Financial Risk Director in Manchester

We're partnering with an ambitious and growing UK specialist financial services organisation to recruit a Financial Crime Oversight Manager. This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly collaborative risk function where you'll play a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing the firm's financial crime oversight framework. You'll work closely with senior stakeholders across the business, providing independent challenge, practical advice and strategic oversight to ensure financial crime risks are effectively identified, assessed and managed.

Whether you're looking to step into a broader oversight role or you're already operating at this level and looking for a business where you can make a genuine impact, this position offers significant scope to influence how financial crime risk is managed within a growing regulated environment.

Operating within the second line of defence, you'll be responsible for assessing, monitoring and challenging the firm's financial crime risk exposure while supporting the ongoing development of its financial crime framework. This is a varied role that combines strategic oversight with hands-on delivery, giving you the opportunity to work across multiple financial crime disciplines and wider risk initiatives.

• Designing, reviewing and testing financial crime controls, providing constructive feedback to operational teams and tracking remediation activities.
• Supporting the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) in maintaining and enhancing the financial crime framework, policies and procedures.
• Leading reviews and updates of Business-Wide Risk Assessments, customer risk assessments and system rules.
• Monitoring regulatory developments, undertaking horizon scanning and conducting gap analysis against regulatory expectations and industry best practice.
• Leading investigations into suspicious activity, fraud, sanctions and anti-bribery matters, supporting regulatory reporting where appropriate.
• Monitoring financial crime and fraud risk indicators, identifying trends and emerging risks.
• Providing independent oversight of financial crime systems, control design and change initiatives.
• Delivering financial crime guidance and training across the organisation.

While the role has no direct line management responsibility, you'll act as a trusted subject matter expert, coaching colleagues and supporting the continued development of financial crime capability across the business.

We're looking for an experienced financial crime professional who combines strong technical expertise with excellent stakeholder management skills. You'll be comfortable providing independent challenge while building collaborative relationships across the business and will enjoy translating complex regulatory requirements into practical, risk-based solutions.

• Demonstrable experience in a financial crime oversight, compliance or risk role within financial services.
• Strong knowledge of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, JMLSG Guidance and the FCA Financial Crime Guide.
• Knowledge of wider financial crime legislation, including sanctions, anti-bribery and corruption, or tax evasion (desirable).
• Experience working across different financial products, customer types, distribution channels and jurisdictions.
• A strong understanding of financial crime systems, controls and emerging regulatory technology.

This is an office based role and you must be comfortable being in the Manchester office 4-5 days per week.