Senior Anti-Financial Crime & Compliance Manager - East Coast Remote

This role can be based anywhere on the East Coast US - Remote.

Who we are

Over the last 18 years, Equals Money has helped over a million satisfied customers move and manage their money. Our award-winning product portfolio allows our customers to make low-cost multi-currency payments across various payment products. From travel money to transfers, currency hedging, to expense management, open banking to card acquiring, we are focused on a single goal of making it easy for our customers to manage and move their money.

As a business, we are committed to delivering value to our customers through the combination of advanced payments technology and personal expert service. 

With our offices in London, Chester, Brussels, Amsterdam and Los Angeles, the Group operates a portfolio of successful and exciting business lines and brands; Equals Money, FairFX and Railsr in the UK and EU. You will join a very close-knit, talented and supportive team from various backgrounds who believe that bringing different perspectives together helps us understand our customers' needs. United, by one thing, making money management straightforward and cost-effective for our customers. 

About the Role 

The Senior Anti-Financial Crime (AFC) & Compliance Manager (US) will be responsible for owning and executing  2nd line of defence (2LOD) activities focused on financial crime prevention and compliance for the Group’s US business. The role holder will be the primary compliance contact for the Group stakeholders and the US Sponsor Bank, and will own and continuously improve our US Anti-Financial Crime (AFC)/AML Program to ensure the Group meets its regulatory obligations and the Sponsor Bank’s requirements. 

The role holder will be managing the AML/Compliance program that includes, inter alia, co-ordinating and supporting AML/Compliance audits, prepare and implement remediation plans, define and deliver on key risk indictors, and ensuring the Sponsor Bank’s expectations are met in relation to the Group’s AML program (AML/CTF policies, procedures, risk assessments, testing, MI, Board reporting etc.).

The role holder will need to stay updated on new developments and trends in the Regulatory and AFC compliance landscape in the US. 

The role holder will work closely with the Group and UK Money Laundering Reporting Officers (MLROs), Group Chief Compliance and Risk Officer (CCRO), and be part of the Group AFC function within 2LOD - Global Risk and Compliance (GRC) function. 

Responsibilities 

• Embody at all times our values of

  • Be the customer

  • Succeed together

  • Go beyond 

  • Make it happen

• Primary point of contact for Anti Financial Crime and Regulatory Compliance matters for the Group and its US Sponsor Bank.

• Maintain and execute the BSA/AML Compliance Program (risk assessment; CDD/KYC/KYB; EDD; ongoing monitoring; SAR management; training; independent testing).

• Oversee transaction monitoring tuning/governance and SAR/CTR workflows (investigation standards, narrative quality, filing timeliness) in line with US requirements

• Run quality assurance and partner with Internal Audit/independent test functions on program effectiveness.

• Oversee all US specific Policies and Procedures e.g. Bank Secrecy Act/AML, Sanctions, Due Diligence, Transaction Monitoring, Investigations,  Recordkeeping, Model Governance.

• Produce Management Information and other reporting for Group Risk & Compliance and maintain issues/actions logs; coordinate enterprise risk assessments relevant to financial crime.

• Ensure US AML training and competency requirements meets regulatory requirements.

• Track regulatory changes and advise on their impact on the business.

• Advise and guide the 1st line of defence (1LOD) in their daily tasks and decision-making 

• Support AFC related projects and change programmes as required across the Group.

• Support the Group AFC function  in Group-wide projects and deliverables (across various jurisdictions) where necessary.

Essential Skills

• Prior work experience in Anti-Financial Crime Compliance roles in the financial services industry for minimum of 5+ years. 

• Strong practical knowledge of the AML/CTF, Sanctions, Anti-bribery & Corruption (ABC) and Fraud frameworks within the US (and Canada ideally)

• Strong judgement and decision-making skills.

• Ability to communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders, including banking partners, customers, law enforcement agencies and internal stakeholders

• Relevant qualifications in AFC/AML/Compliance or a related field, e.g. CAMS

• In-depth knowledge of main risks and typologies  related to AML, CTF, Sanctions, ABC and Fraud.

• Experience of Regulatory Compliance, MSB/Banking licence applications and regulatory obligations would be a clear advantage.

Equals Group strives to create a workplace where we can all be ourselves. We believe in inclusion, equality and the power of diversity, so you'll be encouraged to bring your unique perspectives and experiences, and help us understand what you need to do your best work.