Head of Financial Crime and AML

Head of Financial Crime and AML

You’re the sharp-eyed guardian steering a dynamic fintech powerhouse through the fast-paced world of financial services in southern Africa. As Head of Financial Crime and AML (doubling as MLRO), you’ll dive into the heart of risk management, building ironclad defences against money laundering, fraud, and sanctions threats while keeping everything humming in line with FICA, SARB, and FSCA rules. It’s a role packed with strategy, high-stakes decisions, and real impact on secure, innovative banking.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the charge on enterprise-wide financial crime strategies that keep risks at bay and compliance on point.
• Craft, roll out, and fine-tune the full financial crime risk framework, covering AML, CTF, sanctions, and fraud
• Oversee customer due diligence, enhanced checks, and non-stop transaction monitoring to spot trouble early
• Act as the go-to MLRO, filing spot-on STRs, SARs, and CTRs with the Financial Intelligence Centre while locking down confidentiality
• Dive into investigations and tech that make a difference.
• Command transaction monitoring systems, lead probes into suspicious activity, and escalate big risks with authority
• Run regular financial crime risk assessments, pinpoint emerging threats, and push through smart fixes
• Shape fraud management from top to bottom, handling internal and external cases with decisive action
• Drive governance, people, and forward-thinking edge.
• Deliver board-level reports on risks, controls, and breaches, plus prep for audits like a pro
• Champion training programmes that build a vigilant, ethics-first culture across the board
• Guide tech choices for AML tools and systems, partnering with business to embed controls from the start
• Stand tall in regulator chats, inspections, and industry forums, advising teams on compliance smarts

REQUIREMENTS

• Bring your A-game with solid credentials and battle-tested experience in fintech or banking.
• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Risk Management, Finance, Accounting, or similar (NQF 7+), plus CAMS or postgraduate edge
• 8-10 years in financial crime, AML/CTF, or compliance, including 5+ in leadership
• Hands-on with regulators, investigations, transaction systems, and reporting like STRs/CTRs
• Fluent in English and Afrikaans, with Afrikaans a bonus for southern African flair

WHAT IT TAKES

You’re all about integrity, sharp analysis, and bold calls – think independent thinker with regulatory confidence, eagle-eyed detail focus, and expertise in risk assessments, investigations, and control design.

Courage to challenge, diligence to deliver, and a drive to foster ethical high-performers.

Step up and own the frontline of financial integrity in a thriving fintech scene – your expertise will shape secure growth like never before.