Deputy Head of the Transaction Monitoring Team - Director | London, UK

Here at SMBC Group, we want to help you find the next step in your career so read on to discover if this opportunity is the one for you. We like to recognise potential in our people, so we welcome your application even when your experience doesn't perfectly align with the job description. Whilst we'll always strive to be better, we're proud of our inclusive culture, and encourage our applicants and colleagues to be their authentic, unique selves.

United by a sense of purpose towards our customers - to be a trusted partner for the long-term - and our universal banking platform in EMEA, SMBC Group has an international growth agenda and award-winning products, meaning we provide exciting opportunities to work on a diverse range of projects and initiatives. We deliver a full suite of corporate finance products and solutions to our customers as well as investment banking and advisory services, and a range of innovative solutions in global capital markets.

Is the next step in your career at SMBC Group EMEA? We're looking for a Deputy Head of the Transaction Monitoring Team (Director), to work within our Operations and Administration Department to join our Financial Crime Middle Office Team. This is a fantastic opportunity to step into a senior leadership role where you'll:

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of SMEs tackling complex financial crime risks
• Drive operational excellence across transaction monitoring, ensuring strong KPIs and regulatory compliance
• Partner with senior stakeholders and 2nd/3rd line teams to influence strategy and transformation
• Play a key role in shaping training, process improvements, and future roadmap initiatives

We're looking for a proven leader with deep AML/Financial Crime expertise, strong decision-making capability, and a passion for driving performance and change.

The role is based within the Operations and Administration Department, Financial Crime Middle Office, reporting to the head of the team, who in turn reports to the Managing Director heading the 1st Line Financial Crime Team.

You will manage the daily activities of a team of SMEs reviewing suspicious activity alerts, identifying Financial Crime risks, as well as identifying changing or suspicious client behaviour. You will:

• Manage daily BAU priorities, drive team performance and meet the appropriate SLAs/KPIs, Compliance Standards, Policies and Procedures
• Represent your team at business forums and senior stakeholder meetings, presenting MI and issues of interest
• Support the Team manager, plan and execute the training and development of junior staff
• Have opportunities to assist in or lead project work and ensure system testing is completed thoroughly and in the time scale required
• Work in partnership with QA, 2nd and 3rd Lines of Defence to assist with internal reviews and drive training and transformation across the team

You will bring:

• Excellent understanding of the regulatory framework associated with Financial Crime / AML
• Ability to prioritise investigations, meet regulatory deadlines and completion targets, to make sound judgements and recommendations for alert handling, classification and disposition, based on previous experience within a Financial Crime Operational area, and knowledge of regulatory guidance
• Proven leadership capabilities and the ability to drive and deliver high levels of performance, employee engagement and demonstrate a change and transformation mindset.

For all the expertise and experience you bring to help us make a difference, it's only sustainable if we support you to build your career and be your best self so we offer competitive company benefits, centred around promoting positive well-being and work-life balance. We also believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment, where all team members' perspectives and contributions are valued. Initiatives in place which promote a diverse and inclusive culture and healthy work life balance include hybrid working, Sport & Social Clubs and Diversity and Inclusion networks.

As an employee of SMBC you have access to a host of both useful and exciting benefit offerings. See below some of the benefits on offer to you:

• Hybrid and flexible working
• Competitive paid leave days
• Benefits to support your physical wellbeing, including private medical insurance and life and invalidity insurance
• Various policies to support your mental wellbeing, including a robust behavioural health network with counselling and coaching services
• Access a wide range of learning and development opportunities and career progression opportunities
• Ambitious remuneration package

We recognise our role as a bank to support social change and welcome all applications, including those from groups often under-represented in financial services. We value the uniqueness of professional and personal backgrounds and perspectives as they play a vital role in continuing the sustainable growth of our organisation. We'll ensure reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process are offered due to a disability or long-term condition whenever requested.