Head of Business Acceptance WPS

Overview of role

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced compliance professional with a background in the legal and/or professional services sector to lead our team dealing with business acceptance for Walkers' global professional services business (WPS). WPS is a leading provider of corporate, corporate governance, regulatory compliance and fiduciary services to corporate and institutional clients across global financial centres.

Reporting to our Director of Group Business Acceptance and joining the GCRC Extended Leadership Team, the successful candidate will lead and develop our team of over 20 compliance professionals with responsibility for all aspects of new client onboarding for WPS. This includes conducting CDD/EDD, screening against PEPs, sanctions and negative news, and carrying out client risk assessments to satisfy applicable laws, regulations, and Walkers' policy and risk appetite. The team also plays a key role in preparing for regulatory inspections and returns.

The Head of Business Acceptance (WPS) will work closely with the Director of Group Business Acceptance and the Head of Business Acceptance (Law Firm) on the ongoing development of our policies, controls and processes as they relate to CDD/EDD, screening, risk appetite and escalations. This will include optimising our use of tech/automation (including through the use of best in market third party vendors), standardising and simplifying our policies and processes across the Walkers group, and building an optimal team shape that provides agility, efficiency, consistency and excellent service to the business and our clients.

The successful candidate will also be responsible for building the team's expertise and championing ongoing learning and development through various people initiatives designed to attract, retain and develop our people. Together, this will help us deliver our team vision: to be the market leading legal, risk and compliance function that protects the business and supports Walkers’ strategy for growth through proactive risk and compliance oversight, technical excellence, efficiency, adaptability and client service.

The successful candidate will work particularly closely with the WPS senior leadership team and cross-functional groups to help deliver WPS's overarching strategy.

Duties, Responsibilities & Person Specification

• Day-to-day management of the WPS Business Acceptance team (supported by Senior Managers, Managers and Team Leaders).
• Responsible for overall performance and output of the WPS Business Acceptance team (which currently numbers around 20 team members globally, based in Asia, Europe and the Americas).
• Act as a point of escalation for high risk clients/instructions referred from the WPS Business Acceptance team and the business.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders across Walkers and in particular the WPS business – acting as a key point of contact on all business acceptance related queries/issues from WPS and leading communications across the business in this area.
• Lead on internal training as it relates to WPS business acceptance.
• Identify potential efficiencies or improvements that can be made to our existing client onboarding systems, processes and policies. 
• Working with the Director of Group Business Acceptance and the Head of Business Acceptance (Law Firm), help develop and deliver a phased programme of work as it relates to new business acceptance which underpins our vision, exploring and optimising our approach to/best use of technology/automation, people, policies controls and procedures (PCPs), and modes of service delivery. 
• Drive quality, consistency, service excellence, efficiency, proactivity and adaptability across the WPS Business Acceptance team.
• Develop and lead people initiatives within the WPS Business Acceptance team to drive development of expertise and skills, attraction and retention, and foster a high-performing, collaborative and open team culture.
• Support the Director of Financial Crime, Monitoring & Investigations, the Director of Group Business Acceptance and the wider team in preparing for/responding to inspections, returns and external reporting as they relate to WPS.
• Input into regular reporting to senior management/Boards; present to Boards and other fora as required.
• Participate in cross-functional initiatives which impact or relate to WPS business acceptance.
• Contribute to annual Business Risk Assessments.
• Keep abreast with developments in regulation, technology and the market which are relevant to WPS business acceptance.

Education, Skills & Experience

Required

• Bachelor's degree in law, business, finance or another relevant field.
• Relevant experience in a compliance or in-house legal role in an international law firm or professional services environment.
• Compliance expert with deep working knowledge of key AML/CTF regimes and requirements (particularly as they relate to CDD/EDD and PEPs) and sanctions.
• Extensive experience of people management, including supervision/management of large teams and experience devising and driving people initiatives (including around recruitment and development).
• Proven track record of delivering change and process improvements.

Advantageous

• Experience working in an offshore environment or with offshore structures.
• Experience working with third party vendors.

ATTRIBUTES

• Strategic: ability to work in pursuit of a clear strategic direction, align the team's priorities with those of the wider Compliance team and the firm, and proactively identify potential improvements.
• Leadership: ability to lead and inspire the team, drive collaboration and foster a high-performing team culture.
• Technical: deep knowledge of relevant laws and regulations as they relate to CDD/EDD (including the MLRs and regional equivalents).
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills: solutions-orientated with the ability to interpret detailed information to reach decisions or develop clear recommendations.
• Quality: strong attention to detail and produces high quality work product. 
• Judgement: confident taking decisions, with sound judgement of when to escalate issues or seek further opinions. 
• Adaptable: willingness to embrace change and uncertainty and manage competing demands in a dynamic and fast-paced environment; willing to constructively challenge the status quo.
• Communication: strong verbal and written communication skills, ensuring communications are properly targeted, persuasive, accurate and accessible. 
• Emotional intelligence: ability to empathise, understand, and manage emotions effectively, fostering a positive and inclusive work environment.
• Collaborative: builds strong and effective relationships with stakeholders and peers; works collaboratively with colleagues across the business. A "one-team" ethos.
• Commercial: sound commercial decision-making; adopts a risk-based approach. Relentless focus on service excellence.

OTHER

• Walkers is a global business and this role may therefore require audio or video conferencing outside of normal business hours.
• This role is based at our London office. However, our agile working policy does allow some home working each week. 
• Some international travel may be required.

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