Lead Financial Crimes Officer, Vice President - EMEA Financial Crimes Risk Management

About this role:
Wells Fargo is looking for a Lead Financial Crimes Officer to join their dynamic team in London. This role is a crucial part of the EMEA Financial Crimes Risk Management function, focusing on AML/CTF/PF, Sanctions, ABC, and ATE.

As a Lead Financial Crimes Officer, you will provide oversight and independent assessment to ensure effective risk management. Joining Wells Fargo means being part of a global bank committed to combating financial crime, offering a platform for professionals to make a significant impact. If you are passionate about financial crime prevention and value excellence and innovation, this role is for you.

In this role, you will:

• Deliver Financial Crime Advisory support to businesses operating within the Wells Fargo EMEA legal entities, ensuring alignment with EU and UK regulations and guidance.
• Provide timely, risk-based advice on onboarding, periodic reviews, and event-driven KYC/EDD, including complex ownership structures and high-risk jurisdictions.
• Act as a primary advisor to stakeholders at all levels, including senior executives, offering clear and pragmatic financial crime guidance.
• Serve as deputy to the Business Advisory Manager in governance forums and cross-functional working groups, ensuring consistent and effective decision-making.
• Advise on new products, services, and markets, ensuring appropriate controls and monitoring requirements are incorporated from inception.
• Provide independent challenge across lines of business and corporate risk programs, contributing to risk evaluations, modelling, and financial crime strategy development.
• Partner with leadership to develop strategies that reduce financial crime risk through innovative and effective approaches.
• Collaborate with peers, business units, Audit, and regulators to address risk-related matters and support organisational goals.
• Lead or contribute to moderately complex initiatives and support large-scale functional planning.
• Support the management of risk-based financial crime programs, including procedures, controls, analytics, and trend analysis to ensure proactive detection and escalation of issues.
• Assist the MLRO in managing day-to-day FCRM activities, including risk assessments and the development of Financial Crime Programs for EMEA entities.
• Maintain an effective financial crime framework that complies with all applicable laws and regulatory expectations, including the Bank Secrecy Act, USA PATRIOT Act, FATCA, AML, CTF, Global Sanctions, ABC, and Anti-Tax Evasion requirements.
• Lead projects, provide mentorship, and contribute to team leadership and development.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and strengthen risk controls.
• Support preparations for internal and external audits, reviews, and regulatory examinations.

Required Qualifications:

• Experience in Financial Crimes, Operational Risk, Fraud, Sanctions, Anti-Bribery, Corruption, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in financial crime risk management within the EMEA region.
• Strong knowledge of AML, Sanctions, ABC, and Anti-Tax Evasion frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage governance policies and procedures.
• Proficiency in regulatory reporting, risk indicators, and impact assessments.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including experience working with senior leadership and global teams.
• Ability to design training materials and drive process improvements.
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to meet deadlines while working independently and collaboratively.
• Strong analytical, organisational, and documentation skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).