Deputy Head of Compliance & MLRO

THE COMPANY:

Our client is a Wholesale Investment firm looking to recruit a Deputy Head of Compliance.  The role involves the day-to-day management of the Compliance Department (which includes the Onboarding team).  You will also act as the MLRO (SMF17).

THE RESPONSIBILITIES:

MLRO:

• Act as the firm’s nominated MLRO, including reviewing and submitting suspicious activity reports.
• Manage the Onboarding team to improve the client lifecycle journey.
• Conduct comprehensive reviews of existing onboarding workflows to identify bottlenecks, control gaps, and areas for automation and efficiency gains.
• Undertake the Business-Wide Risk Assessment, identifying control gaps and proposing actions.
• Directly supervise the Onboarding team members, managing their workloads, providing mentorship, and conducting performance reviews.
• Advise on specific KYC requirements for new and existing client onboarding cases.

Compliance:

• Support the GC in the day-to-day management of the firm’s compliance and financial crime frameworks, reporting and escalating issues to the GC.
• Assist the team in maintaining and updating the firm’s compliance policies/procedures and risk assessments.
• Oversee regulatory changes, regulatory remediation and regulatory enquiries.
• Advise, support and challenge on regulatory matters.
• Organising and delivering training on key regulatory matters.
• Submit regulatory forms.
• Compile reports and management information for the firm’s governing bodies.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Office based role (4-5 days per week required in the City office)
• Ability to supervise, mentor, and develop a small team.
• Understanding of financial products and services offered by a wholesale broker firm (including equities, bonds, foreign exchange, securities financing).
• Minimum 7 years previous regulatory experience, preferably in Financial Crime (second line function).
• Practical experience managing a firm’s AML programme for complex clients.
• Strong familiarity of MLR and JMSLG requirements.
• Ability to supervise, mentor, and develop a small team.
• Understanding of financial products and services offered by a wholesale broker firm (including equities, bonds, foreign exchange, securities financing).
• Working knowledge of the FCA Handbook, MAR, MIFID II, SMCR.
• Previous experience of drafting policies/procedures and undertaking firm-wide risk assessments.
• Technically savvy.
• Organised approach to record-keeping, policy documentation and meeting regulatory obligations.

For further information please contact Hannah Tabatabai