Financial Crime Risk Manager

Job Description

What will your ‘typical’ day look like? Different that’s for sure…

Atom bank is at the forefront of digital banking, and our Financial Crime team operates as a crucial Second Line of Defence, safeguarding the bank against evolving threats including money laundering, fraud, terrorist financing, and sanctions. We’re looking for a proactive and resilient Financial Crime Risk Manager to report directly to our Deputy CRO (MLRO).

This isn’t just a role; it’s an opportunity to build and embed a new assurance programme within your first 12 months, driving proactive framework enhancement and strategic risk mitigation. While you’ll manage some reactive BAU, your core focus will be on shaping Atom’s robust financial crime future. If you thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and have a passion for protecting customers and the bank, we want to hear from you.

This is a pivotal role in our Second Line of Defence, offering the unique challenge of shaping and implementing our financial crime assurance program from the ground up. You’ll work directly with senior leadership, influence critical decisions, and contribute to the bank’s growth in a digitally native environment.

What you’ll be doing:

• Strategic Framework Development: Play a key role in developing, enhancing, and maintaining comprehensive fraud and financial crime frameworks and strategies, ensuring their effective implementation and embedding.
• Second Line Oversight & Assurance: Provide critical oversight and assurance over first-line teams’ implementation of financial crime policies, control design, and effectiveness, including delegation from the MLRO for daily business sign-off.
• Risk Advisory & Mitigation: Act in an advisory capacity, assessing financial crime implications for new products, policies, and initiatives, and proactively monitoring risks from counterparties and outsourced partners.
• Investigations & Compliance: Conduct financial crime investigations, contribute to policy maintenance, assist with regulatory reports, and ensure positive regulatory engagement.
• Industry Influence: Represent the bank at industry forums, monitor horizon risks, and explore new detection and mitigation strategies.
• MLRO Support: Support the MLRO in discharging their SMF17 responsibilities, including readiness to deputise in their absence.

What do we need from you?

• Comprehensive understanding of the latest financial crime laws, regulations, approved guidance, and best practices relating to UK retail banking, particularly in AML, CTF, and fraud prevention/detection.
• Extensive experience with AML/CTF aspects, including Source of Funds, Source of Wealth, and SAR reporting. Fraud oversight experience is highly beneficial.
• Significant experience within a UK retail banking setting (experience with Savings products is particularly valuable; wealth management experience is also relevant).
• Detailed understanding of UK Regulatory guidance on PEP assessment and administration.
• Ability, willingness, and desire to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. You’ll be proactive, self-motivated, hands-on, and resilient.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong attention to detail, and high ethical standards when handling sensitive matters.
• Experience with client onboarding, KYC, and risk assessment processes.

What you’ll get from us:

• Flexible hybrid working.
• 4-day work week
• Incredibly generous company pension scheme (maximum of 13% of Atom input – you can put in more)
• ‘All About Me’ fund: £200 per year to spend on personal development.
• 22.5 days annual leave plus public holidays
• Private Medical Insurance, Health Cash Plan & Life Insurance
• Electric Vehicle Scheme

PLEASE NOTE: You must have the legal right to work in the UK to apply for this role as Atom is unable to support Visa Applications/Sponsorship

Atom is an equal opportunities employer. We value you as an individual and therefore disregard race, religion/belief, gender, sexual orientation, maternity/pregnancy, age, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership and disability in any hiring decisions we make. Atom will always adhere to the Equality Act 2010.

All roles within Atom must adhere to the Conduct Rules as set out by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

As part of Atom bank’s commitment to the FCA’s Consumer Duty, Atom will, take all reasonable steps to avoid causing foreseeable harm to customers, take all reasonable steps to enable customers to pursue their financial objectives and act in good faith.