Financial Crime Programme Director (FTC)

About Starling Bank

Hello, we’re Starling. We built a new kind of bank because we knew technology had the power to help people save, spend and manage their money in a new and transformative way. We’re a fully licensed UK bank with the culture and spirit of a fast-moving, disruptive tech company. We’re a bank, but better: fairer, easier to use and designed to demystify money for everyone. We employ more than 3,500 people across our London, Southampton, Cardiff and Manchester offices. Our five core values – Listen, Keep It Simple, Do The Right Thing, Own It, and Aim for Greatness – are at the heart of everything we do, guiding our strategy and shaping our culture. We’re a branchless, largely paperless bank, committed to responsible banking, sustainability, and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

The Opportunity: Join Our Enterprise Change Team

The Enterprise Change team plays a pivotal role in delivering Starling's strategic objectives. We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Financial Crime Programme Director for a 6-month fixed-term contract, responsible for owning and delivering the Economic Crime Enhancement Programme. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with Stream leads, Engineering, Operations, 2LoD, and 3LoD.

Location: London / Cardiff / Southampton (with travel to offices as required)

Reporting to: Director of Enterprise Change

Closing Date: Thursday 26th June, 12pm

What You’ll Do

As the Financial Crime Programme Director in the Enterprise Change team, your responsibilities will include delivering the programme to Starling and regulatory standards, along with meeting critical Regulator-driven requirements. You will report to the Director of Enterprise Change and collaborate with Heads of Functions, the MLRO, Engineering teams, and the 2nd Line to deliver the Bank’s Economic Crime Plan. A key requirement will be the ability to manage programme delivery with appropriate governance and reporting to Executive Committees.

Key Accountabilities or Responsibilities:

• Overall responsibility for Programme Management, governance, and reporting for Financial Crime deliverables.
• Working as part of the Enterprise Change Leadership team to drive the delivery of actions with appropriate oversight on quality and assurance.
• Deliver functional change programmes that meet mandatory or regulatory requirements.
• Work closely with the business areas in transitioning the programmes into BAU.
• Manage risks and identify the appropriate levels of mitigation required, escalating and reporting as needed.

At Starling Bank, aptitude and attitude are just as crucial as formal qualifications. We’re seeking a Financial Crime Programme Director who is passionate about innovating and enhancing our financial crime prevention strategies and who thrives in our fast-paced, dynamic, and technology-driven environment.

Behaviours & Competencies:

• Excellent Communication skills, including experience in reporting to executive committees internally and to external audiences.
• Self-driven individual with the ability to collaborate with senior team members for delivery and assurance.
• Problem solving as part of a team.
• Self-starter with strong acumen in regulations, regulatory environment, and risk management principles.
• Strong organisational, planning, and problem-solving skills; ability to multitask and demonstrate flexible thinking.

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Working knowledge of UK Financial Crime Regulations (FCA, AMLD, FATAF & JMLSG).
• Demonstrable experience in delivering large-scale Financial Crime Programme activities, including AML, KYC, and EDD.
• A thorough understanding of screening requirements and systems, including customer and payment transaction monitoring and customer risk rating systems.
• Programme Management with experience in driving large-scale change programmes and related reporting.
• Evidence of successfully driving the delivery of regulatory projects and programmes in Financial Services organisations, including both FinTechs and large established banks.
• Proven experience in delivering complex regulatory technical solutions while closely collaborating with Engineering teams.
• Experience of working across all lines of defence (1LoD / 2LoD / 3LoD).
• Understanding of the regulatory environment and risk management, with experience in addressing financial crime issues.
• Experience in leading regulatory change programmes or portfolios.

Advantageous Skills & Experience:

• Relevant industry qualifications (e.g., PRINCE2, PMP, Agile certifications) are welcome but not essential.

About us:

You may be put off applying for a role because you don't tick every box. Forget that! While we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’re always open to discussion. So, if you’re excited about working with us, but aren’t sure if you’re 100% there yet, get in touch anyway. We’re on a mission to radically reshape banking – and that starts with our brilliant team. Whatever came before, we’re proud to bring together people of all backgrounds and experiences who love working together to solve problems. Starling Bank is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace.