Financial Crime & Sanctions Officer

The role reports to the Global Head of Financial Crime and Sanctions and MLRO as part of the global legal department. You will be part of a busy team engaged in interesting work, passionate about all things financial crime and sanctions, and will help set the standards for and drive the firm’s financial crime and sanctions compliance activities across the network of offices and 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.
• Take a lead role in the design and execution of the financial crime risk management programme pillars, including 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):

• 7+ years of 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, and 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 used to working to very high standards of accuracy and efficiency, 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.
• 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 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. It supports partners and staff in pursuing effective management of regulatory, legal, operational, and information security risk to preserve and maximise the value of the firm over the long term, through training, awareness raising and provision of relevant intelligence, services and materials. The vision is to be recognised as a leader among comparable elite law firms, providing excellent service in a commercial and empathetic manner, meeting the firm’s needs while remaining agile and cost-effective, constantly refining techniques, objectives and ways of working to respond to business changes and threats.

Inclusion:

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered on the basis of merit alone. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having or securing the right to work in the UK and providing evidence of that right prior to employment commencing. Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. Applicants are asked to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer; decisions are made on a case-by-case basis taking a number of factors into account.

Seniority level: Mid-Senior level

Employment type: Full-time

Job function: Legal

Industries: Financial Services, Law Practice, Banking