Regulatory Risk Lead

Overview of role

Walkers has established a Financial Crime advisory team, which sits within the Risk and Compliance team, to support the Group in adhering to AML/CTF, sanctions anti-bribery and other financial crime laws in the jurisdictions in which the Group operates. The team also ensure that policies, procedures and risk appetites evolve with the changing regulatory landscape. This role will sit within this team and take the lead in coordinating projects and initiatives across the wider Risk and Compliance function specifically around policy and procedure review and the Group's compliance monitoring framework. The successful candidate will work closely with the GC, Head of Risk and Compliance, Director of Compliance for WPS and Senior Financial Crime Manager to strengthen a global approach to financial crime compliance, developing policies and procedures and training.

The role will report to the Senior Financial Crime Risk Manager and provide day to day legal assistance to the wider Risk and Compliance team on technical queries. They will need to advise and support the Group with how to respond and adapt to any geo-political, regulatory or other change which impacts the Group from an AML/ CTF or financial crime perspective. The role will also be responsible for the Group Compliance Monitoring Framework, including but not limited to anti-money laundering, anti-bribery & corruption, fraud, tax evasion and financial crime investigations. The successful candidate will need to be experienced in and able to advise on a variety of international sanctions issues and regimes. 

The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the Group has effective policies and procedures to comply with relevant worldwide statutory and regulatory obligations in relation to financial crime and business risk, while providing specialist risk assessment advice on a range of financial crime and business risk areas, including but not limited to anti-money laundering, international sanctions, bribery, tax transparency and supply chain risks.

The successful candidate would need to be a proactive team player with excellent inter-personal skills and have the ability to build and foster a collaborative working relationship both within the team and with colleagues across the Group, both the law firm and WPS. This is an exciting opportunity for a lawyer with AML and financial crime expertise looking for progression and an opportunity to develop and mentor junior colleagues.

Knowledge of the applicable regulatory regimes covered by the Group is required. Full training will be provided but the successful applicant will be expected to supplement this with independent reading of the regulations and remain up to date on the regulatory changes.

The role will be based in the London office, however the successful applicant will occasionally be required to travel to other offices when necessary.

Duties, Responsibilities & Person Specification

1. Monitor developments in AML/ CTF, anti-bribery, financial crime and sanctions legislation, and regulatory updates in connection with the same in each jurisdiction, providing updates for the Risk and Compliance team and MLROs/ DMLROs in each office;

2. Assist the Senior Financial Crime Risk Manager with the supervision and development of the junior members of the Financial Crime team;

3. Manage and maintain the horizon scanning process across the team, managing and coordinating all projects and actions stemming from updates identified in any jurisdiction in which the Group operates;

4. Maintaining the compliance monitoring framework and ensuring the Group's policies, procedures, business risk assessments, and all associated documentation is reviewed annually or as frequently as necessary;

5. Assist in handling ad hoc queries from the Group and the wider Risk and Compliance team. Liaise with relevant teams in relation to issues identified during ongoing monitoring processes at the firm and support on continuous improvement initiatives;

6. Developing and building good relationships with key stakeholders across the Group, providing advice and support on ad hoc queries from the wider business concerning financial crime and sanctions issues. Support reporting procedures for suspicious transactions/ activity and sanctions, liaising with the MLROs/ DMLROs and regulatory authorities as necessary;

7. Proactively develop expertise across AML/ CTF, anti-bribery, financial crime and sanctions. Horizon scan for legal, regulatory and risk developments across these areas, and considering the Group's practice areas, services and client base, proactively share knowledge across the team. Proactively generate new ideas and initiatives to help foster a positive risk and compliance culture across the business;

8. Contribute and support on external and regulatory audit / information returns, leading on business risk assessments and regulatory inspections or visits;

9. Work closely with the GC, Head of Risk and Compliance, Director of Compliance for WPS and Senior Financial Crime Risk Manager in embedding of risk policies, procedures and guidance to support the business, as well as supporting on risk and compliance training across the regions; and

10. Assist the GC, Head of Risk and Compliance and Director of Compliance for WPS with regional and global compliance projects as required and support and promote a positive and proactive risk management culture across the team and regions.

Education, Skills & Experience

• Experience in an international compliance function role primarily involving AML/ CTF, sanctions and financial crime; preferably in a law firm environment.

• Detailed knowledge of AML/ CTF, sanctions regimes, financial crime legislation, PEPs and other high risk categories; understanding of offshore structures, particularly in a funds context.

• Practical knowledge and experience of applying a risk based approach to compliance.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to communicate with partners, employees and (where appropriate) with the firm's clients.

• Enthusiastic and pro-active, strong inter-personal skills and able to work independently as well as part of a team.

• Strong research and analytical skills and good attention to detail, ability to analyse facts and scenarios thoroughly and accurately.

• Experience in analysing and drafting policies, procedures and controls.

• Client- focused and commercial aptitude/ pragmatic approach.

• Ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion.

• Ability to work under pressure and responsive to the expectations of partners and clients.

• Able to prioritise competing demands; excellent time management and organisational skills.

• Keen to develop a career in risk and compliance.