Head of Financial Crime and Sanctions, Leeds, Manchester or London

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Due to continued growth and an ever-evolving regulatory landscape, we are looking to hire a Head of Financial Crime and Sanctions to provide senior leadership across the firm's financial crime function within our Onboarding team. This role is critical to maintaining robust compliance, effective risk management, and supporting our ambition to deliver best-in-class client and matter onboarding globally.

As the Head of Financial Crime and Sanctions you will lead a team managing all aspects of financial crime compliance across the firm.  You will play a pivotal role in shaping and advancing our approach to financial crime compliance and policy implementation. You will provide strategic oversight of training initiatives and serve as a senior decision-maker on complex matters, directly contributing to the Firm's commitment to service excellence and the achievement of our strategic objectives.

THE TEAM

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) Directorate focuses on strategic compliance and risk management advice and projects across AG's UK and international offices: drafting and agreeing firmwide policies and procedures; advising on regulatory issues; and assisting the Firm's General Counsel and others in ensuring regulatory compliance by the Firm globally.

The group is also responsible for implementing, embedding, and monitoring compliance and risk practices (including Financial Crime compliance) across the firm, globally.

The Financial Crime and Sanctions function, made up of over 30 lawyers and analysts and is responsible for:
•    Conducting CDD and client risk assessments on all new clients of the firm.
•    Conducting periodic reviews and refresh exercises on the CDD approach and client risk assessment of existing clients of the firm. 
•    Supporting the firm's MLRO community on assessing internal suspicious activity reports and, where applicable, assisting in the drafting of external disclosures.
•    Ownership of the firm's suite of financial crime policies, controls and procedures covering AML, ABC, Sanctions, Failure to Prevent Tax Evasion and Failure to Prevent Fraud.
•    Coordinating the provision of training to the business on financial crime compliance subjects.
•    Adherence to service level agreements (SLA) and creation of meaningful statistics and KPIs to inform and drive a culture of service excellence. 
•    Assisting with the Firm's audit process globally, including preparing materials and attending sessions with the relevant regulators across the jurisdictions in which the firm operates
•    Provision of guidance and training to the Financial Crime and Sanctions function.
•    Management of the referral and escalation process for high risk clients and matters. 
•    Engaging with senior stakeholders across the firm on financial crime related issues.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS ROLE

The successful candidate will be responsible for leading, motivating, and developing a high-performing team, fostering a cohesive team culture that encourages collaboration, shared accountability, and continuous improvement.

The successful candidate will be responsible for taking a lead in developing the firm's response to a changing regulatory landscape and driving the evolution of the firm's approach to balancing the need for quick and efficient decision making against an increasing complex range of regulatory and compliance obligations.

In addition to leading the Financial Crime and Sanctions function, the role involves working closely with the Firm's GC, MLRO and the Head and Deputy Head of Onboarding. The role is part of the leadership team within the Firm's Onboarding function which has responsibility for all aspects of client and matter opening.

The Financial Crime and Sanctions function operates across the firm's London, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Dubai offices. As the leader of the function, the successful candidate will be expected to balance their time across these locations, maintaining a strong physical presence alongside the team, to provide visible leadership, proactive guidance and support. . The role also requires a commitment to building both personal and team profile by travelling to offices across the wider firm network, engaging and collaborating with senior stakeholders, and meeting with financial crime regulators as necessary.

YOUR AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE

•    Exceptional knowledge and application of the financial crime regime in place in the UK and extensive experience in the application of equivalent regimes internationally. 
•    Demonstrated ability to understand and adapt to the requirements of financial crime regimes in new markets.
•    Superior leadership skills and a proven ability to lead a team.
•    Proven ability to build a credible profile as a trusted advisor within a comparative risk and compliance team and wider Firm.
•    Expertise in the development and implementation of effective and risk sensitive financial crime policies, controls and procedures which balance efficient decision making with robust regulatory compliance. 
•    Comfortable and accomplished in acting as a Senior decision-maker on complex financial crime issues, demonstrating strategic and commercial acumen and ensuring accurate and timely decisions. 
•    Strength of character and resilience, exhibiting the ability to challenge at senior level, where required.
•    Excellent influencing and persuasive skills – the ability to win over partners, fee earners and senior management in the context of commercial conversations, internal projects and to build strong relationships across the business.
•    Proactive approach to driving quality and strategic direction within the Financial Crime and Sanctions function.
•    Flexibility and commerciality, with a willingness to give answers rather than a list of options.
•     Proven ability to prioritise competing demands and deliver at pace under pressure.
•    Excellent research, analysis and drafting skills. Analysing financial crime issues to draw out salient points and provide clear, succinct and practical recommendations.
•    Excellent understanding of Onboarding systems and applications, and a commitment to embrace technology to enhance service delivery and create greater efficiencies, including but not limited to knowledge of Intapp, finance systems and third-party corporate information providers. 

OUR FIRM

Our story of international growth is built on a performance mindset, innovation and true collaboration. We believe results follow relationships, so we work closely with each other, and develop deep client connections to deliver.

Our award-winning culture balances high standards and hard work with genuine care – looking out for each other, supporting professional development, in a down to earth and inclusive environment. We do the right things in the right ways, combining commercial excellence and innovative thinking with teamwork. Together, we deliver excellence, achieve stand out solutions, and enable career-defining opportunities.

OUR APPROACH: IMAGINE THE BEST YOU CAN BE

Everything we've accomplished can be traced back to our people and the way we work. Our reputation is something we are proud of, and constantly invest in. 

Here, you'll do high calibre work, with high-character colleagues who care for one another and our clients. 
Are you up for the challenge?