Deputy Head of Financial Crime (1LOD)

Overview

As Deputy Head of Financial Crime, you will lead the first-line financial crime function, combining hands-on analysis with strategic oversight. You’ll drive the transition from a manual, legacy operation to a data- and automation-driven model, strengthening controls while maintaining audit rigor. You will mentor and develop the team, shape risk-based policy, and report results to senior stakeholders. This role offers impact across governance, data analytics, and process improvement within a values-driven bank focused on growth and integrity. You will help Shawbrook scale its financial crime capabilities in a dynamic, modern banking environment.

Pay / Benefits

• Headspace mindfulness app
• Peppy fertility/parental support app
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Cycle to work scheme
• Contributory pension scheme
• Minimum 27 days holiday

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day financial crime operations including transaction monitoring, investigations, screening, CDD and EDD
• Escalate complex cases and manage operational bottlenecks with timely, evidence-based decisions
• Approve activities within delegated authority in line with policy and risk appetite
• Represent the function in the absence of Head of Financial Crime Risk Services
• Analyze operational and risk data to identify trends and control weaknesses
• Champion AI and automation to streamline processes and improve detection quality
• Collaborate with data/tech partners to translate insights into improvements
• Contribute to MI and reporting capability as the function matures
• Design, document and maintain robust procedures and controls, ensuring they are audit-ready
• Complete risk assessments across products and processes and translate findings into controls
• Support development and testing of the financial crime control library
• Identify control gaps and lead remediation through closure
• Produce high-quality reports and MI packs for governance forums and committees
• Present risk and performance clearly to senior stakeholders
• Prepare materials for Executive Committee and Board risk reporting as required
• Build relationships with senior stakeholders and balance operational needs with robust controls
• Advise and mentor team through the transformation to a data- and automation-driven operating model
• Support development and career progression across the team
• Act as a mentor and coach to team leads and senior members

Key requirements

• Significant financial crime experience in a regulated financial services firm
• Proven experience managing and developing people while remaining hands-on
• Experience designing, documenting and embedding financial crime policies and controls
• Experience conducting or contributing to financial crime risk assessments (BWRA, RCSA, or equivalent)
• Experience producing and presenting MI and reports to senior stakeholders and governance committees
• Practical knowledge of applying AI, automation or data analytics to financial crime processes
• Strong analytical mindset and ability to work with data to identify patterns and trends
• Good knowledge of regulatory obligations (MLRs, JMLSG, PoCA, sanctions)
• Ability to communicate clearly with both technical and executive audiences
• Comfortable leading from the front and coaching others
• Desirable professional qualification (e.g., ICA Diploma, ACAMS)
• Experience in data or automation transformation programmes in risk/compliance (desirable)

• Leadership by example
• Resilience under scrutiny
• Pragmatic and commercially aware
• Excel
• SQL
• Power BI

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