Head of Financial Crime Operations

The Head of Financial Crime Operations holds end-to-end accountability for Starling's financial crime operational delivery across multiple teams, including Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF), and Customer Due Diligence (CDD/EDD).

As an Experienced People Leader in the First Line of Defence, this role leads a team of senior professionals and team managers, influences strategic direction, builds a shared sense of purpose, and ensures robust governance aligned with departmental strategy and the Bank's Risk Appetite.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee the end-to-end Operations performance and operational delivery for AML, CTF, CDD, and EDD across customer segments in line with agreed SLAs.
• Ensure alert handling and case reviews are responded to in a high-quality, timely manner, maintaining resourcing to handle workload demand and manage operational KPIs, OKRs, and KRIs.
• Lead the continuous improvement of the control environment to focus teams on taking a risk-based approach and reducing false-positive alerts.
• Maintain awareness of specific financial crime typologies unique to SME customers and partner closely with SME leadership and commercial teams to build, develop, and align financial crime capabilities and operating models specifically for SME customers.
• Recruit, manage, and develop capacity/capability to deliver a highly engaged, skilled, and sustainable workforce.
• Partner effectively across 2nd Line Risk, Compliance, Product, Engineering, and Data to embed new initiatives and regulatory updates.
• Proactively identify opportunities to optimise processes, drive continuous improvements, and improve customer outcomes across Financial Crime Operations.
• Deliver consistent communication across teams and engage with operational managers to create an empowered problem-solving culture.
• Identify direction based on departmental strategy, set functional goals, and hold accountability for functional results, budgeting, and full resourcing decisions.
• Navigate complex organisational challenges, including change management, and resolve significant team or functional conflicts while making risk decisions with departmental impact.

Requirements:

• Deep subject matter expertise in UK Financial Crime regulatory guidelines, MLRs, JMLSG, PEPs, and Sanctions.
• Technical competency in understanding models, data, MI, statistical analysis, and operational workflows.
• Proven track record of managing large scale, complex financial crime operations, customer onboarding, and risk frameworks within regulated banking.
• Strong people leadership across multiple teams and layers, building a shared sense of purpose and driving advanced coaching, team development, and strategic planning.
• Accountable, resilient, and customer-focused leadership style that role models Starling Group values and makes difficult decisions with full transparency.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to champion simplicity across functions, encourage external input and disruptive thinking, and raise the bar for strategic performance.
• Excellent communication and listening skills, creating a safe environment to share feedback, surface issues, and resolve conflicting requirements across functions.

Benefits:

• Make an Impact: Work on projects that directly shape the future of banking and improve the financial lives of our customers.
• Culture of Excellence: Be part of a collaborative, empowered, and forward-thinking team.
• Growth and Development: We are committed to your professional growth, offering opportunities to learn new technologies, take on new challenges, and own interesting things from day one.
• A Bank That Cares: We're a Living Wage employer, committed to flexible working, and dedicated to creating a fair, open, and safe working environment with compassion and inclusion at its core.
• Comprehensive Benefits: We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including company-enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme, Private Medical Insurance, 25 days holiday, life insurance, and more.