Financial Crime SME (Africa Market Specialist)

We are working with a leading financial services business to recruit an experienced Financial Crime SME with deep expertise in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This is a high-impact role within the team, focused specifically on clients with material connections to the African market. You will play a pivotal part in ensuring the bank maintains robust standards in KYC, AML, CTF, Sanctions, and Anti-Bribery & Corruption (ABC) compliance within the UK regulatory environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct detailed due diligence reviews for new client onboarding and periodic reviews with a focus on Sub-Saharan African clients and their associated financial crime risks.
• Assess and mitigate risks, producing clear, professional, regulator-ready written analyses and risk assessment reports for senior management, auditors, and regulators.
• Liaise effectively with front-office and senior stakeholders to resolve issues and achieve satisfactory outcomes.
• Provide subject matter expertise (SME), mentoring, and guidance to junior analysts, sharing knowledge and best practices to strengthen the team.
• Support BAU workflows, quality checking, process improvements, and ad-hoc financial crime projects.
• Deliver advice and oversight to first-line support functions on financial crime risk matters.

What We Are Looking For:

• Extensive, hands-on experience working with clients in Sub-Saharan Africa is essential, together with a deep understanding of the inherent financial crime risks, regulatory challenges, and market dynamics specific to the region.
• Strong knowledge of the UK regulatory framework (FCA Handbook, JMLSG, MLRs) and international standards.
• Excellent analytical, investigative, and report-writing skills, with the ability to distil complex information into clear, professional documentation.

If you have significant Sub-Saharan Africa market experience and are ready for your next career step, please apply for a confidential discussion.

Caitlynn Fourie