Financial Crime Risk Oversight and Advisory Manager (AML)

Business Unit: Economic Crime Risk

Salary range: £58,400 - £73,000 per annum DOE + benefits

Location: UK Remote with attendance at Virgin Money hubs on a quarterly basis, as necessary.

Contract type: Permanent

Our Team

Provides Oversight and Advice across Virgin Money on compliance with the Group Financial Crime Policies and Standards (Anti Money Laundering, Counter Terrorist Financing, and interfacing on Sanctions, Anti Bribery & Corruption, Facilitation of Tax Evasion). This role will focus specifically on the AML requirements, ensuring controls and processes remain aligned with Group Policy, Legal and Regulatory requirements.

Our team are instrumental in leading the effective interface between the 2nd Line function and the Business Units and 1st Line Financial Crime Operations management. This will be done by building and maintaining relationships with senior leaders and ensuring Policy and Standard requirements are well understood, and appropriate systems and controls are in place within the 1st Line to manage identified business risks. This is a critical area in which the regulator has repeatedly highlighted common control failings resulting in numerous firms being fined for failing to have adequate involvement of senior management in key decisions. The team also engage in industry forums and events, to help shape UK Legal and Regulatory requirements on financial crime related matters.

What you’ll be doing

• Ensuring that VMUK’s Financial Crime Policies and Standards are understood, with a high quality of advice and oversight provided to the business to ensure VMUK’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements whilst understanding the application of proportionality / a risk-based approach and the desire to fulfil an excellent customer experience aligning to our strategy and risk-appetite.
• Overseeing the Financial Crime framework and ensuring that any risks are escalated appropriately, and that our controls are both adequately designed and performing effectively through ongoing check and challenge.
• Providing check and challenge in respect of our Business Wide Risk Assessment (BWRA) and Risk Control Self-Assessment (RCSA) processes to ensure these remain appropriate and proportionate.
• Building and maintaining close relationships with key stakeholders across the business to ensure that Financial Crime risks and trends are considered, with action plans put in place where relevant.
• Working closely with 1st line Financial Crime Operations – ensuring any issues are flagged appropriately e.g. via Governance and providing advice where required.
• Assisting (and deputising for) the AML Senior Manager in attending business ExCos and other Governance forums to ensure the business are aware of any changes to the regulatory, legislative or policy framework, and to ensure any Financial Crime issues/risks/events are understood and logged in our risk reporting system and tracked accordingly.
• Attending key industry forums to ensure VMUK’s Financial Crime framework is fit for purpose and remains in line with industry best practice.

We need you to have

• Experience of working in a similar role within UK Retail Banking is essential.
• Strong knowledge in AML Legal and regulatory requirements.
• Broad knowledge of all FC control areas.
• Good communication and report writing skills with knowledge of Governance.
• Knowledge of regulatory guidance regarding risk based and proportionate approaches.
• Good organisational, written and verbal communication.

It’s a bonus if you have but not essential

• ICA, ACAMS diploma or equivalent.
• The ability to engage and influence at a senior level.
• A good network across the Economic Crime industry.
• A drive to understand the rapidly evolving financial crime risk landscape.

Red Hot Rewards

• Generous holidays - 38.5 days annual leave (including bank holidays and prorated if part-time) plus the option to buy more.
• Up to five extra paid well-being days per year.
• 20 weeks paid, gender-neutral family leave (52 weeks in total) for expectant parents and those looking to adopt.
• Market-leading pension.
• Free private medical cover, income protection and life assurance.
• Flexible benefits include Cycle to Work, wellness and health assessments, and critical illness.
• And there’s no waiting around, you’ll enjoy these benefits from day one.

If we’re lucky to receive a lot of interest, we may close the advert early. Please ensure to submit your applications as soon as possible.

Say hello to Virgin Money

Virgin Money is so much more than just a bank. As part of the Nationwide group, together we’re the UK’s first full-service mutual bank serving millions of retail and business customers and all driven by our purpose; Banking but fairer, more rewarding and for the good of society. With us, you’ll be part of an organisation uniquely positioned to make a difference to the lives of customers, communities and broader society and embark on a collaborative, customer obsessed, and fun-filled career journey. Embrace the weekdays, enjoy fantastic perks, and make a meaningful positive difference. Time to discover what it means to be part of the first mutual full-service banking provider.

Be yourself at Virgin Money

At Virgin Money, we celebrate everyone. We have fun, think big, and relentlessly include each other, all in pursuit of our purpose: Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society. We’re committed to creating an inclusive culture where colleagues feel safe and inspired to contribute, speak up and be heard. As a Disability Confident Leader, we’re committed to removing any obstacles to inclusion. If you need any reasonable adjustments or support making your application, contact our Talent Acquisition team.

Please note: If we receive a high volume of eligible applications, we may need to prioritise candidates whose skills and experience most closely align with the role, while still ensuring fair and equitable consideration for all applicants.

Now the legal bit

Although some of our roles allow you to be based anywhere in the UK, we’ll need you to confirm you have the right to work in the UK. If you’re successful in securing a role with us, there are some checks you need to complete before starting. These include credit and criminal record checks and three years’ worth of satisfactory references. If the role is part of the Senior Manager Regime and Certification Regime, it requires enhanced pre-employment checks – we’ll ask for six years of regulatory references, and once in the role, you’ll be subject to periodic employment checks.