AML & CTF Operations Manager

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 recruitment process:

Interviewing is a two way process and we want you to have the time and opportunity to get to know us, as much as we are getting to know you! Our interviews are conversational and we want to get the best from you, so come with questions and be curious. 

Following your application being reviewed, you can expect the below:

Stage 1 - Prescreen call with Talent Acquisition Partner

Stage 2 - Role related interviews

Closing date: Monday 19th May 12pm.

Location: We're open to internal colleagues in all locations applying. For external candidates, this role is open in Cardiff, Manchester or Southampton with travel required. We look for 10 days a month to be spent onsite with hybrid working place.

About the role:

As a Financial Crime AML Operations Manager at Starling Bank you will lead a specialist team within the Financial Crime Area. Depending on resource demand, the Operations Manager could support any team across the function. Successful candidates have expert knowledge in Financial Crime and strong leadership experience. In this role you will work with senior stakeholders across Starling Bank to report emerging trends and provide assurance that the team is protecting Starling Bank and our customers from financial crime risks.  This role will be instrumental in leading operational efficiencies, driving continuous improvement to safeguard Starling and their customers against financial crime risk; including money laundering, terrorist financing, tax evasion, modern day slavery and bribery and corruption

Responsibilities include:

• Supporting the Head of AML & CTF Operations to deliver improvements to operational Strategy
• Effectively manage regulatory SLA’s and timely completion of case workflows, utilising planning tools to manage demand and resource.
• Maintain systems and controls to prevent financial crime, escalating incidents to mitigate customer harm.
• Leading highly motivated teams through performance management, growth mindset and talent succession.
• Owning quality control and assurance outputs, bridging operational gaps through role specific training.
• Monitoring emerging trends to enhance risk strategy
• Managing stakeholder communications, influencing decisions and challenging the status quo
• Enhancing data reporting frameworks and operational MI to proactively manage financial crime risk
• Create efficiencies through operational excellence to deliver competing bank priorities.
• Leading process enhancements to improve customer experiences.
• Ensuring committee papers and MI dashboards are reflective of the operating model, identifying deficiencies and managing through to resolution
• Working collaboratively with wider operational teams for a cohesive way of working.
• Lead a team (across our four sites; Cardiff, London, Southampton and Manchester), ensuring that work is completed in accordance with policy and procedure, 
• Provide line management, training and support for a team of Managers.
• Support the wider function and delegate on behalf of the Head of Department  when required. 
• Manage investigation quality standards and act on outcomes from internal quality assurance reviews. 
• Manage escalations, ensuring that complex investigations or incidents identified by the Investigation team are reported in accordance with policy and process.
• Maintain own knowledge of external threats and trends to identify opportunities to proactively adapt and ensure that the Investigation team remains effective..
• Conduct regular team meetings / check-ins with your direct reports and the wider team.
• Support the growth of the Bank by being proactive, raising risks, speaking up and providing solutions to digitise, automate and improve processes.
• Positively influence and contribute to the team culture, continuously taking into consideration the engagement level across the team.

• Experience leading large teams and people management (including providing training, coaching and feedback).
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders.
• Experience of producing formal written assessments relating to Key Performance Indicators, Key Risk Indicators or risk events.
• Experience of workflow management.
• Experience of leading and completing complex investigations.
• Able to draw own conclusions based on relevant data and make the right decisions, considering both the business and customer outcomes.
• Meticulous and organised with ability to manage workloads across a team.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation / regulation and preventive measures.
• Knowledge of money laundering and terrorist financing typologies and trends for financial services.
• Knowledge of corporate governance practices (in respect of financial crime prevention).
• Experience providing effective performance management and creating a feedback culture within a large operation.
• Ability to adapt to dynamic environments to deliver fast paced operational change initiatives.

• 25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever works best for you)
• An extra day’s holiday for your birthday
• Annual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off
• 16 hours paid volunteering time a year
• Salary sacrifice, company enhanced pension scheme
• Life insurance at 4x your salary & group income protection
• Private Medical Insurance with VitalityHealth including mental health support and cancer care. Partner benefits include discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and Peloton
• Generous family-friendly policies
• Incentives refer a friend scheme
• Perkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perks
• Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work, Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships and Electric Vehicle (EV) leasing

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. Individuals seeking employment at Starling Bank are considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. When you provide us with this information, you are doing so at your own consent, with full knowledge that we will process this personal data in accordance with our Privacy Notice. By submitting your application, you agree that Starling Bank will collect your personal data for recruiting and related purposes. Our Privacy Notice explains what personal information we will process, where we will process your personal information, its purposes for processing your personal information, and the rights you can exercise over our use of your personal information.