The Specialist Compliance Officer - Regional AML Advisory & Transaction Monitoring Team (WM & CIB) will serve as a key member of the APAC FS AML/CTF Advisory L2 Hub team, ensuring adherence to regulatory mandates and internal protocols. The successful candidate will take on day-to-day leadership responsibilities, including overseeing case management, providing strategic guidance, and actively contributing to team initiatives. Additionally, in the absence of the Head of APAC FS AML/CTF Advisory L2 Hub, the successful candidate may act as a reliable back-up. This role offers a significant opportunity to leverage your expertise, develop your leadership skills, and make a valuable contribution to our collaborative and dynamic environment.
The responsibilities of the Specialist Compliance Officer - Regional AML Advisory & Transaction Monitoring Level 2 Hub (WM & CIB):
Leadership and Oversight:
- Conduct thorough reviews of cases analysed by team members, offering expert guidance on complex matters.
- Proactively share feedback and insights with the team members, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
- Actively contribute to projects within the Hub scope of work, demonstrating strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Represent APAC FS AML Advisory L2 hub in governance bodies and regular meetings.
- Provide support/back-up on the cases assignation to L2 team members in a timely and equitable manner, ensuring optimal workload allocation.
- Temporarily assume the responsibilities of the Head of APAC FS AML Advisory L2 hub, when absent.
- Provide general support to the APAC Head of AML Advisory and the Head of APAC FS AML Advisory L2 hub.
Transaction Monitoring and Investigations:
- Undertake investigations and assessments of Transaction Monitoring alerts escalated by Level-1 to the Level-2 Hub in APAC, adhering to group policies and regulatory requirements.
- Identify and report/escalate any potential suspicious activity or material risk to the relevant local Level-3 or Head of Financial Security and KYC Compliance in APAC.
- Escalate material risks with relevant information to the relevant local Head of Financial Security and KYC Compliance in APAC.
- Identify and investigate potential suspicious activity and transaction escalated by (i) the Sanctions payment filtering team and (ii) External Triggers and UARs on behalf of the APAC territories included into the APAC Level-2 Hub and escalate any material risk with relevant information to the relevant local Head of Financial Security and KYC Compliance in APAC
- Preparation of suspicious transaction memo for cases with STR recommendation
- Ensure proper documentation and record-keeping of reviews and investigation cases, in accordance with Group and HO standards
- Act as main point of contact to other internal investigation teams to perform investigations for the APAC region on behalf of the APAC territories included into the APAC Level-2 Hub and inform appropriate personnel (e.g. local MLROs) where further investigation and report filings may be necessary
- Conduct review, analysis and provide an opinion supported with sound transaction due diligence analysis to local MLROs in APAC on third party payments.
Advisory Support:
- Advise senior and regional management, Territory Compliance teams, business units and other functions on AML/CTF matters and paymenttransparency issues across APAC.
- Prepare, coordinate and distribute required reports, updates and dashboards.
- Identify systemic procedural weaknesses and training needs related to suspiciousactivity and transaction reporting.
- Offer transactional advisory support to the Front Office.
Identification and Management of Compliance Risks
- Maintain a current understanding of money laundering and terrorist financing issues, including policies, procedures, regulations, industry best practices, criminal typologies, and emerging trends.
- Collaborate with the local teams on the development of AML controls, processes, and procedures to ensure the operational/transactional risks within Wealth Management are effectively identified and mitigated.
- Identifying and managing ML/FT risks by ensuring timely escalation to Compliance Management for overdue alerts, alert backlogs and alerts identified with ML/FT risks and implementing monitoring measures where required.
- Coordinate and conduct training related to AML monitoring.
Project Coordination and Support:
- Assist with the management of AML/CTF (WM & CIB) tools in APAC territories, including deployment, decommissioning, and ongoing maintenance.
- Fine-tune (WM & CIB) automated AML monitoring tools (NetReveal, Actimize, Quantexa, etc.) to optimize their effectiveness, by closely working with the TM framework team.
- Coordinate and participate in ad hoc projects, risk assessments, and audit/regulatory inspections.
- Participate in periodic scenarioand thresholdreview, including calibration and testing, in collaboration with IT and HeadOffice teams.
- Support projects triggered by management requests, internal audit findings or regulatory inspections.
- Ensure accuracy of all AML reporting (including TM statistics) and perform the above duties responsibly.
Technical Competencies:
- Academic and Professional Qualifications: Hold a university degree in a relevant field, complemented by appropriate professional qualifications.
- Product Expertise: Possess a deep understanding of key corporate and investment banking products, including cash management, capital market, trade finance, global markets, correspondent banking and security services, and structured finance transactions.
- Regulatory Knowledge: Exhibit an in-depth knowledge of the evolving international AML/CFT standards (FATF, EU directives) and key developments, as well as the primary AML laws and regulations in APAC, particularly in Hong Kong and Singapore.
- Technical Proficiency: Leverage Power BI skills to create insightful infographics and conduct smart analyses of customer behavioral patterns and transaction trends.
Behavioral Competencies:
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Demonstrate exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, fostering effective relationships and conveying complex information clearly and concisely.
- Analytical and Risk Management: Exhibit a robust analytical mindset and a strong understanding of risk management principles, enabling the identification and mitigation of potential risks.
- Critical Thinking and Strategic Decision-Making: Exercise critical thinking skills to make informed and strategic decisions based on sound judgment and a thorough evaluation of available information.
- Adaptability and Resilience: Thrive in a challenging and fast-paced environment, demonstrating agility and the ability to adapt to change while maintaining a goal-oriented mindset.
- Sanctions Awareness: Possess a keen understanding of sanctions circumvention red flags and stay abreast of the latest trends in this area.
Experience and Qualifications required
- 10+ years experience in Compliance / AML areas with exposure to Transaction Monitoring and AML in an international banking organization(s).
- Excellent working knowledge of APAC regulations as well as their practical application.
- Senior professional with AML/TF related industry experience. This will entail sufficient experience and a good understanding of the AML/TF environment & the key challenges and developments faced by the business and the industry.
- Good understanding in WM/PB business and products. Prior experience in other bank business line (i.e. CIB, Correspondent Banking, Global Markets) is a plus.
- Knowledge on CIB Products such as Cash Management, Trade, Securities, Correspondent Banking, etc.
- Candidates with related AML Qualifications such as ICT diploma in AML and/or ACAMS will have added advantage
