Anti-Money Laundering Officer

About this role

About the Firm: This position is for one of our clients, a leading mobile money operator in the African region. As part of a prominent group of companies comprising numerous regulated entities, our client boasts a decades-long history, a robust market presence, and a highly respected brand. They are known for their innovative financial solutions and their significant contribution to financial inclusion across Africa. The group is currently establishing a UK-based company that will seek authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an electronic money institution (EMI).

Role Overview: Our client is seeking a seasoned and proactive Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) to take on a critical role within the organisation. As the MLRO, you will report directly to the Board of Directors and assume overall responsibility for the implementation and oversight of the firm’s anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorist financing (CTF), counter-proliferation financing (CPF), and sanctions compliance framework.

You will play a key role in shaping and maintaining an effective financial crime risk management strategy that aligns with the company’s regulatory obligations and risk appetite.

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor the firm’s compliance with AML/CTF/CPF/sanctions obligations.
• Design, implement, and regularly update AML/CTF/CPF/sanctions internal controls, policies, procedures, and risk management systems.
• Coordinate and monitor AML/CTF/CPF/sanctions compliance programs.
• Prepare and deliver annual reports to the Board of Directors on the effectiveness of AML/CTF/CPF/sanctions frameworks.
• Review and investigate internal Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and determine if escalation to the National Crime Agency (NCA) is warranted.
• Ensure robust customer due diligence (CDD), including enhanced due diligence (EDD), across all relationships.
• Supervise onboarding and transaction monitoring processes to identify unusual or suspicious activities.
• File external SARs and respond to RFIs from the NCA, FCA, law enforcement, and other relevant bodies.
• Assess the impact of new laws and regulations and implement necessary changes.
• Provide ongoing training to staff and management on financial crime risk typologies and obligations.
• Maintain and manage AML/CTF/CPF/sanctions technology solutions.
• Conduct enterprise-wide risk assessments for ML/TF/PF and sanctions.
• Advise on new products or services to ensure financial crime compliance.
• Monitor business relationships and advise on continuation or termination.
• Ensure full retention and traceability of AML records for a minimum of five years.
• Oversee the firm’s overall financial crime compliance posture in proportion to its scale and operations.

Candidate Requirements

• Proven experience as an MLRO or senior compliance professional in an e-money or payment institution.
• In-depth knowledge of UK AML/CTF/CPF/sanctions regulations and best practices.
• Strong analytical and investigative skills, with experience in filing SARs and managing regulatory engagement.
• Experience with compliance technologies, transaction monitoring systems, and data analytics tools.
• ICA/ACAMS or equivalent professional qualification in financial crime compliance is preferred.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organisational skills.

Why Join

• Salary ranging from GBP 100,000 to 120,000 per year, depending on seniority.
• Influence and shape the company’s compliance and risk strategy from inception.
• Work directly with the Board and executive leadership.
• Competitive compensation and career progression in a high-impact regulatory function.

About compliance & regulatory roles for ex-police

Compliance, AML and regulatory roles. Working to PACE, RIPA and CPIA is a stronger regulatory grounding than most civilian applicants can offer — firms increasingly recognise this.