Financial Crime Officer

Hodge are a financial services business focused on the commercial lending, savings and specialist residential mortgage markets. Working at Hodge is about making a difference. That starts with our purpose: we make life better for customers and society in the moments that matter.

For over 50 years, we’ve shared the same simple mission: to really make a positive difference for our customers and communities. This ethos is in our DNA, as we are 79% owned by a charity, the Hodge Foundation.

We have achieved significant growth over the last few years and have ambitious plans to expand further.

The Retail Compliance team is a first line function, providing day to day compliance support  and advice to the Retail business. The team is looking to appoint a first line Financial Crime Officer to lead in the implementation of financial crime controls across the Retail business. The ideal candidate will have a good knowledge of financial crime regulations and be able to provide relevant guidance to the business. This role is a great opportunity to apply your financial crime knowledge to support a fast paced environment across a broad range of financial products

Your role:

Reporting into the Head of Retail compliance, the Financial Crime Officer will play a pivotal role in supporting the first line in embedding financial crime controls. The Financial Crime Officer will have responsibility for creating and updating financial crime processes and procedures, investigating any referrals and escalating as appropriate to the MLRO, support in the delivery of financial crime training and act as the first line subject matter expert on financial crime.

Responsibilities:

1. Support the implementation of the Group Standards related to financial crime as required by the Group policies and frameworks.
2. Create and update first line financial crime procedures and processes.
3. Investigate financial crime referrals, including fraud and money laundering referrals, from the Retail business.
4. Investigate fraud and anti- money laundering referrals through key financial crime systems such as CIFAS and Lexis Nexis, working to identifying target matches, discounting false positives and accurately recording findings and outcomes.
5. Review and investigate transaction monitoring reports for suspicious activity, ensuring there are no breaches.
6. Refer relevant investigations to the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) for reporting to relevant body.
7. Liaise and respond to law enforcement requests, investigate for any suspicious activity as required.
8. Maintain accurate records of each investigation, outcome and policy exception.
9. Maintain a register of PEPs and High Risk Individuals, and facilitate the completion of enhanced due diligence.
10. Provide guidance to the business on Anti-Bribery and Corruption matters, and oversee the gifts and invitation process for retail.
11. As required, conduct 3rd party reviews on brokers, solicitors other third parties, escalating the outcome to the relevant forums.
12. Support the MLRO in delivering financial crime training to the first line.
13. Work with the Quality Assurance team to develop testing of financial crime controls.
14. Producing financial crime MI for relevant forums and committees.
15. Respond to ad-hoc queries providing guidance to business lines, working to improve front line financial crime awareness policies and promote best practice to the business lines in relation to Financial Crime procedures.

Essential Skills:

• Previous experience in financial services in a financial crime/compliance role
• Good knowledge of anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and anti-bribery and corruption regulations (financial crime qualifications desirable).
• Previous experience in undertaking customer screening, transaction monitoring, suspicious activity reporting and complex fraud investigations.
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with both internal and external stakeholders at all levels across the business.
• Ability to challenge business stakeholders objectively and effectively.
• Effective communication skills.

In return we offer:

• Competitive Salary
• Based in Cardiff City Centre operating in a highly flexible Hybrid workspace.
• 28 days Holiday with the option to buy more.
• Subsidised Gym Membership.
• Private Medical & Health Insurance
• Extensive learning and development programme
• Generous, personalised benefits package
• Enhanced parental leave – Up to 20 weeks paid Maternity AND Paternity leave
• Company pension contribution up to 15%
• 4 days on top of annual leave for community and charity work
• Flexible working options

Please be aware that should we pursue your application, all our Financial Services employees will be expected to complete background checks to assess suitability for employment, these include; a criminal record, identity, sanctions, adverse finance, fraud prevention and reference checks to comply with our regulatory requirements. Hodge is an advocate of being an equal opportunities employer, We believe in promoting equality and diversity which is central to our lives today. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and recognise the value a diverse workforce brings to an organisation. ESG and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do and serves as a reminder of the responsibility we have to our stakeholders, customers, colleagues and the communities we operate in to use our position wisely. We’re currently exploring different certifications available and have done an initial review of how we think we’d fare, as we see this as a real opportunity for Hodge given our social purpose.