Financial Crime Officer Contract

A leading international financial institution is seeking a dedicated Financial Crime Officer to join its London-based Compliance team on a contract basis. This is an exceptional opportunity for you to play a pivotal role in safeguarding the organisation's reputation and supporting the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) in all aspects of anti-money laundering (AML), sanctions, and financial crime oversight.

What you'll do:

As a Financial Crime Officer within the Compliance department, you will play an integral role in supporting the MLRO across all facets of financial crime risk management. Your daily activities will involve providing proactive advisory support on complex regulatory issues related to AML and sanctions while fostering strong partnerships with both local business heads and international compliance colleagues. You will be responsible for conducting detailed monitoring activities-ranging from scheduled reviews to urgent assessments triggered by new risks-and ensuring that all findings are meticulously documented. Your ability to interpret regulatory developments will be crucial as you help adapt global policies for local application. Additionally, you will contribute significantly to management reporting processes by preparing insightful analyses that inform senior decision-makers. Training others forms another important aspect of your remit: you will help design engaging learning materials that keep staff informed about current threats and best practices. Success in this position requires not only technical expertise but also excellent interpersonal skills as you collaborate widely across departments while upholding the highest ethical standards.

• Support the MLRO by providing expert advisory services on AML, sanctions, and financial crime matters to various business lines, ensuring guidance is timely, accurate, and well-documented.
• Undertake comprehensive financial crime monitoring activities as outlined in the annual plan, including ad hoc client file reviews in response to emerging risks or concerns identified by the MLRO.
• Assist in maintaining robust policies and procedures that meet regulatory obligations and counteract potential misuse of business lines for financial crime purposes.
• Contribute to periodic dashboard and management information reporting by supplying key metrics and producing written reports on specific client file reviews for the MLRO.
• Systematically identify and assess financial crime risks in line with established monitoring plans while staying abreast of evolving EU, FCA, DNB, ECB, and AFM regulations.
• Ensure customer due diligence processes are thorough by verifying identities, documenting relationships, retaining records appropriately, and responding promptly to requests from investigators or enforcement agencies.
• Monitor day-to-day operations of anti-money laundering policies; escalate internal alerts as needed; review money laundering reports from staff; present recommendations to the MLRO for further action.
• Collaborate with Head Office Compliance teams to ensure global policies reflect local UK requirements through effective communication and policy uplifts.
• Assist in identifying, analysing, communicating, and documenting regulatory changes impacting UK business lines; ensure these changes are implemented according to compliance procedures.
• Support the delivery of AML and financial crime training updates across relevant business lines; regularly review training materials to maintain high standards of awareness.

What you bring:

To excel as a Financial Crime Officer in this setting, you will bring proven experience from previous roles involving anti-money laundering or wider financial crime responsibilities within regulated environments. Your background should include hands-on involvement with monitoring activities-such as reviewing client files or assessing emerging risks-and preparing actionable recommendations for senior leaders. Professional qualifications like the CISI Diploma signal your commitment to ongoing development; any specialist certifications relating directly to AML or financial crime will further distinguish your profile. Beyond technical proficiency, your success depends on strong interpersonal skills: you must be able to resolve conflicts diplomatically while building trust among colleagues at all levels. Organisational excellence is vital given the need for precise documentation amid shifting priorities. A deep understanding of relevant regulations-both domestic and international-will enable you to anticipate changes affecting compliance strategies. Your communication skills should allow you not only to draft clear reports but also deliver engaging training sessions that enhance collective awareness. Finally, your forward-looking attitude ensures continuous improvement in processes designed to protect both customers and the organisation itself.

• Demonstrated experience in anti-money laundering (AML) or broader financial crime roles within banking or financial services environments is highly desirable.
• Professional qualifications such as CISI Diploma or equivalent are preferred; additional certifications specifically related to AML or financial crime would be advantageous.
• Proven ability to conduct detailed monitoring activities-including client file reviews-and produce clear written recommendations for senior compliance officers.
• Excellent conflict resolution skills with a considerate approach when dealing with sensitive situations or differing viewpoints among stakeholders.
• Strong teamwork orientation combined with the capacity to work independently when required; reliability in supporting colleagues across functions is essential.
• Exceptional organisational skills with meticulous attention to detail; able to manage competing priorities efficiently under tight deadlines.
• Comprehensive understanding of existing and emerging regulatory requirements affecting financial crime prevention at both UK and European levels.

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