Compliance Officer (VP)

Company Description

Crown Agents Bank is a vastly growing and regulated UK bank that connects emerging and frontier markets to the rest of the world, using FX and payments technology. We are transforming the way payments and FX move through emerging markets, reducing friction so that more money gets to those who need it. Emerging markets payments are usually challenging, expensive, unreliable and opaque. Our solutions help fix these pain points. Ultimately, we connect traditionally hard-to-reach regions to global financial infrastructure, giving access to the best prices and the fastest, most reliable settlement.

FX and cross-border payments are often complex and expensive, especially when operating in emerging markets. Crown Agents Bank (CAB) wraps its deep and trusted relationships and strength of network around innovative digital capabilities, and cross-border transaction banking solutions to enable fintech, corporates, governments, development organisations and banks to move money to, from, and across often hard-to-reach markets.

Job Description

Role Purpose

The role is primarily responsible for providing senior, Group-level second-line Compliance Advisory and Compliance Monitoring support across Crown Agents Bank and relevant Group entities and jurisdictions. The role supports the consistent application of the Group Compliance Risk Management Framework while recognising the legal, regulatory and governance responsibilities of individual entities. It acts as a senior adviser to business and support functions, leads significant risk-based monitoring and thematic assurance activity, provides constructive challenge, assesses regulatory change and helps embed a strong compliance and conduct culture across the Group. Material matters are escalated to the Head of Compliance.

Role Responsibilities

- Provide senior compliance advisory support across relevant Group businesses, legal entities, products, services and jurisdictions, translating applicable requirements into practical, risk-based advice and escalating material matters to the Head of Compliance.
- Lead and deliver complex risk-based compliance monitoring and testing reviews under the Compliance Monitoring Plan (CMP), including cross-entity thematic reviews, documenting findings, agreeing actions and tracking remediation through to closure.
- Identify and report cross-Group themes, emerging risks, control weaknesses and recurring issues arising from advisory work, monitoring, incidents, complaints, regulatory developments and assurance activity.
- Support the maintenance and enhancement of the Group Compliance Risk Management Framework, standards, policies and procedures, promoting consistency while recognising entity-specific legal and regulatory requirements.
- Undertake Group-level regulatory horizon scanning and impact assessment, communicate relevant developments to stakeholders and coordinate the implementation of regulatory change across affected entities where appropriate.
- Interpret FCA and PRA requirements and, working with local or entity stakeholders, assess relevant overseas regulatory requirements affecting the Group’s activities.
- Provide compliance input and constructive challenge for new products, services, client propositions, entry into new jurisdictions and material business change, including participation in new product and significant change governance.
- Review financial promotions, client communications and relevant business documentation within the scope of delegated authority, considering applicable entity and jurisdictional requirements.
- Prepare and enhance Group compliance and conduct management information, including trends, monitoring outcomes, regulatory developments, breaches, issues, remediation progress and emerging risks.
- Support the Head of Compliance with regulatory enquiries, meetings, information requests and other engagement affecting the Group, coordinating accurate input from relevant entities and stakeholders.
- Support oversight and administration of applicable SMCR processes, including Certified Persons, Directory Persons, Fit & Proper attestations, Statements of Responsibilities and Management Responsibilities Map updates.
- Support non-financial regulatory reporting and ensure compliance issues, incidents and breaches are identified, assessed, escalated and resolved in a timely and proportionate manner.
- Design and deliver compliance training and awareness activity across relevant Group entities, tailored to applicable regulation, products, services, risks and local requirements.
- Build effective relationships with senior stakeholders across the Group and collaborate with local/entity Compliance, Risk, Legal, Operations and business teams, acting as a trusted senior point of contact.
- Provide knowledge-sharing, guidance and informal mentoring to less experienced colleagues and lead assigned reviews, projects and workstreams without direct line-management responsibility.
- Maintain awareness of regulatory developments and industry practice affecting regulated banking groups, payments, FX, derivatives, trade finance, conduct risk and other activities relevant to the Group.

Qualifications

Degree or equivalent level. Professional or industry qualification preferred (e.g., ICA, CISI, or equivalent).

Experience

- Strong banking experience is required, ideally gained within a UK FCA and PRA regulated bank or banking group.

- Substantial experience in compliance advisory, compliance monitoring, regulatory risk or a related second-line function, at a level demonstrating autonomy on complex matters.

- Experience applying compliance requirements across multiple businesses, legal entities and/or jurisdictions, while recognising local regulatory and governance responsibilities.

- Strong knowledge of UK financial services regulation and the regulatory framework applicable to banks, including FCA and PRA expectations.

- Demonstrable experience providing senior compliance advice to business and support functions and translating regulatory requirements into practical business and control outcomes.

- Experience leading complex monitoring reviews, thematic assurance or testing, including scoping, fieldwork, reporting, action agreement and remediation tracking.

- Experience of regulatory horizon scanning, impact assessment, policy development and implementation of regulatory change across affected stakeholders.

- Experience preparing compliance management information and reporting on themes, emerging risks, findings, issues and remediation to senior stakeholders or governance forums.

- Experience supporting new product, new jurisdiction and material change assessments, financial-promotion review and regulatory enquiries or information requests.

- Knowledge of regulated banking activities relevant to the Group, which may include deposit-taking, payment services, safeguarding, FX, derivatives, trade finance, conduct risk and financial promotions.

- Familiarity with SMCR processes, including Certified Persons, Directory Persons, Fit & Proper assessments and associated governance requirements.

- Ability to operate credibly across Group and entity boundaries, build strong stakeholder relationships and provide constructive, evidence-based challenge.

Additional Information

- Hybrid working
- Contributory personal pension plan: - Minimum: Employee 2% and Employer 7%. Employer matches contributions in 1% increments to a maximum of: Employee 5% and Employer 10%
- Life Assurance – 4 times annual salary
- Group Income Protection
- Private Medical Insurance – this may include cover for partner and or children at company cost. Cover includes Optical, Dental and Audiology
- Discretionary Bonus
- Competitive Annual Leave
- 2 Volunteering Days
- Benefit Hub