Financial Crime Monitoring Officer

Financial Crime Assurance Officer

Overview A leading international bank with a long-established institution in the City of London, providing a broad range of banking services to corporate, institutional, and private clients. As part of its continued investment in governance and control, the bank is strengthening its Financial Crime framework and is seeking a Financial Crime Monitoring / Assurance Officer to join its Compliance function.

This is a newly created position offering the opportunity to take ownership of the financial crime monitoring programme, work closely with senior stakeholders, and produce high-quality assurance reports that drive meaningful change across the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver thematic and targeted reviews across the financial crime framework, covering AML, sanctions, KYC, transaction monitoring, and wider control areas.
• Assess both the design and operating effectiveness of financial crime controls in line with internal policy and regulatory expectations.
• Produce clear, well-structured monitoring reports (typically 3-7 pages) summarising findings, root causes, and practical recommendations.
• Engage with stakeholders across Compliance, Operations, and Business teams to discuss findings and agree proportionate remediation actions.
• Track remediation progress and support teams in embedding corrective actions and process improvements.
• Identify trends and systemic issues, feeding insights into policy, training, and governance enhancements.
• Support the ongoing refinement of the Financial Crime Monitoring & Assurance methodology, templates, and annual plan.
• Provide subject matter expertise on financial crime regulations and best practice, ensuring the programme remains risk-based and proportionate.

Skills & Experience Required

• Proven experience in a financial crime monitoring, assurance, audit, or compliance testing role - ideally within a banking or financial services environment.
• Strong technical understanding of financial crime risks and regulations, including AML, CTF, Sanctions, KYC, PEPs, and transaction monitoring.
• Familiarity with key UK financial crime regulatory requirements and guidance (e.g. MLRs, JMLSG, FCA expectations).
• Excellent written communication skills with experience producing detailed monitoring or assurance reports.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Skilled at building relationships and influencing across multiple levels of seniority.
• Ability to design and execute review scopes independently and challenge stakeholders constructively.
• Professional qualifications such as ICA Diploma in Financial Crime Compliance or ACAMS Certification are advantageous.

Personal Attributes

• Methodical, detail-oriented, and confident working autonomously.
• Collaborative approach with the ability to engage and challenge stakeholders professionally.
• Pragmatic thinker who can balance regulatory expectations with commercial realities.
• Proactive and self-motivated, with a continuous improvement mindset.