime in the production of MI and reporting

About the candidate requirements   

To be successful in this role you will need:

• Experienced anti-financial crime professional with proven track record of delivery gained within the financial services sector; strong understanding and experience of the asset management sector
• Extensive knowledge of current and emerging financial crime risks and typologies
• Analytical skills ideally with experience of using technology to conduct data analytics
• Experience in the implementation, maintenance and calibration of transaction monitoring and screening tools
• Experience of managing and maintaining robust oversight of AFC related activities including investigations and reporting
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal skills
• Experience of UK financial crime regulatory requirements
• Track record in delivering change within a complex organisation.
• Strong Subject Matter Knowledge in Anti-Bribery and Corruption, AML and Sanctions and ideally also good knowledge of fraud controls and best practices associated with tax evasion systems and controls.

Moreover, we recognise that supplementary skills beyond the minimum criteria can greatly enhance your success in this position. These skills are:

• A team player – able to collaborate effectively with your colleagues, consistently putting the teams’ goals and interests ahead of personal ones and actively contributing to the wider teams shared objectives.
• Strong Organisational Skills and an acute attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills – the ability to demonstrate exceptional time management skills by efficiently planning and prioritising tasks to meet deadlines.
• Self-Motivation – you exhibit a high level of self-motivation and can take the initiative to identify and tackle challenges proactively.
• You are able to take ownership of your work, ensuring that it aligns with organisational objectives and quality standards.

We are proud to announce that we have officially become a Disability Confident Committed – Level One employer. Therefore, if you have a disability and would like to submit an application to one of our UK roles under the Disability Confident Scheme, please notify us by completing the relevant section in our candidate questionnaire and one of our team will reach out to support you through your application process.

There's more to working life than coming home with a good salary. We have an environment where you can learn, get involved and be supported. 

When you join us, your reward will be one of the best around, including 40 days annual leave, a 16% employer pension contribution, a discretionary performance-based bonus (where applicable), private healthcare and a range of flexible benefits including gym discounts, season ticket loans and access to an employee discount site amongst many others. You can read more about our benefits here.