Head of Financial Crime Compliance

We are seeking an experienced and motivated financial crime professional to lead our Financial Crime Compliance function and undertake the role of Money Laundering Reporting Officer, where appointed and approved. This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for the Bank’s Financial Crime Risk Management Framework, covering AML, CFT, CPF, ABC, sanctions and fraud. The successful candidate will play a key role in protecting the Bank, maintaining an effective financial crime control environment, supporting sustainable growth and ensuring compliance with applicable regulatory obligations.

The role combines financial crime risk stewardship, regulatory engagement, governance, Board and Committee reporting, and leadership of a specialist Financial Crime Compliance team.

About you

You are an experienced financial crime professional looking for the opportunity to lead a strategically important function within a growing standalone bank where your expertise, judgement and leadership can make a visible difference. You may already be operating as a Head of Financial Crime Compliance, MLRO or senior financial crime leader within a bank or regulated financial institution. Equally, you may be an experienced Deputy MLRO or senior financial crime specialist ready to take the next step into a broader leadership role with responsibility for risk stewardship, governance, regulatory engagement and management of a specialist Financial Crime Compliance function.

You are comfortable engaging with Executive Management, Board Committees, regulators and law enforcement agencies, providing independent challenge whilst supporting the business in achieving its strategic objectives within the Bank’s risk appetite. Most importantly, you are committed to maintaining high regulatory standards, protecting the integrity of the financial system and developing a strong financial crime culture across the organisation.

What we’re looking for

• Serve as the Bank’s designated Risk Steward in the second line of defence (“2LoD”) for AML, CFT, CPF, ABC, sanctions and fraud (together Financial Crime, “FC”) Risk, maintaining oversight of the FC risk profile, control environment, risk appetite adherence, emerging risks, remediation activities and associated management information.
• Own and maintain the Bank’s Financial Crime Risk Management Framework (“FC RMF”), including FC policies, procedures, controls, systems, methodologies and governance arrangements, ensuring they remain risk-based, proportionate, effective and subject to periodic review.
• Lead and develop the Financial Crime Compliance (“FCC”) Team, including the Deputy MLRO, ensuring appropriate capability, capacity, succession planning, performance, development and regulatory competence.
• Provide independent 2LoD oversight, challenge and advisory support in relation to FC risks and controls, ensuring business strategy and execution remain consistent with the Bank’s risk appetite, regulatory obligations and internal policies.
• Oversee customer risk assessment, customer risk categorisation, PEP management, trigger events, EDD, sanctions screening, customer screening, transaction monitoring and High‑Risk Committee (“HRC”) approvals as Chair of the HRC.
• Act as MLRO, where appointed, including assessment of ISARs, determination of external reporting obligations, maintenance of defensible records and independent discharge of statutory responsibilities.
• Report on the effectiveness of the FC RMF to senior management, Committees and the Board, including material risks, breaches, incidents, control weaknesses, remediation activities and required management actions.
• Liaise with regulators, law enforcement agencies and other competent authorities in relation to FC, fiscal transparency, judicial and criminal matters.
• Promote a strong financial crime culture across the Bank, supporting clear 1LoD ownership of financial crime risks and controls.

Requirements

• Significant experience within Financial Crime, Compliance, Risk Management, AML/CFT or a related function within the banking or financial services sector.
• Strong knowledge of AML, CFT, CPF, sanctions, ABC, fraud risk management and wider financial crime frameworks.
• Experience in regulatory engagement, suspicious activity reporting, investigations, governance and financial crime risk management.
• Previous experience acting as an MLRO, Deputy MLRO or in a senior Financial Crime leadership role.
• Experience leading specialist financial crime teams and managing stakeholders across all levels of an organisation.
• Strong understanding of FC risks, controls and regulatory requirements within a personal, corporate and private banking environment.
• Excellent analytical, investigative, decision‑making and problem‑solving skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities, including engagement with Executive Management, Board Committees, regulators, auditors and law enforcement agencies.
• Relevant professional qualifications such as ICA, ACAMS or equivalent would be advantageous.

Criteria for Success

• Maintain a robust and effective FC RMF aligned to the Bank’s risk profile, business model, risk appetite and regulatory obligations.
• Deliver an effective annual FCC Plan, including timely execution of regulatory, strategic, remediation and assurance priorities.
• Effectively horizon scan, assess and implement changes arising from legislation, regulation, guidance, typologies and emerging threats.
• Provide effective oversight of customer risk management, including risk classification, PEP management, EDD, sanctions screening and transaction monitoring.
• Exercise sound, independent and well‑documented decision‑making and SAR filing where required.
• Successfully deliver remediation programmes, assurance actions and control enhancements.
• Identify, escalate and report material financial crime risks, breaches, incidents and control weaknesses in a timely manner.
• Deliver accurate, timely and insightful regulatory, Board, Committee and management reporting.
• Deliver effective FC training, awareness and guidance, promoting a strong risk and compliance culture across the Bank.
• Maintain constructive and professional relationships with regulators, auditors, law enforcement agencies and other key stakeholders.

Business Role Specific Competencies

• Ownership and continuous enhancement of the Bank’s FC RMF, including risk assessment methodologies, policies, controls, governance arrangements, monitoring systems and reporting processes.
• Comprehensive understanding of FC risks, controls and regulatory requirements within a personal, corporate and private banking environment.
• Ability to exercise sound, balanced and independent judgement in relation to suspicious activity, sanctions exposure, high‑risk customers, complex ownership structures and other financial crime matters.
• Ability to provide effective 2LoD challenge whilst maintaining constructive relationships across the business.
• Ability to lead, develop and manage a specialist FCC function, including the Deputy MLRO and wider FCC Team.
• Strong analytical, investigative, problem‑solving and decision‑making capabilities.
• Ability to communicate complex risk, regulatory and control matters effectively to senior management, Executive Management, Committees, regulators and the Board.
• Strong organisational, record‑keeping and evidence‑management skills, maintaining comprehensive records of decisions, investigations, approvals, escalations and regulatory interactions.
• Professionalism, discretion and confidentiality when handling sensitive regulatory, law enforcement and financial crime matters.
• Strong awareness of local and international FC risks, typologies, regulatory developments and emerging threats, and their potential impact on the Bank.

Apply now

If you meet the above requirements and are excited by the opportunity to lead a strategically important function within a growing Gibraltar bank, we would be delighted to hear from you. Kindly submit your application no later than Friday 7th August 2026. You are also welcome to contact Giles Fisher, Chief Risk Officer, directly at giles.fisher@trustednovusbank.gi should you wish to learn more about this opportunity.

Join us in our mission to protect the integrity of the financial system, support sustainable growth and maintain high standards of regulatory compliance and risk management.