At a Glance
- Tasks: Protect the bank from financial crime through detailed investigations and customer assessments.
- Company: Join Zopa, a pioneering fintech redefining banking with a people-first approach.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive pay, and opportunities for personal growth.
- Other info: Hybrid role with a vibrant team culture and excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in finance while using cutting-edge AI tools.
- Qualifications: Experience in financial crime risk management and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 35000 - 45000 £ per year.
Our Story
Hello there. We’re Zopa. We started our journey back in 2005, building the first ever peer-to-peer lending company. Fast forward to 2020 and we launched Zopa Bank. A bank that listens to what our customers don’t like about finance and does the opposite. We’re redefining what it feels like to work in finance. Our vision for a new era of banking puts people front and centre — we’ve built a business that empowers everyone to aim high, every day, to move finance forward. Find out more about our fantastic offerings at Zopa.com!
We’re incredibly proud of our achievements and none of it would be possible without the amazing team here. It’s not just industry awards we’re winning, we’ve also been named in the top three UK’s Most Loved Workplaces.
If you embrace unconventional challenges, are unafraid to think differently and are driven to make an outsized impact, you’ll thrive here at Zopa, so join us, and make it count.
We are looking for a driven and detail-oriented KYC Financial Crime Specialist to join our fast-paced Financial Crime Operations team. This is a hands-on role at the heart of our fincrime function, where you will be responsible for protecting the bank from financial crime by conducting Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), assessing transaction activity, and ensuring our onboarding and ongoing customer checks are completed.
The successful candidate will be comfortable managing a varied caseload at pace, making sound risk-based decisions, and leveraging AI-powered tools to work efficiently without compromising quality or compliance.
This is a hybrid role – the team works in the office 3 days a week.
Your working week will consist of 7.5 hour shifts between 8 am and 8 pm, Monday to Friday, and you will be required to work one day of the weekend every other week, remotely. If you work a day at the weekend, you will receive a day off during the week. The role also requires several bank holidays to be worked a year, with any bank holidays worked given back as time in lieu.
A day in the life:
- Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD): Conduct thorough, risk-proportionate investigations on customers including medium and high-risk customers, ensuring all critical due diligence information is obtained and documented to the required standard.
- Customer Risk Assessment & Ongoing Monitoring: Manage a caseload of ongoing and onboarding customer risk review cases efficiently, maintaining high throughput without sacrificing investigative quality.
- PEP & Sanctions Screening: Conduct onboarding and ongoing name screening checks to accurately identify sanctioned individuals, PEPs, and Relatives and Close Associates (RCAs).
- Payment Screening: Conduct ad hoc screening on international inbound credits to ensure funds have not originated from a sanctioned entity or individual.
- Communication: Handle both inbound and outbound phone-based & chat based interactions with customers as part of daily responsibilities.
- AI-Assisted Investigations & Efficiency: Leverage AI-enabled monitoring and investigation tools as a core part of day-to-day activity.
About you:
- Experience in financial crime risk management, with a focus on EDD, AML, and/or KYC processes, ideally within a fintech, challenger bank, or regulated financial institution.
- Strong command of UK financial crime regulations, including the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), Money Laundering Regulations (MLR 2017), and FCA guidelines on financial crime.
- In-depth knowledge of financial crime risk typologies, due diligence processes, transaction monitoring methodologies, and name screening best practice.
- Demonstrated experience working in a target-driven or high-throughput compliance operations environment.
- Strong analytical ability and meticulous attention to detail, with the capacity to assess complex financial transactions and identify potential financial crime typologies.
- Ability to produce clear, well-structured written documentation, including investigation summaries, escalation reports, and risk assessments.
- Thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume environment and demonstrates strong personal organisation and time management to meet case SLAs.
- Collaborative team player who builds effective relationships with internal stakeholders across compliance, operations, and technology teams.
At Zopa we value flexible ways of working. We value face-to-face collaboration and a good work-life balance. This hybrid role requires you to come to our Manchester office 3 days a week.
Diversity Statement: Zopa is proud to offer a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds leads to better products for our customers and a unique company culture for our people.
Financial Crime Specialist - KYC in Manchester employer: Zopa
At Zopa, we pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking employer that champions innovation and inclusivity in the finance sector. Our Manchester office fosters a collaborative work culture where employees are empowered to grow and thrive, with flexible working options including the ability to work abroad for up to 120 days a year. Join us as a Financial Crime Specialist and be part of a team that values your contributions while offering opportunities for professional development in a supportive environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Financial Crime Specialist - KYC in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Zopa on LinkedIn or other platforms. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for your application process. It’s all about making connections!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into Zopa's values and mission. Show us how your skills align with our vision of redefining finance. We love candidates who can demonstrate a genuine interest in what we do!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your communication skills! Since this role involves handling customer interactions, being articulate and confident is key. Try mock interviews with friends or use online resources to sharpen your responses.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Zopa!
We think you need these skills to ace Financial Crime Specialist - KYC in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Finance:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for finance and financial crime prevention shine through. We want to see that you’re not just looking for any job, but that you’re genuinely excited about making a difference in the financial sector.
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in KYC, EDD, or AML processes. We love seeing how your background aligns with our needs, so don’t be shy about showcasing your skills and achievements that relate directly to the role.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate well-structured documents that are easy to read. Use bullet points where necessary to make your key points stand out, and ensure your writing is free from jargon unless it’s relevant to the role.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at Zopa!
How to prepare for a job interview at Zopa
✨Know Your KYC
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of KYC processes and financial crime regulations. Familiarise yourself with the Proceeds of Crime Act and Money Laundering Regulations, as these will likely come up in conversation. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you're serious about the role.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Prepare to demonstrate your analytical abilities during the interview. Think of examples where you've assessed complex financial transactions or identified potential risks. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses and highlight your attention to detail.
✨Embrace Technology
Since this role involves leveraging AI tools, be ready to discuss your experience with technology in compliance. Share any instances where you've used AI or other tech solutions to enhance your investigations. This will show that you're adaptable and forward-thinking, which is key for Zopa's innovative environment.
✨Communicate Effectively
Strong communication skills are essential for this position. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely, especially when discussing complex topics like financial crime. You might even want to role-play some customer interactions to get comfortable with handling inquiries and providing support.
